We've dined here 3 times in the last month. Yes we like it that much. First 2 occasions was for dinner and the last time was at lunch. I personally prefer the dinner menu and atmosphere. The food is great. The staff are lovely and the wine list (by the glass) is decent. Highly recommend.
(5)
Shannon J.
The entrees we had (swordfish and scallops) were average. The sides (sweet potatoes and corn muffins) were divine. Desert, cheese cake with pomegranate seeds was wonderful. We took Marta, bus was on time and drops you off right in front. Great overall experience
(3)
Lauren M.
Not at all what I expected to be writing in review the day after having dinner at the Optimist. The place itself has a cool vibe and the staff was friendly.... beyond that, the service/meal was awful. I was pretty much in shock and thought maybe someone in the kitchen was playing a joke on my date and myself.... I was expecting a fantastic meal. First of well we had a 7:30 reservation (tuesday night.) Arrived on time and sat at the bar to wait for our table to be ready. At 8:30, my date finally asked one of the hostesses what was going on-- to which she said, "oh, I thought since you were sitting at the bar that you didn't want your table any more..." Umm... what??? We ordered the octopus appetizer at the waitress' suggestion. It was salty and spicy and basically tasted like a hot wing (in flavor.) Not good. Then I had the grouper-- terrible and basically all salt-- and my date had the skate wing (which was highly recommended) and he didn't like it at all either-- was basically a fried mess with way too much sauce. The only good thing I ate was the a piece of bread before the meal.... once I realized I wasn't going to eat more than 2 bites of my dinner I asked the waitress for another piece of bread, and lo and behold they had run out. The seating situation was abysmal. the food was virtually inedible, and it took forever. waitress/bar tender were nice but I don't think that alone justifies any more stars! Would come back here to the bar just because the place has a cool vibe, but I wouldn't pay $40 to eat here for dinner let alone $200.
(1)
Melanie S.
Very good food, especially the salmon, fish and chips and shrimp and grits. The service is great. The cocktails are excellent get a hurricane. I love the mini golf courses in the front. The east and west coast oysters are good, fresh, good home made oyster crackers and sauce. A bit overpriced, thus four instead of five stars. The yeast rolls are the best. The sides like mushrooms, fried rice, hush puppies and squash are well worth the $6. Kids meals are $7 and really great.
(4)
Esteban A.
It did not inspire. Thats me being optimistic.
(3)
Augustus M.
If you're a seafood lover this is the place to go. The first time I went there I was amazed by their ways of cooking great place to enjoy some delicious foods.
(4)
Greg C.
Excellent. Expensive and pretentious but worth every penny. Atlanta finally has great seafood. A must visit for anyone who appreciates good food. Highlights were octopus, tuna, and lemon tart.
(5)
Sarah M.
Due to my most recent experience at the Optimist, i am forced to update my review. Has this place jumped the skate wing? Service has gone way downhill in the months since the restaurant opened. On a recent Saturday night, we were essentially ignored by our server who kept playfully saying upon his return "wow, I keep saying I'll come back, but then I never do". Yep, we agree. Opting to share small plates, imagine our surprise when every. single. one. arrived at the exact same time. Including Oysters that had been ordered first 30 minutes ago. Our table looked like a scene from Dr. Suess - things dangling off of the edges. And last, dessert. We opted for key lime pushpops "to go" - and when they came they weren't even remotely lime - they were coconut, and warm and gooey and cloying. We told our server, and he didn't even take them off the bill - just said "I'm glad no one was allergic." I still adore the space, but the shine is off the penny for me....
(2)
Courtney M.
Fish House Punch is something I'd come back for! Grab some at the OysterBar while you wait for your table!
(4)
Katy S.
Solid seafood joint but expensive (we are inland afterall). Oysters were very good but the home-made crackers they offered were bleh (just suck it up and give out saltines if you can't make a cracker better than that). Both the vinegar dip and hotsauce were delicious. The veggie sides were all quite good as were the cocktails (servings are small in both cases). While I enjoyed the hushpuppies, I wouldn't order them again. They're trying to do too much - lots of savory and lots of sweet. One should be a hint to complement the other, either way you do it. The Grouper Cheek was very flavorful. The swordfish was the stand-out. Excellent flavor and accompaniment. The sauce the mussels were served in was super tasty but the mussels themselves were small and rubbery. When you make a sauce that good you gotta give something for sopping. I would return but not with a non-seafood lover. The non seafood options were sparse and uninteresting - a bummer for good sports who tag along anyway. Decor and ambiance were industrial and loud, meh. Patio looked very nice though and the mini golf was a nice touch.
(3)
Laurie F.
One of the Cougar's favorites - everyone needs to just go. Get the Lobster Roll and have a cocktail. Heaven.
(5)
Peter L.
One of the best presentations of snapper I've ever had - whole fish, Asian spicy sweet garlic sauce. Licked the bones clean. Sinful homemade Hawaiian yeast rolls. Fresh oysters- just right. Nice bar. Will be back!
(5)
M H.
The bartender knew how to correctly make a Sidecar. I complimented him on that and he told me the boss requires them to know how to make ALL vintage cocktails. That kind of thing goes a long way with me. The salted bread and the oysters were out of this world. Good service too. Fun Friday night crowd. Lives up to the hype.
(4)
Chucky C.
Very well prepared and delicious. While the menu is somewhat limited it has a very good selection of seafood. The sides were exceptional especially the brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes. Service was good but not exceptional. The setting was pleasant and not too loud. Will return.
(4)
Matt S.
It is rare in life to have a dining experience that makes you wish you had a larger stomach, but The Optimist does just that. Although my sister and I ate at the oyster bar, and not the full restaurant, we were nothing but impressed. Daun, our server/bartender, was informative, helpful, and attentive. Being in the service industry, I can be a bit picky - couldn't find a single flaw. The oysters were outstanding, both raw and roasted; the bread was clearly freshly baked and remarkable; the octopus perfectly cooked and ingeniously paired with house-made harissa, kale and sausage (the combo was stellar!); lobster braised monkfish with shrimp and fennel was one of the most succulent and rich dishes I've ever encountered; clams and pork belly with garlic and jalapeno can not be topped! If you can only choose one place to eat seafood in Atlanta, I don't think you can do better than this.
(5)
Primo L.
Very cool, upscale atmosphere with knowledgable staff and seafood that tastes like it was just caught. I was here for an event so our menu was limited to the appetizers but between the lobster roll, oysters, octopus and different rice dishes I didn't feel like I missed anything. The house red (Malbec? I can't recall) was also delicious.
(4)
Jeff S.
Was there last night for the second time in two months. It still kills me that I have to pay $2 to have my car valeted. Seems petty. I know this place makes enough money!! Gesh. Just add it to my food costs for goodness sakes!!
(3)
Andrew M.
Yes, this place IS awesome. I only came here for a few drinks and some appetizers, but everything was wonderful. The decor is beautiful and rich without being too pretentious. I especially love the big, tall, gorgeous bar with its backlit shelves. And speaking of the bar, Chris is an outstanding bartender. He has a short list of craft cocktails on the menu, but he can construct the drink of your dreams if you mention a couple flavors you like. Along with 5 Seasons and the Miller Union, it's nice to see the Westside taking place in "cocktail renaissance". The Optimist seems to ALWAYS be busy. It's madness. They put down 250-400 covers a night, 7 nights a week. I have a lot of friends that like to hang out at the cold bar, where you can get oysters and the such. The menu at the side bar is different and exclusive, vice versa with that of the main dining room/main bar. I've heard that you're supposed to be able to order off of the main bars cocktail menu if you're at the side bar.... kinda weird. Anywho, the food is all really good, too. We tried some fried green beans and a dozen oysters on the half shell. They came with some fresh horseradish, butter, garlicky stuff, and something spicy, too. I don't remember all of the details, I was quite inebriated. But, everything was delicious; I do remember that. You should go here either to hang out and drink cocktails and just nosh a bit, or make reservations and have a really nice meal. It's pretty loud and busy in here, so bring a loud group of friends with you. You could make it romantic, I suppose, but I feel like this place more a celebration of food and beverage than one of love. Enjoy.
(5)
Judith K.
My friend and I debated for a while whether we'd just cook at home or go out to eat. We decided (after a lot of time passing) that we'd go ahead and try this place out and didn't regret doing so. I liked the design of the restaurant - the place has an open kitchen and there's enough space to feel like you're not crunched together to the people next to you. They had just started the cocktail menu the day we went. I tried the Fog Cutter, which was good. The waitress recommended the Alpine Shandy, which I want to try next time I go. If you go here, you have to try the spicy spanish octopus. It was so tender and didn't taste seafood-y at all. It's something that I had never tasted in my life and can't really compare it to anything either. The corn mil hushpuppies came second - they were crispy and moist in the center and didn't have too much bread on the inside.
(4)
Nadia H.
Optimist is a great lunch destination. Even though, it is still a bit too busy from time to time, and you don't get the full attention from your servers, the quality of the food makes up for service. The grouper sandwich and mussels are to die for.
(4)
AV G.
When I read the article in Esquire that this was the country's best new restaurant, i was eager to enjoy my company's xmas lunch here. The place is cool; an indoor/outdoor space that is a Florida/southern style (not that i am an expert on this look). We had a pre-fixe menu lunch that was passed apps of great french fries, not good charred octopus,nasty tuna tartare and mushy fried oysters (although the breading was good). I then had the best caesar salad EVER followed by a very very good half chicken that was boned out. Excellent 'nana puddin' for desert. Very large portions. Good place--I would like to go back
(4)
Cassie P.
Never disappoints!
(5)
Wayne F.
Went hear a couple of weeks ago and had a nice dinner. My friend told me this was voted best new restaurant of the year (nationwide) by Esquire and honestly I think it's a bit of a stretch. It's a really cool place to have a good meal but not among the select few memorable dining experiences I've had. Apps: Oysters, we got 6 east and 6 west coasts as my friend was from Cali, myself from Maryland....west coast won this time damn it! Whole ga white shrimp a la plancha: menu says mess-y but worth it, I agree. Great flavor and the toast soaks up the rich sauce Main Course: Whole "swimming" black bass, garlic ginger sauce, sweet peppers, crispy shallots: well-prepared bass that was fried whole and then roasted if I had to guess. Good flavor but honestly too much of a rip off from cantonese restaurants Service was outstanding and the ambience was great-- we didn't sit at the oyster bar near the entrance but looks like a great place to grab a drink and a bite after work. Only complaint would be that the table was close to the other, too close honestly. I understand it was Saturday and packed but it was like the "lunch from hell" episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Would come back for sure for a nice, laid-back dinner in an amazing space.
(4)
Kim K.
Exceptional meal, wonderful service and a impeccable atmosphere. It was a perfect birthday celebration meal. We will be back soon.
(5)
Shea H.
One of my new favorite restaurants in Atlanta! My mom and I had a wonderful dinner here. We started our meal with the Green Curry Mussels; One word AMAZING! I had the scallops on top of braised short rib. Sound weird but it was delicious. My mom had the monk fish and we split two side items; hearts of artichokes and brussels sprouts. Both of which were very tasty!!! The service was outstanding and the ambience was cool with a industrial feel.
(5)
Christina S.
The fabulous Ford Fry's new establishment will not fail you! This man is accomplished, to say the least. With the successes of other wonderful Atlanta eateries (JCT, No 246) under his belt, I was nothing but OPTIMISTIC when I was told we had gotten a reservation at Ford's new sustainable seafood place on my latest visit to Atlanta! Optimistic ... AND excited! So, let's (again) get the basics out of the way: THE ATMOSPHERE: Smith Hanes did a wonderful job with this project. The main dining area and bar are open and airy and bright, yet still cozy. For a moment you believe you're in the warehouse district, but then you feel like you're in your favorite local watering hole. And, I can only think of the words "upscale beach" to describe the Oyster Bar (Think: The Hamptons and Destin collide, gracefully). The scene is hip. It's a "true" hip, though - one that you know is here to stay. And with so many restaurants coming and going in Atlanta, that has to be a great feeling. And, stay, they want from you - When I sat down, I felt I was in for the long-(gastronomic) haul. It was comforting to know that they want you to come in, sit for a spell and "enjoy" your meal, instead of rushing your table out the door. And "enjoy" I did - BOY oh BOY did I ENJOY! Could it be that I was dining with some of my favorite folks, one of whom just happens to run the largest seafood distributor in the SE? I think not. I think that's just how they do it there - there was no special treatment for me (other than I got a first hand narrative of what was yummy on the menu that night). Ford wants you to feel comfortable and enjoy yourself (i.e., you can play putt putt out front) - simple as that. THE BAR: ohhh yesssss ... the bar. Where it all began. For starters, it's gorgeous - a towering wall of glass and bottles. And it's comfy for "a drink at the bar" kinda evening. It also serves up some crafty cocktails: The Truth as We Know it martini of pink gin and bitters, the Port Antonio, which is a couple different rums, Kahlua and cinnamon, The Old Salty Dog , which was my first choice of the night, and, as it always goes with this group, BUBBLES! They've also got some tasty craft beer behind the bar, and if that doesn't do it for ya, well, order yourself a Miller High Life! Now, for the good part ... THE FOOD: Where to start? Of course seafood was in my repertoire for the evening, whether I was eating from my own plate or from the plate of others at the table! We started with the oysters - In fact, we liked those so much we got a dozen ... then some more, and they were served with these homemade crackers to die for (I will settle for nothing less while eating oysters now - Guess I better let the folks down at AJs know before next my next beach trip). We had all three salads: Simple Salad with the shaved celery and herbs (my plate), a Little Gem Salad with the meyer lemon and anchovy dressing, and a spicy arugula salad with the peaches and Farmer's cheese - all were absolutely tasty and beautifully presented. Since the papa-bear didn't want a salad, he indulged in the Angels on Horseback, which are fried oysters with pork belly, and served with these amazing little "toast points" - a decadent griddled piece of bread (like grilled cheese without the cheese - they needed their own top billing on the menu, IMHO). One of the young ladies at the table ordered the mussels with the spicy green curry broth, and I have to say that I'm thankful I was seated directly to her left - so I could taste that TOO. All of that yumminess was followed by our main dishes: Alaskan Halibut, plated with grilled Hen of the Wood (mushroom), a red snapper dish, the roasted Georgia trout, served with marcona almonds and a pickled celery, the Fish & Chips (three cheers for my choice), which was ale battered haddock (traditional), and for the one meat-eater at the table, the skirt steak with a romesco sauce, which was out of this world. Not a complaint at the table. As if that wasn't enough, we still wanted more, believe it or not. However, we needed a little break in our consumption activities, and decided to utilize the 7 minute drive home for that very purpose. But we took home one of each of the FIVE items on the dessert menu that evening - the buttermilk donuts (served with sweet corn ice cream and pepper jam!) were my favorite, but the chocolate "cloud" was a wicked treat, too! Chef Adam Evans - who is from THIS side of the time zone, (Muscle Shoals), went to Auburn and worked his way around the Craft family of restaurants after he left New Orleans and the Brennans - will not disappoint! (And He's a super sweet dude to boot!!) So, if you get the chance, when you're next in the ATL - visit my new friends at the Optimist. And be prepared for one of the very best seafood meals you've ever had.
(5)
Lucy W.
I hope people who have seafood for the first time here, don't think this is what good seafood tastes like. I admit, I over-rated Optimist on my previous visit based on its decor, ambiance and potential. I must be ordering wrong, if other Yelpers (whose reviews i truly trust) are giving five star reviews. I was absolutely starving and wanted to try the clam appetizer dishes, instead of ordering a full entree. Mistake. I should have known clams outside of New England would not be good. The Fried clam roll was a joke...same tiny Holeman and Finch roll as was used for the tiny lobster rolls, drenched in kimchi vinegar, not even clam strips...clam BITS, fried to oblivion. The garlicky clams would have been good with a pound less salt (note to chef, clams are from the ocean and are already inherently salty...no need to use a heavy hand with the salt). The promised croutons were almost nonexistent...i wish they gave bread to soak up the clam juice, but you have to order and pay for bread separately. Also, about half the clam shells were empty...so I combed through the clam juice, looking for the clam meat...but they were completely missing. Now I know how they can afford to put a $9 whole clam appetizer on the menu. I was still so hungry with the lack of food even though I ate everything, to soak up some of small but potent cocktail I ordered. Alas, I couldn't finish my drink b/c of the lack of food in my stomach. I came home and started to make myself a real dinner. I do want to love this place...but I'm probably going to do drinks only next time (st George's gin, yay!) and of course, to play on the putting green and sit on the padded patio seats/ottomans.
(2)
William K.
Had a chance to eat here finally and I am going to go out on a limb and say this may very well be my new favorite place. We split a dozen cold fresh raw briny yummy oysters mignonette, then split the sear sea scalloped over the candied braised short rib, and also split the completely delicious ahi. This is a short review because I do not know what to add. The food, the service the interior... all of it. Top notch. Sensational.
(5)
Billy T.
Atmosphere and food were great! Waiter was not very attentive. We were trying to have a few drinks with dinner but never even got the chance to order another one after the first one at the beginning of the meal. Back to the food, we ordered a dozen oysters, scallops and the halibut and everything was wonderful!
(4)
Stephanie K.
Birthday dinner last night! My friend and I arrived about an hour before our reservation to sit at the bar and have a couple of cocktails. She had wine, and I had a Carboy and another plum-infused concoction, both of which were delicious and refreshing. Our table was ready for us right on time, and we sat right in front of the open kitchen, giving us a great view of the action going on there as well as throughout the dining room, which was hoppin' on a Wednesday night. Noise levels can be a little distracting, but my friend and I could still have pretty easy conversation. It's a great room to do some people watching. I ordered 3 west coast oysters, which were delectable and buttery. My friend had the smoked white fish chowder, which I tasted, and it was really delicious. They ran out of the halibut entree I had my eye on, but substituted grouper with seared okra and baby heirloom tomatoes and a red wine demiglace. Fish may have been slightly overcooked, but all of the flavors were amazing. I had a side of wild mushrooms, which were rich and decadent, as well as the hushpuppies with powdered sugar and brown sugar butter, which are A MUST. My friend had the monkfish, and it was also stellar. The side of fried rice is an umami bomb in the best possible way - so much flavor happening. Food is a little pricey, but the quality is definitely worth it, especially for a special occasion. When I mentioned it was my birthday to our server, he nonchalantly brought over a free drink for me, as well as a glass of wine for my friend. The manager stopped by to wish me a happy birthday a bit later, also, and brought me ANOTHER free drink (and a free koozie that came with my beer!). After we were stuffed full, our server surprised me with a complimentary birthday peach tart dessert with vanilla ice cream, complete with a lit birthday candle. Thankfully, no singing! Service could not have been better or more professional. Our meal was borderline perfect. I will not hesitate to come back to the Optimist in the future. Still haven't gone to the raw bar (in the room next to the main dining area that serves mainly raw oysters, etc., and light appetizers), but that's on my list for sure.
(5)
John O.
even if you are not a seafood fan (i'm not), the skirt steak is amazing, and the sides and dessert are insanely good. bill with four other clients came to $360 including 20% tip, so it's reasonable (we had beers but didn't do any wine). the octopus is supposedly an amazing starter. the arugula salad was great, as well. for the main course, i had the skirt steak, as did one other client, and it was amazing.' for the sides, the succotash and basmati rice are fantastic. the succotash is surprisingly spicy, but in a good way. for dessert, we had the boston cream pie, the lemon dessert, and then something else (basically the top three things), as well as some frozen stuff (the caramel with sea salt was fantastic, as was the cherry-flavored frozen one). i'd come back in a heartbeat.
(5)
Jonathan D.
The friendly staff didn't do one thing wrong on my first visit here. They were hitting all their marks. The food was outstanding. I'm a bit of an oyster novice, but the ones I had here were much more flavorful than what I'd encountered at several other Atlanta restaurants. The tempura-fried green beans were solid, but one of the standouts of the enitre meal was actually the dipping sauce. It brimmed with confident dairy flavor that had just enough dill to keep it from being overly creamy. The broth with the clams and pork belly appetizer was like a firm handshake. Reassuring in its strength but stops before it crushes you in its grip. And the entree? The oysters were so good that we got a second order. I was also knocked over by my cocktails. My grandparents used to make a lot of Salty Dogs, so this entry to the cocktail list caught my attention immediately. The very fresh citrus was well balanced with the salted rim. I ended up having two. Also, I love the overall layout. The place is really charming, with gigantic ceilings and exposed rafters that aren't too industrial. I happened to notice the managers of a couple other fancy restaurants eating there the night I went, which has to be a good sign.
(5)
Andrew H.
Wow, what a HUGE disappointment. After the rave review in Bon Appetit, September 2013, page 156, went for lunch today to try the fish and chips. Being an expat from the old country, couldn't wait. It was AWFUL. They did not even follow their own recipe as published in the magazine. One large (8 inch) piece of codfish with almost invisible soft batter. It did not look anything like the picture, not crunchy at all. (In Bon Appetit, they say to cut the fish into 1-1/2 inch wide strips.) Also, thin tapering tail end pieces of fish do not work. The fish needs to be uniform thickness to fry evenly. The fries were soggy, actually limp. What a bummer! She crab soup is better with lumps of crab in it, BTW, as another reviewer observed. Deconstruction is not always better.
(1)
Charlie B.
Alright y'all this place is goram legit. The service was really quite wonderful, not so insistent that they were like flies at a picnic nor were they so absentminded that we had to wait too long for anything. The real reason we all go to places like this is the food, and to pose. That's not why I go, but there were some pretty people enjoying cocktails and I'm not one of those so I'm obviously better than they are (for the purposes of this review anyway). We had in no order of love the fries, the mussels, the spicy shrimp appetizer, the curry fried rice, the seared tuna, hush puppies, aaand their peach cobbler. yes please, and thank you jebus. Seriously the pups were like a very sweet corn beignet, the mussels were tasty and perfectly cooked, the shrimp were delicious and would be a great lunch special if they were served on a bed of sticky rice (hint hint), the tuna was wonderful, the curry fried rice with peanuts was really interesting like a southern take on fried rice meets Singapore street noodles. I could go on, but i wont. You should go. Seriously. Its a great alternative to the my other favorite Atlanta restaurant, especially if you want some lighter fare. A definite place to take out of town guests, a date, or your parents.
(5)
Todd P.
I'm an expert at See-Food (just observe my Buddha belly). And it would seem The Optimist is gaining notoriety as an expert in seafood. I just had to give it a shot and line up the "see" with the "sea". And I achieved success, walking out feeling significantly stuffed to the brim. I like the classy yet laid back vibe of this new gem on the West side. My friend and I sat in the dining room, but I'd like to return soon to try the even more casual oyster bar and patio. We started with the crispy long beans, sea salt and buttermilk-dill mignonette -- better known as battered and fried green beans. Perfect start to our meal, taking the edge of our hunger off while we perused the menu of wood hearth roasted fish and interesting sides. After much deliberation, I decided on the seared tuna as my main course. I really loved the accompaniments, including the charred octopus and potato salad. The small chunks of potato were crispy and the octopus delicious. The tuna was good, but it seems the sear could've been just a tad more crisp in my opinion. I'm sure this would be tough to pull off, and I can't fault them for the way it was served. Just my preference that would have made this meal really sing for me. For sides, we shared a few different dishes, including the potato gnocci in lobster butter with summer corn (delicious!), the corn milk hushpuppies, in a beignet style with powdered sugar and a cane sugar butter; and the basmati fried rice with smoked fish, curry and smashed peanuts. All three were nice compliments to the meal. And of course we had to try dessert. And did we ever! We put down three delicious ones: chocolate "pop tarts", a grapefruit tart garnished with Venezuelan white chocolate; and the buttermilk donuts with sweet corn ice cream and sweet pepper jelly -- all specialties created and prepared by Sugar Coated Radical. Now, after all of that, is there any doubt I'm a specialist in See-Food? I think not.
(4)
Allie B.
An extremely positive dining experience! We started with the grapefruit cocktails from their specialty cocktail menu - excellent. Their wine list is extensive with just about anything you could want; I forget what bottle we had, but it was in the low $40 range and very good. We had East Coast Oysters (one each, served with all of the fun oyster fixings), a simple salad (super fresh ingredients - like eating a good garden, minus the dirt), the whole georgia white shrimp a la plancha with sopping toast and arbol chile (flavor was A+, but I'm not the hugest fan of dissecting my own food. I know, so pedestrian, but I like the be-heading done prior to table service, but I knew what I was getting into - the waitress was sure to inform us of that detail), and then the skate wing 'schnitzel' with brown butter, charred lemon, and capers. I'll order anything that comes with brown butter, charred lemon, and capers, and this skate wing was surprisingly good. I'm seeing fish 'schnitzels' all over the place right now. The service was not horrible - the woman kept wanting to take our plates away when we were obviously not ready...minus several points. I really like the space, though - it's very open and airy and the bar/restaurant is the only thing in the building so it's very spread out. I understand they're going to have music in the courtyard area eventually? I look forward to trying out the bar where they have smaller (read: cheaper) menu.
(5)
Mary-Nevin H.
First off, I'm giving the atmosphere\service a 4.5 and the meal I chose a 3 so i'm being nice and bumping this review up to a 4. I'm not a huge Ford Fry junkie but I generally like what he comes up with so I recently hopped up the westside and checked the place out. The building itself is beautiful. High ceilings, putt putt if you're so inclined, a raw bar and a regular bar and my all time favorite part of any restaurant *an open kitchen* People like to tease me about that one but I've worked in one too many restaurants and it just works out better for everyone if you can see what's going on. Our server was attentive without being overbearing and was knowledgeable, nice and a few other good adjectives. The noise level is a bit loud but not to the point where it's distracting. Our food was out much faster than I thought it would be. I ordered the peel and eat shrimp and it was WAY overseasoned, as was the sauce. I had to ask for cocktail sauce just to balance the suckers out. I thought I was being dramatic but my husband tried it and he loves all thinks salt, and said it was a bit much for him. So i felt justified. Everything else I had was good, hush puppies, mushrooms and bites of everyone else's dishes(Scallops, Grouper and Lamb). I'm hoping I just ordered wrong but for what you pay here, you want it to be good. I'll make my way back eventually, but this definitely isn't a place that was so amazing I want to go back next week. However new restaurants have to find their footing so I'm definitely looking forward to giving this place a second chance.
(4)
Miranda G.
I've had friends telling me for quite some time now to check this spot out. I love King + Duke so it didn't take much convincing on their part. First off the mussels were absolutely amazing. Whatever broth that is served with them is to die for, definitely ask for an extra side of bread with, you won't want to waste a drop. If you've never dined here order the hush puppies, not typically my thing but they are fantastic. The snapper was perfectly cooked, drinks are tasty. I definitely keep this on my list of restaurants that I frequent often.
(5)
Terry M.
The decor and atmosphere really help The Optimist reach 3 Stars. The portions are small, the prices are on the high side. Atmosphere....great. Restaurant/food....average at best. Bar.....solid. If there is a restaurant graph out there where "trendy" and "kind of shitty" cross, you will find "The Optimist."
(3)
Maria T.
What's that you say?.. the ATL is bringing it on the foodie tip? That's right ladies & gentleman its not just all about fried okra & baby back ribs down here in Georgia. (some of my favorite things on the planet by the way, but I digress) Now, for those of you who know me, you know I'm a sucker for a lobster roll, french fries? Yes please. So the best place to go is definitely #TheOptimist. Start with the gumbo then sit back and adjust your belt. The buttery brioche is toasted to perfection. The freshness of the maine lobster is poached to perfection, thus making this sandwich.. perfection. Certainly reminiscent of your summer's spent on the Cape.. that's Cape Cod if I've lost you. * "Maria's Don't Miss" The Lobster Roll
(5)
Wendy G.
We may be land-locked, but The Optimist by famed Atlanta chef and restauranteur Ford Fry (JCT Kitchen and No. 246) will make you think you're sitting beach side. I'm just going to say it - I love everything about this restaurant. First, I love the easy parking. That may seem odd, but I've gotten a bit tired lately of valets in tiny, packed lots, or worse, hard to find street parking. Nice sized lot off Howell Mill (big sign so you don't miss it) and lots of parking off 8th Street. Oyster Bar at The Optimist is the casual bar that I can see myself spending many a post-work early evening at sipping a cold beer or glass of white wine (highly recommend the Beach Ball) and indulging in some briny oysters or peel and eat shrimp. Step into The Optimist proper and you will be amazed at the attention to detail, the great service, the fun little touches that don't hit you over the head with a nautical theme and better still - the amazing food. They start you with delicious house made rolls topped with maldon salt. Some of the dishes cry out for these rolls to sop up the savory broths, including the garlicky tiny clams & pork belly with hand-torn croutons dish - so save some for that or just order more. The fried clam roll with kimchi vinegar and house pickles was also a winner on a Holeman & Finch bun. They also feature of course, oysters on the half shell. East and West Coast oysters made you feel like you were seaside with various accompaniments including crackers, hot sauce, cocktail sauce and real horseradish. While the restaurant features skirt steak, wood roasted half amish chicken, roasted heritage pork and lamb belly, the focus is definitely on seafood. We enjoyed the alaskan halibut, wood grilled hen of the wood with red wine fish bordelaise and the skate wing "schnitzel" with brown butter, charred lemon, and capers. So delicious The sides are also amazing - I wanted to try them all! Ended up with the potato gnocchi with lobster butter and corn and the sliced local heirloom tomatoes with louie dressing.I'll be back to try the buttered spring onion potato puree and corn milk hushpuppies. One of the cooler things I stumbled upon on the way to the restroom were two racks of old school hotel style keys. Puzzled, I thought maybe I needed one to open the restroom door, but the doors had no key locks. Chef Ford Fry happens by as I'm looking very confused about these bright orange keys and explains that they printed 1,000 of these keys and they are for the patrons to take. Score! I promptly scooped up #177. What I'm hoping is that eventually when all 1,000 keys are taken that those keyholders will be able to bring them back to 'unlock' a special plate on the menu. Appetizer, entree, dessert, doesn't matter. I cannot forget dessert. I was leaning towards the fried pound cake with ice cream, fudge and fried peanuts, but went with the ice box cake of the day - lemon. Cool and refreshing! My boyfriend (a chef!) was a bit more adventurous and got the buttermilk doughnuts with sweet corn ice cream and hot pepper jam. I mentioned earlier in this post that I loved everything about this restaurant and it's true. An amazing experience from start to finish and a huge addition to the already great Westside food and bar scene. Look on the bright side and go visit The Optimist.
(5)
guido s.
This place doesn't need another positive review, but it so deserves one! Excellent food all around, perfect everything. Portion sizes were larger than expected. Nothing bad to say! It's one of those few Atlanta restaurants where I pine to come back again and again.
(5)
Jennifer L.
Another fun spot on the Westside. I've eaten/drank at the bar a number of times now. Cans of beer in koozies and boozy punches are fun. The crowd here seems a bit too "Real Housewives" (OC version, NOT Atlanta version) for me, but it makes for good people-watching. Have yet to dine in the real dining room- but the oysters, lobster roll and mussels at the bar are top notch. Right when the city is inundated with fancy burger joints, the Optimist provides some much needed variety. If only they could bring us a beach to go with that seaside vibe!
(3)
Amanda G.
Warning BIG, HEARTY EATERS: This place is 'a la carte' -- so portion size is refined (small), so you don't feel like a busted can of biscuits after your meal....lol:P Food Quality: Excellent I ordered the: American red snapper, Lime broth, Herbs Light dish. The snapper was very lightly seasoned and thankfully had no fishy taste. The flavor combos in the broth (lemon, mint, grapefruit) made the dish superb. There are no sides with this dish, so it's recommended that you order side dishes....you need at least 2. Side Orders: corn milk hushpuppies, "beignet style," cane sugar butter ---------- the hushpuppies were excellent! I wasn't really feeling the sweetness of the powdered sugar or the cane sugar butter. The cane sugar butter was great, but in my opinion, its best suited for plain bread instead of hushpuppies. spanish roasted fingerling potatoes ---------- good. the end! Service: Excellent! The waitress was extremely friendly and knew how to interact with us without overdoing it :) Ambience: Love it!! It was so great! I adored the industrial, lofty feel. Great for groups or a cute date night! Location is off the beaten track on Howell Mill. I would go back to this restaurant again to be wowed by the amazingness of the flavors of the unique dishes!! Thank you Optimist!
(5)
Fred J.
In my review universe, a place has to be really stellar to get 5 stars. Last night at The Optimist, well, it was stellar. First off, Keisha was our server and was extremely helpful and gracious. Lure might want to take notice, as Keisha was exemplary. Okay, I'm picking up this review where I left off, and that's at least 6 weeks ago. The point is, The Optimist was/is fantastic and you should go. Period.
(5)
Ashley W.
O-M-G!!!! This place is totally awesome. The food is totally awesome, but the customer service is some of the best that I have EVER experienced in Atlanta. This alone makes it a fine establishment. I ordered the salmon which was good. I sampled the halibut and yum yum! The hushpuppies are to die for and the she crab soup with the shrimp toast is a winner too. Will definitely be venturing here again. But be warned, reservations can be difficult so plan accordingly!
(5)
Sarah Anne S.
Easily my favorite restaurant in Atlanta. Consistently great drinks, delicious food, and impeccable service (shout-out to Daniel who took such great care of us last night!) Last night I went to dinner with a couple of friends (one is a huge fan of the Optimist and the other was just in town for the night). We arrived early so we started with drinks and putt-putt (always a winning combination!). My grouper was by far the best I've ever had; the sides (brussel sprouts and beets) were perfect too. Definitely get a reservation and try the fantastic cocktails if you arrive early.
(5)
Melissa B.
I had a great first visit here and hope to have many more. They've got things split up with the Oyster bar on the back end and a full bar upfront. We sat at the Oyster Bar while waiting for a table. Plenty of small plates, oysters and a selection of punches and a few beers at this bar. This side is open air to the patio and is much quieter than the main bar and dining area. I could see myself having a little oyster/beer happy hour here after work. The main dining area has an open view of the kitchen and high arch ceilings. I love the open feel and I must mention the mighty comfy looking cushioned bar stools :-) The cocktails I tried were awesome. Gin with celery bitters? OK! And the other gin cocktail with a smoke salmon garnish? Money. I loved them both and think they have a nice selection of uniquer flavors on their cocktail menu. The oysters (while I'm not expert) were absolutely perfect. The clams/pork belly appetizer is very flavorful and has a nice spice to it. Tempura green beans were good as well. The service was perfect. The bar tender at the Oyster Bar was very quick to take drink orders and actually explain the difference between the two bars. We were seated right at our reservation time I believe and our waitress was great. It was a full house and certainly busy, but didn't seem frantic at all. I'm excited for this new addition to the west side and based on my experience I'm sure it'll stick around.
(5)
Vida D.
I can't say too much. I went for a wine tasting and only had a few appetizers. It has a great atmosphere, it isa perfect after work drink spot. I met up with friends and chatted away for a while. I'll have to go back for dinner and update my review.
(3)
Sabrina C.
The Optimist was great - we stopped in for a snack before a later afternoon wedding on a saturday and sat in the raw bar area. We shared 4 small plates: Opti Chips, charred octopus, garlic lime chili shrimp, and some oysters on the half with a few beers (not a bad selection and it looked like they had some interesting punches as well). The chips were good but odd served with Mayo ? The favorite dish by far was the garlic lime shrimp - it was delish! The outside had a cute golf course and a live band - nice atmosphere.
(4)
Barbie H.
The atmosphere at the Optimist is great. The Oyster Bar is fun and the actual restaurant has a very urban feeling. The server was very attentive and spent time at our table describing the specials. Our dinner did not disappoint! I will be going back.
(5)
Mike M.
Vibrant atmosphere, busy bar and great food. Our group of six had a great waiter in AJ who knew the menu very well. Between us we tried 4 apps, oysters, 6 different fish entrees and ALL the desserts. Everything was really wonderful. The best apps were the shrimp in chili sauce, the yeast rolls are melt in your mouth and the hush puppies are mini beignets. The Brussels sprouts are caramelized and delightful. The menu changes daily. The best desserts were the salted caramel ice cream and apple crisp with cinnamon ice cream. Get here soon.
(5)
Carolina B.
I was really excited to try this place out, but came away disappointed. I had a specialty drink to start - the Beach Shanty - really good! Moved on to the she-crab and shrimp toast appetizer - wasn't much crab in the soup that I could tell, mostly cream. It also lacked flavor - so I ended up asking for salt and pepper. The shrimp toast was okay, but on the greasy side. My friend had the same and wasn't impressed with the soup either. I was going to have the scallops, but the server recommended the Alaskan Halibut. I should have stuck with the scallops because after a fairly long wait and lots of apologies, the halibut was just alright. The top was really tough and hard and the rest was really bland. Had to use salt here too. I will say the sides - a mushroom plate and a tomato plate - were really flavorful, which made me happy but also angry. You shouldn't enjoy the sides more than the meal! This was a fairly expensive dinner out (about $50) and the meal left me hungry for something more satisfying. I really hope this place gets better on the food front because everything else is perfect: the service is outstanding, the space is gorgeous, plentiful free parking... everything is top notch but the food, which is sad. I do think think they need to separate the dining room from the oyster bar - the energy/atmosphere is very different for both, not to mention they keep the door open in the oyster bar and we had several flies comes bother us throughout our meal.
(2)
Leanne E.
I went on a Friday night and chose to be seated on the patio as the dining room was booked. I tried octopus for the first time and liked it. The server was very nice. The lobster roll was nothing short of "dear Lord sweet baby Jesus" it was a small version of what Bocado serves. I did enjoy my meal, it was a nice night. I do agree, it's very RHOBH. I gave it a 3, because it's not as good as Local 3 or Two Urban Licks.
(3)
Anthony T.
Very elegant and pricy place. The shrimp a la plancha was really great and ordered red grouper and fried rice both good. But my date and I had to sit at bar because we didn't have reservations so if u want a table reserve way ahead of time. A little pricy but food was good
(4)
Brandy T.
Awesome ambience! Great food! Live music, small course of mini golf. Will definitely be back!
(5)
J G.
Cool interior.. two restaurants in one. Oysters at oyster bar are awesome, and I have tried every one! The fish of the day, shrimp app, a bit spicy, certainly fattening, and certainly amazing! Everything in the main dining room Rocks! Always good service, and always good food.. not extremely small portions either, as I'm finding in a few restaurants. It is a very nice restaurant, dressy or hip jeans, all fits in, and you will be sure to have a great meal!
(4)
Jen H.
As soon as you arrive you'll see The Optimist is one of those warehouse type restaurants in the middle of nowhere, like Two Urban Licks. Second thing you'll notice is the valet only parking, which I hate. The interior is bright and spacey with a view of the kitchen and a cool bar. There is also the bar area near the entrance. Staff is friendly and nice but they are a little inattentive and seem inexperienced. They were too busy chatting with each other to seat us even though we were the first party at the restaurant at opening time (we were waiting at the bar) and they had already seated several parties in the dining room. I think the best part of the meal was the bread and butter they bring out at the beginning. Portions are small and not filling, even for a lightweight like me. The seared rare tuna was neither rare enough nor tasty enough. I have never had a restaurant mess up rare tuna since a good tuna tastes delicious with minor seasoning. However the rare tuna here was underwhelming and lacked flavor. I also thought the scallops tasted too fishy-- it was not an enjoyable taste. The duck fat swordfish was also just okay. The fish and chips were pretty good, though you are paying $18 for pub food. That is not what I go to a nice restaurant for-- I can find excellent fish and chips at the food trucks for half the price. All in all, I would not come here again.
(2)
Ilene Silverberg B.
My husband and I went to The Optimist last night for the first time to celebrate our anniversary. While there were some hiccups with the valet, we were immediately greeted by two smiling faces and super friendly hostesses who, upon giving my name for the reservation, cheerfully said, "Happy Anniversary!" We were seated at a nice corner booth by the kitchen by a very nice host, and were immediately greeted by one of the managers with two glasses of champagne for our anniversary. Our server, Ben, was absolutely fantastic! He knew everything there is to know about the restaurant and menu, and even made suggestions for each section with his favorite dishes. My husband had Ben let the raw bar chef choose 3 of his favorite oysters, which he said were all very good, and we also ordered the octopus for an app at Ben's recommendation. He did not fail us - it was absolutely delicious! For our meals, my husband got the scallops and I ordered the swordfish, at Ben's recommendation, and both were cooked perfectly. We also got four sides - hearts of palm, fried rice, hush puppies and bock choy, all of which complimented our meals perfectly. The hush puppies were lighter than other places, and I really enjoyed the hint of salt that meshed so well with the sweet flavor. We were so full at this point that when the dessert menu came, we graciously said no thank you, but Ben brought over a cup of the salted caramel ice cream for us anyway, which was just as good, if not better than Morelli's. As we exited the restaurant, we thanked the hostesses and told them how wonderful the service and food was. They flagged down the front-of-house manager, Scott, so we could give him our praises and we ended up having a really positive and memorable conversation with him for about 20 minutes. The experience, decor and food all made it worth celebrating our anniversary at The Optimist and we will definitely return very soon.
(5)
Jeff M.
Chef Ford Fry can do no wrong and it is always delicious. This place has nailed down the modern, trendy, southern, spacious, comfortable, and stylish look, inside and out. Not unlike Empire State South, Miller Union, or even JCT.Kitchen in its decor yet somehow better. You actually have the sensation when you're inside that this restaurant is located right on the water. For those you not native to this city, Atlanta is not on the water. I've been for lunch and dinner now. Ever since I spent a week in Portland, ME subsisting on a diet of lobster and more lobster, I'm always craving lobster yet become disappointed due to the high bar Maine has set. The lobster roll here is authentic and damn delicious. I will not tell a lie; I briefly considered ordering a second one on the spot. The freshness of the lobster is key. As is the roll. Fantastically simple and it shows. It is the best lobster roll in the city. The shoestring fries are the PERFECT side. The salads here are excellent as well. The little gem salad, with anchovy dressing, parmesan, and croutons had the people at the next people drooling. When I went for dinner, we had the garlicky tiny clams & pork belly with hand-torn croutons and chili, a dish so fantastically tasty and spicy, that the only thing comparable and the only thing that bests it is the angry mussels at Fry's other restaurant JCT.Kitchen. The Pacific wild cod with corn, corn puree, and shishito peppers is another example of beauty in simplicity. A wonderful dish. Most seafood places start to fall flat come dessert time. Not here. The buttermilk doughnuts with muscadine and lavendar and blueberry ice cream is the perfect sweet that is needed at the end of a meal like this. The lemon pound cake is something out of a grandmother's home recipe book. Ridiculously good. I want to thank The Optimist for coming along and addressing the anemic seafood scene in ATL. It is a transfusion the city desperately needs.
(4)
Kevin K.
It's nice to find something so familiar in a different town. You know the place locally sourced fresh fish, knowledgeable staff, great atmosphere, and most importantly great food. We got to this place around 9pm on a Thursday and pulled up to the bar and ordered five apps a bottle of white and waited for our table. Every app here is good I would go for the whole roasted shrimp ala plancha(didn't order it but saw it and instantly got envy). When we sat down we order the entrees. Man we played musical plates, rotating every few minutes and again everything was phenom. I have to say that this was probably the best meal in ATL. Don't miss out on the hush puppies....I love these pillowy treats. I love coming to the south but sometimes you need something a little lighter to feel good about a meal. This was that meal. Desserts were to die for the chocolate cassoulet was my favorite definitely a chocolate lovers dream and the lavender and lime tart were highlights. Great place and not too pricey as well. If you were closer I would be here at least 2X a month. For now I will see you a couple times a year but can't wait to get back. Cheers and Happy eats!
(4)
Claudia R.
LOBSTER ROLL. Mmmm-mmmm, lobster roll! Actually, the most amazing lobster roll I've had in a long time...so fresh I could have been in a seaside town instead of Atlanta's Westside. It's not the traditional, mayo-based recipe...I think it may just be the fresh lobster and butter, which really lets you taste the sweetness of the lobster meat. This yummy goodness is heaped onto a perfectly toasted buttered roll. Yeah, butter butter ALL over. Totally worth an extra 15 minutes on the treadmill the morning after, promise! Went with large group, so I got to sample a lot of the lunch menu...among the things I want to try in the future: fish and chips, blackened cod sandwich, butter burger (for the non-seafoodies), lobster cobb salad, shrimp loaf. The fries were good, too. I think we ended ordering one of each dessert, and all were very good. The decor is great, very bright and airy...very easy to forget you're on Howell Mil Rd. Need to come back to indulge at the oyster bar, or perhaps to sit outside for some cocktails - I'm curious as to whether anyone actually mini-golfs out there.
(5)
Tricia D.
5 things to love about the Optimist! 1. You feel positive the moment you place an OpenTable reservation! 2. Outdoor seating available! 3. Spacious interior and comforting environment. 4. Awesome, super fresh lobster roll for lunch (though pricey and small for $17)! 5. Ability to order as many (or as little) east or west coast oysters as you want.
(4)
Greg R.
Went for Valentine's Day. I didn't know there was a "special" menu. It was a 4 course meal, $70 each plus $15 surcharge on certain items. The food was so so. It started with a spoonful of cauliflower soup, very salty, and a thimble full of caviar ($15 surcharge :-( ). They got me. Octopus was acceptable, not great, but not wow either, and so was my meal (acceptable ), whole fish (red snapper). Mediocre food for high price (over $200). I'm sticking with Capital Grille next special occasion. Food is much better and better portions for the price.
(2)
Katherine K.
I've heard great things about this place, so I made a reservation for a birthday. I know the golf course outside is supposed to be cute and whimsical functional decor, but its just offputting at a fine restaurant. I thought it was kinda gross. Like why don't you take that home to the single dad's club. There is also a mission directly across the street from the restaurant and as you wait for valet, you can like see homeless people or something in lines. O.o ANYWAY, they do not serve the lobster roll at dinner, its just at lunch. DUN DUN DUN. I settled for the oyster roll and hushpuppies. Those hushpuppies didn't compare to these amazing ones in Florida, but it was still good. The oyster roll just had a squirt of some kind of mayonnaise it looked like and "kimchi" juice, but as a Korean, let me just say that was some kimchi juice with a strong kick. It was seasoned well, but all that fried food kinda made my stomach queasy. Then again, we started off with a dozen oysters, half and half east and west town or whatever and I am allergic to shellfish. Well I was more fascinated by the giant homemade looking fancy crackers that came with them. They did taste fresh. Didn't drink. Overall, I didn't really get the hype.
(4)
Jade J.
Excellent service, food, and atmosphere. The valet makes for a convenient entrance and exit. The clams are flounder are delicious!
(5)
Gillian R.
I've recently fallen head over heels for oysters, so my boyfriend and I celebrated our belated Valentine's Day at The Optimist. I'd heard so much hype that I wasn't quite sure whether it would live up to my expectations. Parking is valet only, which is annoying, but I've come to expect it at this point. We arrived right on time for our reservation and were ushered quickly and politely by a very sweet hostess. I loved the look of the bar...absolutely beautiful! The dining room is very industrial in size, but manages to also feel cozy with wooden tables and candles. It seemed a little noisy at first, but then we realized that it was not too loud, but just loud enough that we couldn't hear the conversations of the couple next to us without really trying. We decided that it was just noisy enough. There is another great bar in the dining room. We sat facing the kitchen, so I was able to watch them making the dishes throughout dinner. The wait staff was dressed casually, but it worked for them. Our waiter wasn't overly friendly and didn't tend to really steer us in any particular direction with our food. Which is fine, but I tend to value the opinion of wait staff, as they know what really shines on the menu. In retrospect, we probably ordered too many appetizers, but should have chosen a side to go with our entrees. The appetizers were well-priced and certainly well-portioned. We shared a half-dozen oysters, the green curry mussels, and the escargot. It was my first time eating snails, which dug up memories of my uncle salting the slugs on his patio when I was a kid. I chose the seared scallops for my entree, which was fine (overcooked slightly, perhaps, but I liked the crispiness and the accompanying vegetables were delicious). I asked for it without the brown butter chicken jus, but I think it came with it anyway... I didn't complain, but I did get a bit of a belly ache after the meal was over. He had the monkfish, and enjoyed it. Although both entrees were good, I think the appetizers were really the shining star of the meal. We could easily have ordered one or two more appetizers and made a meal of it. We declined dessert, since we had plans to go to Jeni's afterwards. I think we probably made the right choice. While dinner was good, it didn't blow us away. While we'll likely make our way back, I think we'll probably try to slip in at the bar and have a meal more focused on oysters and appetizers in the future.
(4)
Mel C.
Started at the bar and what a great first impression! I would have to say some of the best mixed drinks in town! Ordered an appy at the bar, the fried oysters, and all was great until I bit into a shell or glass or something...I survived and they replaced and didn't charge us (yay for great service). We moved to our table for dinner with friends and little did we know we were about to embark on some taste bud explosions...oysters, whole fried fish, fried rice all to die for. Can't wait to go avian and again and again until I've tried everything on the menu!!
(5)
Theresa S.
Waaahh! I almost gave Optimist a 3. Why I almost did: 1) My fish was not cooked the whole way through. 2) I returned it via the manager and the same piece of fish came back (cooked but still...a little awkward) 3) The manager did not inform the server that I had to return the fish so my friend had to make a specific request for the bill and the fish being returned. 4) Service for food and drinks was a tad bit stilted 5) The valet when leaving was a logistical nightmare (cars coming in off the street, and backed up in to the street, blocked the main way that cars were being returned to people leaving -- they have to figure that one out given their entire old parking lot will soon be....MORE Apartments........) Why I still gave it a 4: 1) My 3 dining partners all had perfectly cooked fish & the apps were solid 2) I have had many great experiences before 3) They took the fish entree of the bill 4) The fish house punch 5) Their chairs are more comfortable then they were when they first opened We went on a Saturday and the server admitted 'they got hit early'....6 pm .... well I know its early but people usually need reservations so it shouldn't have been unexpected. I hope this chink in Optimist's armor is temporary..... I will find out next time I go
(4)
Sam W.
I ate here mid may and everything we ordered was Aooooooo good! We had the fried oysters, fresh oysters, the mussels, frothy she crab soup and a side salad. I can't wait to go back! I could bathe in the frothy she crab soup...
(5)
Kate H.
Our waiter Ben was the one of the most cheerful service staff we have had in ages; every tiny quip from him was always upbeat and energetic. I was also impressed with his wine selection for me, spot on. I am still drooling and daydreaming about the Hen in the Woods. Swordfish did not live up to the hype, it was a skotche overcooked for my taste and scant of blackberry sauce. Hush puppies were the perfect balance of savory and sweet. The hubs loved his scallops and the confit potatoes were one surprise after another in each bite a different flavor profile between heat, mint and confit deliciousness. I was sad there were no putters or balls in sight tonight to entertain us while waiting for the busy valet.
Fantastic meal! We came here for our 3rd anniversary. We assumed we didn't need a reservation because it was a Tuesday, but were surprised how busy they were. The hostess told us it would be an hour for a table, which worked out since we were in no hurry and wanted to go to the bar. There were no seats at the bar, but we ended up with a table within 30 minutes. So, get a reservation! Our server recommended the octopus and shrimp. Both were incredible, but the octopus was pretty spicy if that's an issue for you. The shrimp were deliciously sweet and the spicy tomato sauce a great compliment to that. We had the cod for our entree and the jasmine fried rice as a side. We'd actually ordered the raw scallops but tag server forgot them. Since we were stuffed with what we ordered, we were not upset that the scallops never made it to the table or our bill. In sum, the meal and ambiance were fantastic. We will definitely be back.
(5)
Azim D.
Went with a big group for my brother's birthday(13 or so) and the service, all things considered, was fantastic. My grouper was great and they were nice enough to bring out fried rice(which I swore tasted exactly like biryani) and brussel sprouts for the table. The food received mixed reactions from the group, ranging from good to great, which is why I didn't give them 5 stars but I think it's a 4.5 star establishment. The only competition for seafood in the city is Atlanta Fish Market and you can't go wrong either way.
(4)
Keisha B.
I loved everything about this place. Their food was so good that I thought and talked about my meals for days after. Crazy huh?! Yeah I know! I finally decided one day to recreate their devil eggs. Not quite the same but nevertheless delicious! Great after shopping spot with the girls, date night, to take your parents or for food lovers like myself.
(4)
Allie L.
I had a beautiful experience here. The boyfriend and I ordered Oysters, Seared Octopus, and fish. Everything was superb. I love that they have a rotating menu-meaning, the menu changes every day. And that bread. To die. I will definitely be coming back!
(5)
Daniel S.
This is the only place I know where they give you an oyster bar menu with oyster names. The fish was fresh, the food was fantastic. One of the best seafood places to chow down in Atlanta. The only complaint I have is regretting to order more oysters.
(5)
Laurie A.
I have had a great experience the two times I have visited this restaurant. The staff has always been very attentive and friendly. The food has been amazing. I especially enjoyed the shrimp appetizer over toast.
(5)
Will P.
What do hog trading, meat processing, a late-night club, real estate office and a spiffy Atlanta fish restaurant have in common? They all used to operate in this historic building now occupied by The Optimist, one of the city's best new(ish) eateries. Our server, Christopher, was well versed in the history of the building - which is probably on the minds of a lot of the diners there since the interior is so stunning. See my pics for more. Todd P's point that this is a "gem" is spot-on the money. The setting is upscale but it strikes a really cool balance with a casual flare in its servers and overall vibe. I could show up in cargo shorts and a polo shirt and not feel out of place. Pretentious places, unless you *intend to have that experience, are just that - full of pretense. I had the frothy She Crab soup, and while not as good as South City's, it's a totally different take: light, run through a sieve (yes, I'm a nerd and asked our server how it was made) and more brothy. I missed the chunks of yumminess that SCK's version has. Still, it was good. For dinner I had the duck-fat poached swordfish. It was good, but the cut was small and the duck fat colored the flesh of the fish to a brown point that didn't seem right in my opinion. This dish could have been better, but I loved how tender it was. I cook swordfish all the time and would have made some adjustments to it. but hey - I ain't slavin' away in the kitchen there. My dining co-conspirator, Jason, had the relished cornmeal-crusted redfish and this, by a mile, was the dish of the night. Highly recommended. There is a savory complexity to this dish that you'll remember for a long time - and, in this case, the portion was large. If you don't get the hush puppies as a side I will hunt you down and slap you. So good, as were the multicolor beets. SO fresh and perfectly complemented by the dressing. Run, don't walk, to this joint. It's a high bar for me to rate at four stars right off the bat, but if I go back and it's just as good, I'll up to 5. enjoy.
(4)
Kristen D.
Wow, wow, wow. Great food, wonderful vibe and friendly service. Sometimes a restaurant with so much hype can be disappointing, but The Optimist is literally one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. It's in this neighborhood that you know used to be shady... then you learn, the building itself is an old pig processing plant. But it's been revived into this wonderfully open, majestic space where you feel like you're outside even while you're inside. We sat at the bar, and our bartender was really friendly. I ordered a gin martini and she suggested Farmers Gin, which is organic. It was so different and unique - I can't wait to find it locally to have at home. We started with the mussels, which were divine. Green curry and with a nice little piece of toast to enjoy the curry sauce. Then, we had our entrees... the most perfect fish preparations. Pan roasted snapper that was incredible. We never ever eat dessert, but could not resist and had the fried fig and peach pie with white pepper gelato. Truly amazing. Every bite. I highly recommend this awesome establishment.
(5)
Jon P.
First of all, I love JCT kitchen, and last year when I heard Chef Ford was opening a Seafood restaurant, I couldn't wait for it to open. I was able to try the Optimist for the first time and it was one of the best dining experiences I've had in Atlanta. The wait staff is very knowledgeable and our waiters suggestions were spot on - we were able to have a short business meeting before dinner and we never felt rushed - the manager came out and insisted we take our time because they want everyone who comes in to feel relaxed. The dining room is impressive, lots of space that is modern and open. Outside is an oyster bar that I didn't get a chance to spend any time in, but the massive bar inside is impressive. I had the fried oyster appetizer and Caesar salad to start - and the oysters were cooked perfectly. The salad was a true Caesar with traditional Anchovies. The Cornmeal Crusted Redfish melted in your mouth with each bite - this is the best seafood I've ever had - I highly recommend. If you make reservations on their website if can sometimes say no tables are available, be sure to call and double check.
(5)
David H.
Saturday dinner before Los Lobos concert at nearby Realto...research all looked good, so we decided to try The Optimist. The rolls with the salt on top starrted things off great - my bread loving wife gave high marks. 1st, dozen oysters, malpeque. Navy reds, and Rocky Reef were all really fresh tasting and impeccably shucked. Very high grade for them on the oysters. I also tried the Baked Oyster" and it was fantastic, albeit a small one for the price. The homemade saltine crackers are worth ordering the oysters for if you're on the fence at all perhaps because of price. They are addictive. Apps... Mussels-curry broth was great, wish I had a spoon it was so good, the one piece of sopping toast wasn't quite enough to get it all... The mussels themselves were very small and perhaps a little over. Clam Roll-maybe the best thing I had in the meal. Perfectly, and I mean perfectly, cooked fried clams in great brioche roll with nice lemon aioli..a must repeat App for any return visit for me. My wife had a salad she was pleased with. Sides- Brussel Sprouts-not executed well. They were charred, as opposed to caramelized, on the outside, and under on the inside. Black, not brown, on the outside but still very crunchy on the inside. I guess cooked too hot and too fast. The candied bacon in it was nearly enough to make up for that, though. Succotash-very good. Nicely prepared and peas were particularly good. Hush Puppies-very good-wife (the bread expert and beignet lover), liked them and the butter quite a bit. I would have ordered the mushrooms but they were not on the menu, I even asked our waiter to confirm they weren't available. Entre- I had whole founder. Very good. Very satisfied. Wife had halibut-fresh but slightly over. Center of fillet was nice. Dessert-Salted caramel ice cream. Thumbs up. The line of couples tables parallel with the kitchen are pretty shoulder-to-shoulder...Like some Manhattan restaurants, but their dining room is pretty big and this ain't Manhattan, so I wish the table layout was different, to give couples a bit more comfort. The waiter must have had to say "excuse my reach" a dozen times to me. All things considered, a solid 4 star restaurant. I will say the oyster bar itself deserves a 5 star rating for the quality of the oysters and their preparation.
(4)
Crystal Aura W.
I have to give a shout out to 'Unique Eats' on the Cooking Channel, because they gave some amazing dining suggestions for Atlanta! From the second we walked in the door, we were super welcome. I briefly mentioned we came in from Chicago, and we got extra hellos at our table from management! Our server was super amazing too! As we were leaving, I wanted to buy a souvenir shirt, everyone jumped in to help me out! Host helped me dig for my size and bartender came in to help ring me up on my way out. Service for sure is 10 stars.....if I could give that! My amigo who has traveled more often than I, swears this was one of his top meals of all time! Super fresh, well seasoned, perfectly cooked......just perfect. Smoked White Fish Chowder, it's just so savory and rich, I could have just sat there and ate this all night! Positively THE best peel and eat shrimp I have ever had. You will measure other shrimp according to those served here. Now I look at other shrimp with sad disappoint.....Optimist, how you have spoiled me. The seasoning really sticks to the shrimp and gets so deep, but will also do the same for your fingers! Not that I mind, but for those more fastidious, watch for that. Basmati "fried rice", I had never heard of this. Was an awesome idea, not nearly as salty or oily as other varieties of 'fried' rice. Was really a nice touch to add some Indian flare to the meal! Duck fat poached swordfish.....how can you read that and not be excited??? Was everything I hoped for! My only regret was that that I had to leave.....but I have a shirt to remember you by!
(5)
Jordan D.
I came here for my boyfriends birthday--my treat. AMAZING! The atmosphere is awesome (minus it being a little loud). We sat a table by the window overlooking the incredible modern bar and oyster bar next to it. Some tables have velvet couches and there are big tables good for groups. Great wine list. We started with raw oysters that were heavenly. They came with your typical cocktail sauce, vinegar, basil and homemade crackers. Yum. Swordfish was delicious. Highly recommend. The hush puppies with cane sugar butter were to die for!! Monk fish was amazing as well.
(5)
Zaire F.
The most amazing lobster roll ever! Add the fresh squeezed lemonade to your lunch as well. It's a Maine lunch right here at home.
(5)
Terri L.
We are big restaurant people, and have been to most of the known and highly renowned places in Atlanta. This is up there with the best. I'm not even a real seafood lover, but it was one of the best meals I've ever had. The oysters were so fresh, and there were so many options, and they were all so delicious. The scallops, I can't even. I loved the design as well. Just amazing.
(5)
Stosh K.
An amazing place, with amazing atmosphere. Perfect bartenders. (we always sit at the bar). We met Eduardo there one night who always remembers us and he bought us a round of cocktails. Classy place with professional, classy servers. Bravo!
(5)
Jenny L.
Can I say OVERSALTED OVERSALTED SAUCY SAUCY? My friend and I ordered about 5 small plates, a dozen oysters, and an entree. Every dish was SALTY SALTY SALTY and OVER-SAUCED. Octopus leg? Not impressed. Curly Kale? Not impressed. Beets? how is it pink rather than red? tasted like potato wedges. Mushrooms? Grilled and salty. Scallop entree? came out lukewarm and scallps were overcooked and salty. Chefs in this restaurants must have no tastebuds. They just mask the dish with hella salt and not much flavor. Perhaps they're trying to mask the not-so-fresh seafood taste. I was excited about this place after reading the reviews but every dish was a disappointment. What was more frustrating was that for some reason, there were 2 servers to our table and they took turns every 5 minutes to come by and bother us about whether we were finished with our dishes. My conversation got interrupted literally every five minutes with 2 servers alternating and coming by the table and pointing at the dishes that still had food left in it asking "are you finished with that & may i take that out of your way?"......dude, if i still have half the food sitting on the plate, we are probably still working on it. The question of whether they can take a dish away was soooooooooooooooooo freakin often (literally every 5 minutes) that i was beginning to wonder if they were running out of dishes in the kitchen and perhaps they needed to get the dishes from the table back to the kitchen fast. I had no clue why they were being this way. It was super bothersome and after about 20th time of 2 servers coming by the table to take our plates away that still had food on them, I just gave up, mentally threw my hands in the air in disbelief and said "yes, we are finished with everything" when we still had 3 plates of food that we were still munching on occasionally while conversing. What the fuck was up with these servers? There is a fine line between good service and straight up annoyance with too many interruptions by servers. I've never had to be bothered so much by the servers before and this place just went way beyond over the top. Buy some more plates or stop having 2 servers man the table with just party of 2! It was beyond ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Overpriced, overhyped, no good food, creepy servers who try to take your plate away every 5 minutes, valet guys who don't even open the car door for a lady while taking hefty tips, men coming out of women's restroom with piss all over the seat and unflushed toilet. Are people crazy thinking that oversalted oversauced seafood is GREAT seafood?!?!?!?!?!!? Never again! I woke up the next morning and my eyelids were so puffy from salt or msg or whatever the hell they sprinkle on their food that i could not open my eyes. Food here is poison for your kidneys and liver. Even chinese food with msg hasn't made my eyelids this puffy the next morning. I looked like pufferfish the next morning and couldn't even put on eye makeup cuz my whole face was so swollen from this restaurant food. Ladies who don't wanna get bloated, DO NOT EAT HERE!
(1)
Chuck Z.
Dannnnnnngggggg...... A bit pricey but the food was excellent. Service was impeccable, awesome interior, great desserts. Not sure if the salted Carmel ice cream is a staple on the menu but it was outstanding. I could rub that stuff on my abs and PRESTO! A six pack! Will dine again on their nom noms.
(4)
Tanna L.
This review is technically for the oyster bar, not the main restaurant ... which kinda sucked because I wanted to try the regular menu. However, I was alone so I plopped into a seat at the bar and ordered. Just note that their bar is the oyster bar which has a limited menu. The gumbo was good. I'm not sure I would call it gumbo though--not a classic roux, definitely not dark (really a light brown color) and on the watery side as others have suggested. However, it was still tasty with a decent rice ratio, sausage, shrimp, etc. Warning, it is a bit on the spicy side (fine with me and my Korean taste buds) but if you're not accustomed to the heat, it might be a little too much for the standard palate. I also got the seared scallops. These are cut thin, seared and almost quasi-sashimi style. The scallops themselves were a little lacking in flavor (and I love me some sashimi scallops) but in combination with the vinaigrette it was fine. I was hungry. Wood roasted oysters were next. Very good. Definitely worth a try. Briny, woody, garlicky, yummy. If you are ever in New Orleans, go to Cochon and get their wood roasted oysters. They are freakin' ridiculous. These were very good but not at that level. Lastly (wife not a huge seafood fan so gotta maximize) I ended with the speckled trout. Served skin up which was nice and crispy. Good flavor, well-cooked, nice texture, another good dish. Worth a try. Drank some beer, Uber-ed it home. Service was not a problem as the bar is not too large and the bartender was easily accessible and assisted in making it a good night.
(4)
Nelle C.
Classy, clean, and vibrant restaurant with good, fresh seafood. The first time I went, I went for lunch and had the lobster roll. My colleague recommended it and it was really tasty - even for a person like me who rarely enjoys lukewarm sandwiches. The lobster was expertly prepared with flavors that made for a good few bites. The shoestring fries and roasted brussel sprouts were excellent sides. The 2nd time, however, I went with friends for a snack and tried the wood roasted oysters with herbs and parmesan cheese. Not good at all. I had expected the oysters to have way more flavor, but it seemed like the herbs and parmesan were just resting atop each oyster, and the oysters weren't truly roasted. I like the vibe of the Optimist, though. It was transformed, it seems, from an old warehouse of sorts and that history makes for a uniquely charming and unexpectedly cozy place. I'm curious to try some other dishes, but I'm steering clear of the oyster bar.
(4)
Jon U.
On a southern road trip, we decided to stop here as we passed through Atlanta. Despite the valet only parking and huge construction site behind the restaurant, this place is amazing. They have a selection of specialty cocktails as well as local and highly rated microbrews. The restaurant is laid out beautifully and vary spacious. Our waiter was extremely attentive and offered a ton of advice on the menu, as well as some good conversation. I ordered the butter poached swordfish. It was the best swordfish I've had. Get the hush puppies if you can, they are amazing with maple butter. Collard greens were great as well with chunks of ham. Had the guava sorbet for dessert as we had stuffed ourselves at dinner, it was a refreshing end to a great meal. I recommend this to anyone with a couple hours to kill and an appetite in Atlanta!
(5)
Mahtab R.
Been here several times now, and I can't say that there's another place in Atlanta like it. I dubbed indoors a few times, but nothing beats sitting outside in the summer with the sun barely touching your face and eating kumamotos in a gentle breeze- okay, maybe that was too Thoreau-esque. The Optimist has a great selection of oysters and small bites available outside. I usually get several dozen oysters and pretty much everything on the menu stone they're all in the $10-20 range. The service is also fantastic: ask for more lemons? Here's a fuckton. Need some simple syrup for making crack sweet tea? Here's a gallon. The service is here to enhance your experience however they can. The beignets here are also great- one of the few places I'll get dessert, but that could also be attributed to the fact that being outside and warms makes me crave dessert more. My only issue with the place is how the inside and outside are technically different restaurants. I've been able to get food served at the "bar" section inside, but have yet to be able to get the mains available inside served outside. Either way, great place to just chill, drink, and destroy oysters.
(4)
Robert B.
Finally, a place in Atlanta you can take your out of town foodie-friends to and not have to hear them complain about how the meal is better somewhere else. This place is awesome. A super cool ambiance at the bar, phenomenal, punctual and prompt service, and excellently yummy seafood. This place is a must. Go here now. Seriously. Stop what you are doing. Put the computer down. Grab a friend and go have a great time and better meal. You will not regret it. In fact, you are reading this on a smartphone at another restaurant, ask for the check and head there, now, mid-meal. Order the lobster roll when you arrive and it will all make sense. First, when you walk into to the West Midtown space, you're immediately impressed with the uber cool bar. It has this great vista from the windows and a California, 1970s, Brady Bunch gone surfing theme. (And music to match.) I may head back just to be in that space again. The main dining room has vaulted ceilings and blues and whites around the bar. Very nice space. The meal. Here's what sets it apart: The details. The hot sauce and saltines are homemade. And excellent. The hot sauce, yes that same stuff most seafood places replace with Crystal's or Texas Pete's, is homemade and refined. It's sweet, fresh and hot. The saltines are made with care. That's the difference between this and where ever else you've eaten the same food. Someone took time to think about all of the little details. We ordered the East Coast Oysters -- good and fresh with a homemade vinagrette that makes all of the difference, Fish and Chips and the Lobster Roll. GET THE LOBSTER ROLL NOW. Honestly, its the most awesome one you've ever had. Slightly sweet toasted bread, fresh lobster claw, a slight bit of acidity. It's the best small nearly $20 sandwich you'll have. The fish and chips is a beautifully fried piece of Cod? Great taste as well. But the Lobster Roll is exceptionally good. The service was impeccable. The Apple Cake with Cinnamon Ice Cream could have used with some more ice cream, but that literally is the only complaint. The only other complaint is that this place is about 20% pricier than you'll expect. But listen, it's the A, and that kind of meal is going to come at a premium. So you are looking for a good seafood almost bar food restaurant, go here. You have friends you want to impress, but don't want them to know you tried to impress, go here. You are hungry, then go here. After the you have the lobster roll, you'll feel great the rest of the day.
(5)
Sooji K.
this place definitely lives up to its hype - not to mention the service, food and drinks were exceptional. the parking lot is super duper tiny, so unless you're planning on valet don't even bother coming in the lot. i came to the optimist with dinner reservations and we were seated right away on a friday evening (hurrah!) - the four of us ended up ordering family style so we ordered some appetizers, sides, oysters a la carte and entrees. the cocktails were good, but then again now a days, i think most places seem to have gotten a better grip that not all of their clients are just looking to get drunk when they order drinks. i digress though, i was happy with their drinks and so were my companions. the star plates of the evening for me were the spanish charred octopus and the whole GA shrimp a la plancha. the shrimp a la plancha was SO SO good, i would've licked the bowl if i wasn't instilled with better table etiquette. it was a perfect balance of buttery with a little bit of a kick from the arbol chiles. the menu says that's it's a messy dish (bc you have to peel the shrimp yourself) but the flavor of the sauce itself was SO worth it. mmmm buttery goodness. the spanish charred octopus was a beaut, it was perfectly cooked and the asian twist on it was something new for me. the "fermented bokchoy" tasted like korean kimchi, but in a very asian meets mediterranean way... it worked well. i'm not going to expand on some of the other food items we ordered but i do have to mention that i was sorely disappointed on the scallop entree. i've heard so many rave reviews, but ours were overcooked and made for teenytiny people (they didn't look like the photos you put up on yelp people!!!). though i did end this review on a lower note, i really did enjoy the optimist and definitely see myself returning. the ambience and the food were both excellent and i'd definitely recommend it to any sea food lover.
(4)
Double A.
Decor, food and service are outstanding! Fresh seafood flown in daily and served within 16 hours insures quality. Knowledgable staff that understands the menu as well as they understand communication. It's a real dining pleasure with a hot spot feel and not too loud. Thank you, The Optimist!
(5)
Kari D.
My mister planned a special date night for the 2 of us (being that I live across the country, our date nights are few and far between). The good: everything about the food. Started with the fried oysters, which were spicy and delicious. I ordered the scallops while my man had the swordfish. We shared the fingerling potatoes and hush puppies. My scallops were wonderfully seared and beautifully plated. Super delish. I had a bite of the swordfish which was also really yummy. The piece de resistance? HUSH PUPPIES. I took one bite and told my guy, "these are STUPID." Trust me, people. Order the hush puppies. In fact, get 2 orders. You won't regret it. The not so good: while our server Brett was really sweet, it took him a while to get to us (which is understandable, the place was packed). And we didn't see him much throughout our meal. But, like I said, he was very nice. And he brought us a sample of the house made saltines (we didn't order any raw oysters) which he said would ruin crackers for us forever. You win, Brett. Also, it's not a very intimate spot. Tables are packed in pretty tight, so I felt like I was on a date with the couple next to us. And it's fairly loud in there. Overall, great experience. The hush puppies are incredible, and I wish I had some to take back to California with me. We'll be back in October, for sure!
(4)
Emily C.
First off, the positives: This place is gorgeous! There are interesting yet tastefully understated things to look at everywhere! The Bar area is magnificent, and the outdoor seating quaint. They also do a great job of having a full restaurant not be too loud or too quiet. The cocktails are also across the board delicious, exciting, and appropriate for the theme of the restaurant. My not so positives are sadly all about the food. While there are definitely some high points (the GA clams) there are lots of unimpressive ones (the special raw of bass needed salt, the swordfish entree, while inventive, didn't hit the right notes). Dessert was also kinda blah. While you can see that the ideas behind the desserts are awesome, the execution left you wanting something more. Overall solid restaurant and I think with some tweaks, it'll be an Atlanta mainstay
(4)
Beth R.
What happened? We were so impressed during our first visit a few months ago that we chose to bring our friends visiting from Dallas this past weekend. Although I enjoyed the she crab soup, everything was so overly SALTY!! My scallops were over-seasoned, over-cooked and over-salted little pieces on my plate. Our friends' fish was the same but they were gracious and didn't complain. We were so embarrassed that of all the great meals we could have taken them to in Atlanta, this is what we chose. Optimist, you need to re-think your food and fix it. We won't be back.
(2)
Gaby F.
By now its OK to say 'usual warehouse space' ex garage or such, white bricks etc..cool , sure, everywhere in every city, yep pretty much. Putting green out front was wasted by not having tables open by side, even if it was near car park. When cars parked are Aston Martin, Porsche, BMW 7 etc thats OK, Eye candy for some. Bust room , but not too loud. Comfortable tables, Couple next to me sat side bu side on a 2 top. Tight but they were happy. Waiter kept trying to upsell us. Bit annoying. St James Way Cocktail was well balanced but way too much crushed ice Signature Octopus was superb. Black bass, lemon sea salt simple and perfect, I give this 3 stars only because I wasn't surprised..maybe I'm spoilt. But Girl and Goat in Chicago, Distilled in Tribeca, NY, RockSalt in Naples, Rocksalt in Folkstone UK all could have made this dinner. You wont be disappointed..but you may not be surprised either.
(3)
Ike M.
Excellent restaurant, and well-deserving of it's current reputation as one of the best seafood eateries in the city. Excellent food, and impeccable service. And if you've the chance, take some time to check out the architecture. The restaurant is located in the rehabbed remains of a beautiful turn of the century brick industrial building.
(4)
Rhett D.
Speechless...the best Atlanta Seafood Restaurant I have ever been to. The oysters are so fresh and the ambiance is perfect. My fish was perfectly cooked and the pre-dinner rolls are quite delicious. Whatever sides you order make sure one of them is the hushpuppies served "beignet style" with cane syrup butter- INCREDIBLE!!! I am definitely coming back to this restaurant!
(5)
Paige E.
I would've given six stars if it was an option. I came for raw oysters but I stayed for the service and atmosphere. Seriously, I stayed for like 4 hours or something ridiculous. The restaurant is beautiful. High ceilings, lots of seating and open space. The bartenders ROCKED. They answered all of my many tedious, stupid questions that I know people love to ask bartenders. Very knowledgeable about everything on the menu. They definitely made my dining experience. There were 6 (maybe 8?) raw oysters to choose from. Tap out. Optimist wins. They were the best oysters I've ever had in Atlanta... Probably anywhere for that matter Writing about them makes me want to go there right now. I could go on and on, but I hate really elaborate yelp reviews. Just go.
(5)
Diana T.
I came here for lunch for my birthday. My expectations were too high for this place. We ordered the infamous corn milk hushpuppies "beignet style" with cane syrup butter. It was ridiculously salty but great presentation. I also ordered the maine lobster roll. It was weird to consume lobster that was cold. It had no flavor. I was not impressed at all! My bf ordered the fish & chips. This was different from the other fish & chips I have consumed, but overwhelming. This entire meal did not impress me. & in the end, the waiter did not sing me happy birthday or give a free dessert. I might go back and try this place for dinner but overall my entrees and sides did not impress my taste buds.
(3)
Cecil W.
I was excited to try The Optimist for my wife's birthday and the review is a mix bag. The staff were nice and they wished my wife happy birthday. The table received was horrible! It was a booth at the front of the restaurant so every time the door opens you feel like you are outside. The specialty cocktails were ok, I ordered the Hunger Walk and the Bourbon drink with bitters. All of the food we ordered was great! However, the timing between the appetizers and main course was very slow. The She Crab soup was great, no crab meat in eat like Neiman Marcus cafe, but the flavor was better. The shrimp bread with the soup was outstanding. The gumbo was spicy and tasty. The Blackened Mahi was spicy, but excellent. Didn't order desert to give a review. I might give the Optimist one more try because the food was super.
(3)
Nhuy W.
Atlanta has too many great restaurants and this place is definitely one of them. I loved it so much the first time that I made my friends go back so I could have dinner here again. The trout was so flavorful and the the hush puppies are a must!
(5)
Jerald G.
Loved it. Been waiting for a great seafood place. Wait staff very friendly, awesome hip feeling layout. Food wise - hush puppies were great, red snapper dish very good, fried oysters okay, raw oysters were great, Spanish octopus was very good. Cocktails - king Rey very good. My waiter was awesome and also got some help from Jerome as well -- very informative and helpful. We will be back!
(5)
Kay M.
Love the atmosphere! Creative cocktails, food is amazing. Wonderful service. One of my favorite places. The one down side is the valet parking, with the construction that is going on in the lot next door. Kind of makes the entrance to the valet congested. However, that has not stopped my frequent visits.
(5)
Tom E.
In the food scene in Atlanta, it seems like there are 3 things that are always in question- who has the best BBQ, burgers, or lobster rolls. In this latest installment, I was on the hunt for a lobster roll. On my latest trip to West Midtown, I went to go across the street to personally try to rectify a reservation I had later that night, and I needed something to make me feel better. So what better place than to try The Optimist? I had heard about it in a great article in Atlanta Magazine ( atlantamagazine.com/rest… )- sorry not all pics posted that were originally in the article. I also heard about it from praises from our Empress, and I know we share the same tastes- so I knew this would be a decent lunch. Parking is easy, with a large (FREE) lot, so that was a huge plus (parking can SUCK in this area). There is also a putting green out front as well, but I didn't come to play- I came to eat (and drink). When I walked in (looking like a complete bum, as I just got off work and I had a black dirt mark on my forehead), I asked if I could sit at the bar (of course), and they told me to go to the next (bigger) room, as there are 2 rooms/2 bars. Staring at 3 panels of liquor, I was greeted almost instantly (as I was the loner at the bar, but in my defense, it was 2PM, they close at 230 for lunch). I started off with a makers/ginger ale (at least I think I did), as I looked at the menu. The drinks looked interesting, and I got 2 or 3 of them. However, there is a drink called Swedish Fish, and let me fore warn you- it does NOT taste like the candy. If you think so, you need to get your palette back on track. The menu was somewhat pricey for lunch, but I ended up getting a cup of seafood gumbo and a lobster roll. About the gumbo- one of the more interesting styles I have seen for a gumbo, the roux was spot on, with its deep color and wasn't burnt. However, there was a sweetness to it I wasn't very fond of. There was also 2 claws in the gumbo, that were ready to have the meat sucked off them. It also came with garlic bread wrapped in twine. Before I go on about the $17 lobster roll, let me remind you how much I hate raw vegetables and plain mayo- lets just say I would rather ingest glass than eat that stuff again. With that being said, the roll came with mayo and celery. The meat on the lobster was some of the higher quality meat I have seen- it was cold and solid, not flaky by any means. The bread it was on was toasted and buttered, and added to it. It terms of the meat, that was some of the best lobster meat I have had. However, the fries it came with to me, I was not a fan of- it reminded me of those potato strings (which I do love) you get at the grocery. They were messy, and tough to use with a fork. On top of a few drinks, I was making a mess (thank god I wasn't on a date). Since I was on a roll, I was offered dessert. I knew the place was going to be closing soon, so I was shocked she offered. I ended up getting an apple buckle- pretty much an apple dessert with ice cream and a cheese strudel. That was actually my favorite part of the meal- I almost got another one. Although the place closed at 2:30, the bartender let me keep ordering drinks, which was nice, but I tried to not wear out my welcome. For soup, entree, dessert, and a few drinks, lunch came to $66 before tip, I thought I was in Disney again with those prices, but I thought for the most part, it was worth it. Unfortunately later on in the day, I got extremely dizzy for some reason, and it kind of killed my mood- not sure if it was from the gumbo, the roll, or that Swedish Fish. I can see why Esquire thought highly of this place ( blogs.ajc.com/food-and-m… ), and I would like to go back and see what else they have to offer. Maybe I was getting withdrawls from dessert?!?
(4)
Jeff W.
Went here the other night. Food wasn't as good as before. Our server was like a robot, didn't offer his name and it was hard to get his attention on a few occasions. The frothy She Crab Soup didn't have the burst of flavor as it did on my first visit and the octopus was too soft in texture. We ordered wine with our meal in hopes of only having one glass and be on our way as we had another engagement to attend. We were late to it. Our main dish took over 30 minutes to arrive. While engaged in conversation, our very small pour of wine was long gone by the time our food arrived. Around the 25 minute mark the server brought over hush puppies and then told us this was in apology for our long wait. We don't eat hush puppies, a fresh glass of wine would have been more appropriate, or at least an ask vs throwing us a bone. It then took another 10 minutes before we got our food. I had pumped this place up to my date as being a great restaurant, was very disappointed in the experience this time. Guess they've settled in.
(2)
Maria S.
Dinner at The Optimist is quite a treat, especially if you're lucky enough to land Keesha as your server for the evening. Overall, the service was excellent, from the moment I walked in the door until I retrieved my car from the valet. This staff knows customer service! I arrived early for my reservation, in order to check out the The Oyster Bar, since I'd heard raves about the famous punch. There were three on the menu, and I opted for the Pineapple Express. Made with gin, ginger tea, lemon and honey, this drink is an excellent combination of tart and sweet, and is dangerously delicious. The oysters here are ordered a la carte, similar to the way sushi restaurants do it, and prices range from $2.50 to $3.50. This side of the restaurant seems like a perfect spot to sit and enjoy a casual seafood feast, paired with your libation of choice. The main dining area is spacious and open, and surprisingly, the noise levels weren't too bad. I found it easy to maintain conversation with my dinner guest, and also enjoy the excellent music. I love a place that plays "You Can Have It All" by Yo La Tengo. I don't often hear Georgia and Ira in any of my usual in-town haunts. The menu is completely different from the Oyster Bar, and the oysters are priced at $3.50 each, your choice of East or West coast. Since I had recently been in North Carolina, where I enjoyed an entire peck for $12, I decided to check out some of the other menu items. We started with the spicy Spanish octopus, which was expertly prepared and beautifully plated -- and devoured in a matter of minutes. To accompany our starter, my friend and I ordered the Winter on Cape Cod, essentially an upscale version of the traditional vodka cranberry. The added citrus and herbal notes were a nice touch. For our entrees, I decided on the crispy triggerfish, served with brussel sprouts and bacon. The sweetness of the fish contrasted nicely with the smokiness of the bacon. A note on that smokiness - due to the wood burning grill, you will leave The Optimist faintly smelling of wood smoke. Not necessarily a bad thing, but you may not want to wear your fanciest dry-clean-only duds. Also, the dinner napkins are white, and very linty, so avoid dark pants or skirts or have a lint brush handy. My friend raved about her scallop dish, and also informed me the complementary dinner roll was quite good. (No bread for me, alas, due to my gluten allergy. But many of the dishes at The Optimist are naturally gluten free, and Keesha said to just let her know what I wanted, and she'd see if the chef could make it GF for me. Great to have so many options!) Be sure to check out the bathrooms during your stay. They are nicely appointed, spotlessly clean, and private.
(5)
Candace L.
One of my favorite date night restaurants in the city! Start at the oyster bar. Order one of each - anything they have fresh (my favorites are west coast, but its a personal choice), and get some of the oyster shooters! Very creative and fun. I have to comment on the decor of this place - whoever had the idea to paint the octopus on the brick oven in the oyster bar was genius. I love the creativity showcased in here. The little things make a big impact. The overall space is open and airy with large ceilings and minimalist decor. Love it! The menu here changes daily so its hard to keep a favorite - but the kale salad, grilled octopus and bok choy are super tasty and usually hold a spot on the menu. TO THE CHEF: PLEASE PLEASE bring back the cornmeal crusted black sea bass. I cant tell you how many times I've bragged about it to people. I order it every time its available. Its the best sea bass I have ever had and it should be a permanent staple on the menu. Service has always been flawless here - even when they are busy. The servers know what they are talking about - take their advice on recommendations. Bottom line: The Optimist delivers. Consistently.
(5)
Ronnie E.
Kudos for the staff getting us seated before our reservation time and valet for helping us with an umbrella on a rainy night. The wife and I really enjoyed our meals, especially starting off with mussels and the wonderful dinner rolls. She ordered the grouper and I had the monkfish. I had a taste of the grouper and enjoyed the flavor of the sauce it came in, kind of tangy and garlic based. The monk fish was juicy and more lobster like, and went great with the chorizo bits. The seats were a little tight but I like the atmosphere and the open kitchen.
(4)
Andrea S.
Seems really cool but not flawless. Oysters were great and served with house made saltines. We split the Whole GA Shrimp La Plancha - also very good especially if you love butter. My husband had Crispy Flounder- HUGE and good. My Monkfish was disappointing the cockles mussels et. al accompaniment were way over don't and dry. Sauce/broth bland. We did not get bread delivered - oops but we didn't care. We were there pre- theater so early and the whole staff mostly seemed like they were preparing for a big ugly crush a bit later. All in all we won't rush back. Maybe we're not cool enough.
(3)
Atl C.
Really really really really really good. The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is because when I pay $60 a plate expect it to be really really really really really good.
(4)
Jeremy R.
Beverage program leaves A LOT to be desired but the food is top notch and I love that it's in my neighborhood!
(4)
Chan V.
The place is well decorated. I came here on a Sunday night. It's hard to say if I like this place or not because nothing on the menu really stood out for me. It's the typical seafood that other restaurants also serve. They had way too many fish on the menu at the time. Maybe if you had one, you've had them all. Sorry guys. Maybe I will come back for a second chance.
(2)
Amy H.
I think I had high hopes when it came to this place on HOW AMAZING the food was! Now I will say the charred spanish octopus was seriously to DIE FOR! I mean it was SO FREAKING good I wish I ordered two! The cocktails were amazing as was their wine selection. I was told their little gem salad was grilled and so I never say no to grilled romaine and it came out and it was not. Very overdressed I felt like I was eating a salad at Outback. The clam roll was OK, the peppers gave it a nice kick but it was way too buttery. The Lobster Roll was good!! I was a fan of that! The Halibut was a nice piece of fish but the sides that came with it were not. I expected a tad more. I will def go again and order some different items to give it another shot, but I think Atlanta Fish Market has a better selection of fish.
(3)
Heidi P.
Hey guess what, this is a FISH CAMP, whatever that means, and OYSTER BAR. I totally had no idea until I showed up and looked at the menu. Whoops. I'm not 100% sure how to do this...because while it's apparently not my normal thang (total seafood, well they had a burger) it's a really cool place with some awesome dishes, great service, a pretty atmosphere, etc. I really like the look of the place - it's huge, and feels very beachy. The bathrooms look like a beach locker room and they're frickin adorable. Do note that some are labeled men and some women. I went in the men's bathroom by accident (a single thankfully) because I was too busy looking at the decor details: big numbers on the doors, cool keys as it you were picking a locker room, etc. The service was great, too. I ordered fish and chips. The chips were actually hand torn potatoes. I really enjoyed the meal which came with a yummy tarter-like sauce. But I'm not used to eating fried fish in large quantities, so I couldn't finish. I think I'm more of a dinner-fish person rather than a lunch-fish person. I hope that is not unreasonable. I would definitely go back to try dinner but less likely to go out of my way to get there for lunch, because after I was done, I was feeling a little meh. I am normally a fish enjoyer, but maybe the fried-ness disagreed with me a little. It is definitely a quality place in all aspects, though, so I recommend checking it out!
(4)
Diana W.
Came here with a few clients. I'm gluten free and dairy free. I was surprised to see that they had some GF red snapper on the menu. They were happy to make it dairy free. Not too many options after that but the ambiance is amazing and it smells wonderful. I definitely recommend.
(5)
Kelly W.
I don't know where the previous yelper dines in Chicago, but definitely NOT the right places! I just moved back to Atlanta from Chicago and The Optimist doesn't come close to comparing to similarly-priced restaurants in Chicago. The kale salad was good, as was the octopus; however, our main dishes were tiny and didn't have much flavor. I've never sent back a dish in my entire life, but we had to send the sickly-tasting mussels back. This would be a five-star rating if our main dishes were under $20; however, $200 for two people is not worth it here. The design of the restaurant is great, but the valet is also poor. We waited for nearly 40 minutes in a line of 15 deep to get our car after this highly mediocre meal.
(3)
Catherine N.
I went here for lunch with my boyfriend to try it out and I completely fell in love with the Optimist. First off though, we had a bit of trouble figuring which door was the main entrance, but once we just picked a door, we saw the hostess table and made our way towards it. Also, just outside of the restaurant, they have miniature golf , and you can get your putters inside. (even though there aren't many holes, the idea is pretty quirky and cool) Once I stepped inside, the atmosphere was really what sold me. It was chic but cozy. Our waitress was awesome, service was awesome, and food did not disappoint whatsoever! We decided to both get housemade lemonades, and even the presentation of them were chic! Sugar rimmed and all. For a starter, we ordered a dozen of oysters to split, and both ordered the lobster roll each with a side order or hush puppies to split. One tiny disappointment I had were the oysters coming after our entree, but that also might be because we didn't specify that we wanted to start off with them? But they still took a good bit to get to our table...(but it was understandable that it does take a while to shuck) Other than that, the food was REALLY good. The lobster roll was pretty simple, which is how a lobster roll should be. But the shoe string fries are ADDICTING. they're so crispy and good. And the hushpuppies are dusted with powdered sugar to be in a "beignet" style. Some may say the price is a bit much, but for the quality you get and keeping in mind that this is a seafood & oyster place...a pricer menu should be expected. This is a great place for lunch, a date, or even a night out with friends. (they have an awesome bar AND oyster bar) I'm excited to come back and try more things on the menu. The Optimist has made me a for sure frequent returning customer!
(4)
Jennifer V.
This is hands down the best meal I have had in Atlanta since we moved here 18 months ago. The food was so delicious - from the octopus to the swordfish poached in duck fat, to the cornmeal encrusted flounder. The flavors were so different from what I am used to, yet so complimentary. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and we took his recommendations as to what to order. It was truly a terrific experience and I highly recommend it. AND this is coming from someone who is not really a fish person!
(5)
Jean F.
Took my wife and daughter on 1/2/13 for dinner expecting something spectacular. The service was knowledgeable as expected. The cocktails he recommended were both original and subtle as was the white Bordeaux. The main course included fish and chips excellent and fluffy with overly salted shoe string fries, the scallops on pork were good and Georgia shrimp were ok but much too messy to eat. Starters of mussels, soup combo and fried oysters were disappointing. The desert, beignets and banana mousse were ok but nothing to write home about. Possibly an off night?
(3)
June J.
Excellent dining experience. I will definitely come back. As opposed to what others have said in reviews, I didn't feel like this place was too noisy nor too expensive compared to other restaurants with similar caliber in Atlanta. I had dinner here as a special occasion with my parents for holidays, and our server Paolo was very courteous and was there whenever we needed him. It was almost like he was watching every second of our dining but without making us feel intrusive at all, which I appreciate. Appetizers: fried oysters (pretty good, but i would rather recommend fresh ones for better value), fresh oysters per server's recommendation, kale salad (very flavorful without much dressing added - I've eaten many kale dishes in the past and loved this simple execution). Entrees: we had swordfish (per server's recommendation which came along with duck fat, pork belly - excellent), mahi mahi, and sea bass . I was tempted to order the skirt steak for entree as I'm not a big seafood person, but I do not regret ordering fish for entree at all. It was apparent that the fish was very fresh; simple yet intricate execution on each dish, not too much to hinder the natural taste/aroma of fish. Side: hushpuppies (not bad - i've had better but this one tasted less greasy hence presumably healthy), brussel sprouts (over salted - i would not recommend but has enough flavor. i think i can cook better brussel sprouts to be honest), mushroom (very simple yet with enough herbs and ingredients added to retain the flavor of mushroom). Desserts: I was wined up at this point and do not remember what we had but it was some sort of cake and a few ice creams. Nothing spectacular (except the sorbet - which was very good) but nothing to complain about. Drinks: not a bad wine list but could be less generic. I really don't want to spend $60 on a bottle of wine when I know exactly where to go to get that same bottle for $15. But they had some interesting Italian and french wines to try. I was very apprehensive to try this place out as Ford Fry's restaurants tend to have subpar service from my numerous visits - atrocious service almost every time except a few occasions. Optimist definitely stands out among Fry's restaurants, and I look forward to coming back soon. I would highly recommend this place to anyone seeking a pleasant dining experience centered around seafood.
(5)
Maira D.
Probably the best service I ever had. Ambiance was great, and the food was really good, and I didn't think it was expensive for what they offered.
(5)
adrienne i.
One of my favorite dinners since I moved to Atlanta 4 years ago was had at The Optimist. Flavor abounds here. Service was excellent, and not stuffy (my favorite kind).
(5)
Onle G.
After a quick lunch of she-crab soup with shrimp toast and a few east coast oysters, I'm sold. I usually know quickly if I'll return to an eatery after a few bites and will most certainly recommend this place that's lighting up the Atlanta radar. The space has a loft-style decor, reminiscent of castleberry hills or other in-town industrio-living conversions. Making reservations is required and the staff is great. Enjoy something fresh at The Optimist. P.S. it makes a great place to study and catch looks from Atlanta's fashionable crowd ;c)
(5)
Jeff T.
My wife and I had heard good things so we booked an early dinner to celebrate our anniversary sans the crowd. The place has a breezy, beachy, contemporary feel-not stuffy at all. We were seated right away. To kick things off, I had a glass of their Fish House Punch - a house special rum concoction that doesn't disappoint. I also ordered a dozen West coast oysters before I realized they were $3.50 a pop. Oh well, they were truly awesome and we were out to celebrate. I got past it. Next up, the frothy, she-crab soup with shrimp toast. Both were amazing. I also had the fried clam roll which is kinda like a lobster roll but made with fresh fried clams. Believe the hype, it's incredible. Lastly, we shared an order of "beignet style", corn-milk hush puppies served with sweet butter. I didn't protest when our waiter took the remaining half away because I would have popped if I kept eating them. The only con was that our waiter was good but a little nonchalant. Our table was a messy from the oysters/ice but it went unnoticed until I asked him to please to wipe it down. No big deal, he got all the other things right. Look forward to going back. Maybe next time I'll actually make it past the starters and try one of their main courses, we'll see!
(4)
Maggie C.
West Midtown has become pretty fun and The Optimist certainly adds to the cool factor. My girlfriend and I enjoyed a weekday lunch. The hostess sat us in the dining area and after a few moments without a server, we quickly decided to move to the bar, not because we were dissatisfied, but rather because the bar looked fun! Because we moved, the manager immediately came over to us, apologized, and comped our cocktails! This was a really impressive and unnecessary gesture. I ordered a Swedish Fish cocktail which featured plenty of fresh dill. So tasty! We also had East coast and West coast oysters. My girlfriend had halibut and I had more oysters since I don't get to have them often living in Denver, hehe. The decor is also sensational! Nautical, classy, yet fun and slightly hipster. The Optimist also features a putting green outside. This is a really cool little spot in an awesome part of the city.
(5)
Jana A.
You MUST try The Optimist. We had dinner there tonight and I have to say it may be the best meal I've had in Atlanta in a LONG time. The white fish chowder, the flounder, the dessert... everything was remarkable. I thought the service was excellent, especially when I learned they'd only been open 4 weeks. They spared no expense in decorating. The bathrooms are even super cool!
(5)
Jay M.
A legit 5 start restaurant. The west coast oysters I had were seriously the best I have ever had. Mussels, excellent. As was the charred octopus. Our server steered us very wisely when ordering and the whole fried bass was a gift of the gods. The swordfish was the best I've had other than McKendrick's. All of the sides were awesome. Run, don't walk, to the Optimist because it kicks all kinds of ass.
(5)
Ana D.
My husband and I find ourselves here for both special occasions and random weekends. It's probably my favorite restaurant in Atlanta, and definitely the best I have been to at this price point. On our latest trip, we tried a couple different oysters, a few cocktails, entrees, and dessert, and I was legitimately depressed when the meal was over. This was my first time trying oysters, so as an oysters novice I doused mine in lemon and cocktail sauce, but hubby said they were really good. For dinner, I had a basic white fish (maybe NC trout?), husband had the scallops. The scallops were amazing. Best I have had. My dish was great as well. We also had the fried rice, which was amazing, and the hush puppies, which are a must have (seriously, don't leave without trying them. I fought for the last one). For dessert, we had the brown sugar cake and it was just the right amount of sweetness to end the meal. We also tried a few cocktails, one citrusy and one savory, and both we're delish. We left feeling full but not stuffed, with no leftovers and enough money left over to feel that we weren't gouged. I love the atmosphere, the food, and the service. Get there soon after opening if you want a more leisurely dinner. You'll get more attention and more relaxed service.
(5)
Chase C.
For all people who love seafood, do yourself a favor and come here. It is literally worth every penny. I went on a monday night with a lady, it was a little empty at first but began to fill up quickly. The oyster bar is the first thing you see when you walk in and the rest of the restaurant looked amazing. We ordered a dozen of the west coast oysters to start(please do yourself a favor and get the oysters). We also had a bottle of wine, the wine list was pretty extensive and full of great wines. For my entree my partner had the scallops, perfectly seasoned and not overcooked like some places. I had the swordfish that was poached in duck fat which was also incredible. We then finished up with an apple upside down cake, no misspelling there. It was served with a cinnamon ice cream. I didn't have a single complaint about an of the food or service, PLEASE go if you can. It's worth the drive.
(5)
Yai V.
Octopus is amazing and the pork shoulder fell right off the bone!
(5)
Jeff V.
Bon Apetit! Food and Wine!! How could I not love this place. Ok, seriously, this place is on a huge roll. And it is somewhat deserved, but I think it's gotten out of control. The food is good but it's not great. The haddock was impressive - an entire fish on the plate, nicely seasoned and perfectly cooked. But I can't say the same for the red grouper, which was underseasoned. The hush puppies are winners, the fingerling potatoes delish, but the carrots were meh. I've been twice now and both times, I've come away thinking "good, but not great." The interior is fantastic, the service is friendly, and the drinks are inventive and tasty. It's a can't miss place to bring mom and dad (especially if they are paying) or impress a date. But if you're expecting the best seafood you've tasted, you are probably going to leave disappointed.
(4)
Allison K.
So after hearing so many people rave about the Optimist, I had to experience it myself. First, I have to admit that I'm not much of a seafood eater - if it's not tuna, salmon or crab I'm not a fan so the menu was a little limited to me. We started with drinks at the bar - which they have a great drink list! I started with a Carboy - it was so good! My date just went for a beer, boring! Anyways when we got to the table they immediately brought us bread - which like everyone else said was delish! Big fluffy rolls with some butter with sea salt on them already. Moving on, we shared a she-crab soup and each got an oyster since it is an oyster bar after all. The soup was really good - and they even split it for us! I wish I could have had more of the shrimp toast though - that was amazing! For dinner I got the tuna which came with a small side of crispy potatoes and charred octopus - everything was really good! My date got the duck fat swordfish and he said his was really good -- he ate the entire thing! We got a side of the hushpuppies to share. Definitely get them! It's like dessert with dinner! Everything we had was great and service was spectacular - I'll definitely return!
(4)
Belle E.
Best Seafood in ATL.
(5)
Stricky T.
The Optimist left a number of question marks after all the...............I went for the lobster roll but we decided to try a number of dishes and I wasn't impressed..........well lets say it didn't have the same impact JCT had...............the service was little sloppy, the lobster roll lacked flav, the basmati fried rice was ok......and the grouper was just ok.......????.......maybe it needs another try...........
(3)
Dan K.
The space is fab - I love the warehouse look and feel- the wine is good- the arugula salad was mediocre- worth $3, not $12. The heralded lobster rolls are mediocre at best- scallops are served with parsley and blackberries- strange! Scallops have little flavor- hush puppies are tasty- with powdered sugar and butter - but what isn't tasty with powdered sugar and butter? Oh well- another atlanta night- another wasted $100- you yelpers may never hear from me again- I don't think I am going to dinner anywhere in Atlanta ever again - except to my beloved bacchanalia- the optimist was a huge disappointment
(3)
Joe C.
Octopus appetizer, OMG grilled to perfection and the sauce... Wow. Fried oysters and mussels with green curry sauce will have having sopping up every drop of sauce with the amazing fresh baked rolls. Entrees were equally amazing and they change almost daily. I confidently can recommend that you will enjoy whatever you order as this place does not disappoint.
(5)
David W.
Tremendous place...I was blown away. The food was as close to perfect as it gets, and the service was incredible. I had lunch: 3 raw oysters, she-crab soup, and the fresh fish sandwich. Every single thing I ate was exceptional. My server was fantastic, friendly, and attentive from start to finish. This was one of the beast meals I've had in Atlanta in recent memory.
(5)
Bailey B.
Customer service was TERRIBLE!! Had a table of 3 girls and we ordered 2 bottles of wine all together, when we wanted to order one more the waiter told us he would not serve us anymore alcohol, this was after waiting about 45 min. to even get his attention! I would have understood if we were being obnoxious, but honestly we were just having a causal conversation on the patio. I think he was just tired of us and was ready to close out his table since it was a Sunday and business was slow. I was so humiliated that they told us they wouldn't serve us any more drinks, and not to mention we ordered about $100 worth of food that day! That has NEVER happened to me before, not even in my college years!!! My concentration in college was hospitality management and I must say this was one of the worst customer service situations I have ever experienced. Will not return.
(1)
Ken D.
Having just arrived to my hotel in Atlanta, I quickly turned to yelp to find a good place to eat. Given the good rating for the optimist and my desire to have good seafood and oysters, I decided to give it a try. We ordered the simple salad and fried oysters for starters which were both really good. I had the swordfish with mushrooms and beets as sides. The food was super fresh and flavorful. The optimist is doing something unique and different, and doing it well.
(4)
Eva H.
Truly the best dining experience I have had in Atlanta upon moving here last Summer. Every single part of the meal hit the mark. The East Coast oysters had such a clean flavor and the clams with pork belly are addictive. For my main entree, I had the tuna and charred octopus and I ate every single morsel on my plate The atmosphere is quite enjoyable and had a refined easiness to it. Service was right on par. Cocktails were everything I hoped for and more. Easily my new favorite!
(5)
Oscar R.
I saw this on Unique Eats on the Food Network last week and I had business at Georgia Tech so, being an optimist, I took the chance to take a professor out for dinner. We were both amazed by the food! Between the two of us we had the oysters, octopus, fat seared swordfish, codfish, beet salad, watermelon salad, cheesecake ice cream, blueberry-chambord sorbet, and a few local beer. The food was amazing, the decor was great, and they have a putting green for when you are waiting for you car. The server was a little slow but not annoyingly so.
(4)
Danielle F.
I have been here 3 times now and I have yet to be disappointed! I am a single mom with a 2 year old toddler!!! I really didn't see many children on any occasion that I visited but I will say they were happy to welcome us with a coloring childrens menu.. crayons included! Every dish I have tried as well as the dishes of the people who accompanied me were delicious!! I have tried the muzzles, Kale salad, fish and chips, Cod filet of fish sandwich, & fried oysters. All satisfying and delicious and reasonably priced! Great service. The valet was greatly appreciated! I will say the drink availability is a little limiting, but it did make me try something new..so no worries!
(5)
Ande T.
Wow, after reading such glowing reviews, I was really optimistic about my experience at the Optimist last night. However, from the moment we walked in the door, my party of 5 had a fairly pessimistic experience, and we walked away giving the restaurant a C grade overall. First, we called the night before to make a reservation for our group at 7:30 PM (a Tuesday night). They couldn't find our reservation right away and when they did, they didn't have a table available for us until we'd sat at the bar until after 8PM. (D) So we ambled towards the bar and had a few pretty darn good drinks, so our spirits were lifting somewhat. From the reviews, I figured I'd try the Port Antonio. My friends had the Salty Dog and the Mother of Pearl. I liked their drinks much better than mine, which really only tasted of rum and nothing else in a glass that was so filled with ice, it made it extraordinarily difficult to taste the liquor until it became quite watered down. (B) When they finally had a table for us, they seemed to forget that they also needed to assign a server. Really? I understand the restaurant is pretty new, but you should NEVER have your guests wait nearly 30 minutes for someone to come to your table to give you more than water. AND we only got someone to come wait on us when we had to ask another server to track someone down. My friends had brought their 2nd drinks to the table but I decided I'd wait until our server took the table's drink order to get my 2nd. Boy, did I regret that decision. (D) Finally, we ordered food. Oysters on the half shell and a couple of starters (Oysters on Horseback, Shrimp a la plancha, and salad with meyer lemon/anchovy dressing). The server brought out the peel and eat shrimp instead of the al la plancha because the place is very loud and he clearly couldn't hear very well. Otherwise we all greatly enjoyed our appetizers, especially the Oysters on Horseback where the smokiness of the pork belly really melded with the fried oysters well. The one thing they could improve on is to not bring the crackers and the homemade cocktail sauce 20 minutes before you bring out the oysters. (A) The noise level. It's very loud in that space. It would be accpetable and easier to talk without raised voices if it wasn't for the loud music they had playing. The level fluctuated a few times throughout the evening, so I don't think I was the only one to ask my server to turn the volume down. Who turned it up in between is a mystery. Entrees. Of the 5 of us, none was particularly enamored with their entree. Skirt steak had so much sauce that it really drowned out the steak, which was very good on its own. Halibut was just basic, nothing to write home about, with one little hen of the wood mushroom. Seared tuna with octopus, like others have said, had one TINY LITTLE PIECE OF OCTOPUS. Why? Octopus is relatively cheap, especially compared to tuna. Not so many Americans are keen on octopus, so when someone orders octopus on something, it means that they like it. Scallops. 3 scallops and you want to charge $28? They weren't that good to justify the price. And the swordfish sounded really incredible on paper, but just didn't deliver. (D) With tip, our party spent nearly $100 per person and neither of us got dessert. While I still remain optimistic about the restaurant, for the money and our experience, we have so many other great places to dine in Atlanta. We all concluded that if we were to go back to The Optimist, it would only be for drinks and appetizers and we'd sit outside on the patio so we could actually talk.
(2)
Evelyn-Anne C.
Bottom line- you pay for what you get here, but what you get is a dining experience that ranks up there with a place like Bacchanalia, but in a much more casual and approachable atmosphere. The bartender and server we had were incredibly knowledgeable about the entire menu, including all of the wines and other beverages. We received great service from the time we walked in and the food was elegant and unique without feeling pretentious. Reccomendations: cocktail- Beach Shanty: a mix of Allagash White Ale and liquors, perfect for warm weather, highly alcoholic, but delicious appetizer/starter- Oysters: My husband sampled both the West coast and East coast selections. They come with homemade saltines and a house-made cocktail sauce. main dish- Swordfish: cooked in duck fat and finished off with crispy pancetta, this fish was amazing flavorful and rich dessert- Grilled Pound Cake Sunday: perfect for sharing, the ice cream is homemade and wonderful and the grilled pound cake had a really interesting smoky flavor.
(5)
Patti D.
I had driven past here several times and was dying to try it. My darling had a tough day at work so I suggested we unwind here after work. Made a reservation through Open Table and off we went. When we got there we decided to sit at the oyster bar. Great choice. Our adorable server Sara took amazing care of us and the food was wonderful. Chose 1/2 doz oysters and split them between West and East coast. Both fresh, briny and delicious. Eric decided on the gumbo, which was filled with yummy seafood. Loved the charred octopus and butter roasted rolls. Even the crackers (they had to have been house made, right?) were super yummy - both sweet and salty. The chardonnay and beer were great ways to wash down fabulous seafood. We even opted for dessert, which is rare for us. The salted caramel ice box cake was so good I'm surprised we didn't lick the plate. But that would not have been polite. The lemon drop cookies came home with us. They are still in their sweet brown paper bag, but they won't be for long. Go. You will adore it. It's the closest thing to being at the beach you can get to in Atlanta. And ask for sweet Sara.
(5)
Micheal C.
Very unimpressed with the food. Too much garlic on the fish. Sent it back for a new entree without the garlic and received the same piece of fish back. Will not return.
(1)
j s.
We must have been there on an "off" night, as there were several staff issues. Food was excellent with the exception of something that felt like a stone in my Brussels sprouts! I bit down on it and almost came out of my chair. Three people at my table loved their food and two people thought it was ok but not great. The space is beautiful and surprisingly quiet for a house 3/4 full. A sixth person got lost and when they called the restaurant there was only a voice-mail and no one called them back to help with directions. Earlier in the day I called twice to change the number in my party from 8 to 6 and got just a voice mail. When I arrived the reception group was in a snit because our table was set for 8. I could see their phone at reception had a red blinking light on it. Do you think it would be possible to answer the phone or check that blinking light to see if there are message there? Maybe reservation changes or lost patrons? The Optimist is supposed to be the best restaurant in Atlanta these days but I didn't see it on this trip.
(3)
Sara B.
amazing!!!
(5)
Kevin M.
Ehh. The atmosphere here is very Westside ATL, which is fine by me. The oyster bar looked really cool though we opted for seated service in the main dining room. The food here is as good as the reviews say it is. The bread at the start, the hushpuppies (beignet-style), etc., it was all very good. It gets a 3 because it's dramatically overpriced for what you get and nothing we had was "knock your socks off" good -- which could have potentially justified the steep prices. Upwards of $3.50 per oyster is just way too much money. Also, most of the fish dishes are served a la carte and although they are prepared simply and executed properly, the dishes don't have any "wow" aspects to them. Again, it's very good food, but when you end up spending $9 for the gumbo or she-crab soup, or $9 each for one of their side dishes to accompany the a la carte fish, the bill adds up quickly and unnecessarily as compared to other quality seafood options out there. If you're not serving side dishes with it, I can't possibly justify more than $18-$22 for a lone grilled piece of fish (rather than the $28 price tag of the swordfish). A few dollars per dish doesn't seem like much, but that's 25% more than it should be and it adds up quick when you have to order multiple items to complete the meal! If they bring their prices down by 20% or so, my rating would immediately jump. Until then, I'll get my oyster fix at Steamhouse or Fontaines', and I'll buy my fish from the likes of Fresh Market and cook it myself. Several tables positioned toward the middle of the restaurant, including ours, were packed too tightly together. We were uncomfortably close to the tables on either side of ours. Also, our server collected the completed bill while we were still seated. Even though both complaints are completely avoidable by the restaurant, I'm not one who gets worked up about that kind of stuff (the server was otherwise great). Neither instance affected my rating. Overall, I honestly don't think we'll be back.
(3)
Kim C.
Amazing! Fresh seafood and gorgeous atmosphere.
(5)
April C.
The space is really nice. Industrial, but still warm and not loud at all. The food was pretty bland. I had the tuna and octopus entree and a side of the mushrooms. The mushrooms were excellent. If I ever go back, I'd certainly get that again. My entree was not very flavorful and there was only one small bite of octopus. Certainly not worth $26. My friend did not love her soup or halibut - again, nothing exciting and overpriced. The other thing I noticed was that it was nice and busy for a Tuesday night, but most of the guests were in suits. Is this the new business dinner spot? As I was leaving, I looked across the street to Bocado and wished I'd gone over there for the burger and saved $60. Probably not a good sign that I'll ever go back.
(2)
Fatina B.
Finally we made it there for dinner this saturday. Great restaurant. We had a 5 o'clock reservation so we did not have to wait to be seated. The place got filled very quickly . I ordered their west bay oysters and blackened octopus for appetizers. Both were great. I still prefer though the octopus salad that I had in barcelona, that was more ceviche style. For entree we chose the blackened amberjack and fish & chips. Both were excellent. For the blackened fish I had to order a side of vegetables separately as it Does not come with any.I chose the bokchoy which was excellent. Will definitely come back maybe during the week for lunch
(4)
Mere C.
O.M.G. This place is to die for! I had heard wonderful things from friends, coworkers, complete strangers, etc. so my boyfriend and I went one night to celebrate his promotion. First, let me start off by saying very cool atmosphere. It was open and airy and definitely had a beach vibe even though Howell Mill is far from it. The staff were all very friendly, and they were able to seat us right away even though we didn't make a reservation. The cocktails rocked, and we started with the fried oysters... un...be...lievable!! They were so good, and I am very particular about my oysters. For our entrees, I had the skirt steak, and Steven had the scallops/glazed pork. Of course he tried mine, and I tried his, but everything was delicious! It was by far the best scallops I have ever had (even compared to beachside restaurants). They were so fresh and tender. The steak and vegetables also blew my mind. It was cooked medium just how I like, and the sauce had an incredible flavor that complemented the steak to perfection. I wish we would have had room for dessert but we were the right amount of full. Overall, it was a wonderful dining experience. We had a very romantic, carefree dinner that satisfied our taste buds and our stomachs. We will definitely be back for more!
(5)
Brian C.
Pretty cool place. Had a good cocktail, and great apps including the lobster roll and a dozen oysters. Entrees were ok and fries were very salty. Thought it was a little overrated.
(3)
Belinda S.
JCT is one of my favorites in Atlanta so I was really excited to try The Optimist. Went last night for a 6:30 reservation. First the positives. Service was fast and knowledgeable. The fresh made bread was delicious, hot buttery and a great start. Got a half dozen oysters half east coast, half west coast. They were wonderful! Without a doubt overpriced but they are so fresh and tasty that I really didn't mind. Unfortunately we went downhill from there. Followed with: -Frothy She Crap Soup - very very buttery, wads of oil floating on the top... yuck. Shrimp toast that accompanied it was DELISH though -Little Gem Salad - essentially a ceaser, nothing to write home about and started a trend for the rest of the meal of everything being overly salted. I am not at all sensitive to salt so this is a lot for me to notice. For entrees we had the Scallops and Skate wing, again very very salty but once we gave them a splash of lemon they were very tasty. The real downer was the sides. We had the roasted beets which were tasty and standard to many other restaurants around town. We also had the gnocchi and potato puree. They were both TERRIBLE. The gnocchi were so soft, literally boiled to death and very little flavor. The potato puree had been whipped to death and literally dripped off a spoon... like soup. Disgusting. We then followed with literally the worst dessert I've ever had. Grilled pound cake with ice cream and fried peanuts. The pound cake was so dry, it was below grocery store quality. The cake had no warmth but grill marks.. how long had it been sitting around? Ew! The thing that really made me lose it were the two floor hostesses who I had perfect view of all night. Clearly neither have been trained on how to serve because both of them had their fingers in peoples plates all night. One of them would not stop playing with her hair, eyes, teeth everything and then taking plates from the window. I meant to call today and complain on this matter because it was truly disgusting. Bottom line - so many kinks to works out, expensive menu, lots of potential. I hope it gets better!
(2)
Dustin H.
Went to The Optimist for the first time last night. Very nice atmosphere and service. The only reason I cannot give 5 stars is the food could use some improvement. I had the seafood gumbo for an appetizer, while my wife had the peel and eat shrimp. They were both delicious, other than the gumbo being overly salty and the shrimp being coated with about 3 inches of Old Bay seasoning. We did both really enjoy our side of rice. The hush puppies were good, although they tasted like they had sat around for awhile...more chewy than crunchy. Our main dishes were great, but could again be improved with a little less salt. Dessert (cheesecake) was delicious. We will definitely be making a return trip...and hopefully they'll be running low on salt that night!
(4)
Molly G.
Excellent. The octopus and heirloom tomato salad was amazing. I got triple tail and it was light and cooked perfectly. The fried rice tasted like it came from Tin Drum. It was good, but not what I expected. The key lime push pop was a nice ending, but I wish it had been bigger. Would definitely return!
(4)
Nicci R.
At lunch we ordered she crab soup, oyster loaf, fish and chips, hush puppies and basmati curry fried rice. The she-crab soup was served with a side of shrimp toast and was fantastic. I should have ordered a bowl instead of just a cup. The oyster loaf was a good po-boy style sandwich dressed with pickles, lettuce and remoulade sauce. The fish and chips entree was a disappointment considering it cost $17 for 2 pieces of fish on a pile of shoestring fries. The fish and coating tasted unseasoned and bland, unfortunately the mild flavored malt vinegar aoili dipping sauce did not help. Hush puppies were so good, especially with the cane butter. I could have eaten the butter straight with a spoon. Basmati curry fried rice was completely different flavor than our entire meal, but very tasty. Unfortunately, we were too full to try dessert.
(3)
S. W.
This is about as good as it gets. The room is huge, yet beautifully lit and welcoming and not too loud. The food will simply knock your socks off. Perfect oysters, stupendous mussels served with a broth I wanted to drink like a soup. The mussels also come with a thick piece of toasted bread that, when dunked into the broth had me singing "halleuiah!" The sides of Brussels sprouts are worth a trip (what?? yes). The lemon tart is exquisite as are the beignets. The service is attentive without being overbearing or precious. I can't wait to go back. In fact, in the time it took me to confirm this review, I've been back three times and feel just as enthusiastic.
(5)
Es D.
Went for a friend's birthday with a group and we all loved this place and can't wait to go back! Very cool ambiance and outside bar area. Our server was fantastic and the food was some of the best we've had. You must try the kale salad! All our apps, sides and main dishes were wonderful.
(5)
Kevin M.
Had a great time eating here with my brother at the bar. Good drink selection, good atmosphere/decor, and good food. I had the scallops w short rib and it didn't disappoint. Would recommend to anyone in Atlanta looking for seafood.
(4)
Somee K.
The Optimist lives up to its name. Everyone we came into contact with genuinely looked happy. I reserved a table for 2 at 9:15 PM. We got there on the dot and were seated immediately. This usually does not happen at restaurants even with reservations so I was pleased. We were seated at a table by the window and it was so romantic. My boyfriend is always taking me to new, trendy restaurants so I wanted to treat him out this time and I am happy that we both got to try The Optimist for the first time together. We asked our server what he recommended and without hesitation, he pointed to the Scallops so we both ordered scallops and assorted mushrooms. Honestly, the food was mediocre. The scallops were good but they tasted like any other scallops I've had before. It came with 4 pieces, which were not filling at all. Nothing particularly outstanding about the food. However, the ambiance was perfect for our date. It created an intimate atmosphere for my boyfriend and I. It was simple yet lavish. I was very content with my restaurant selection. On top of that, we ran into my best friend. We shared many happy moments at that restaurant. No wonder it's called The Optimist. I would come here again but next time, I'll try a different dish.
(4)
J P.
Went for business dinner with out of town colleague - although the food was tasty the service was 'rush-rush' - whoa, sloooow down. Ordered the clams as starter to share and each of us ordered an app - all came out at same time - so dilemma was - cold clams or limp salad....given the price points here they should know better than this - shame on the wait staff - i know you want to turn a table but when you're spending $160 for 2 - you dont plan on eat and run as the mantra....then waiter came 3 times during our entrees to ask "are you still working on that?" - why yes, thats why i was holding my knife and fork!!
(4)
Ken B.
One of the best meals that I have had. There aren't that many good seafood options in Atlanta, and this one would be good in pretty much any city. Wife, Mother and I went as a late birthday celebration and we started with the Clam Roll appetizer. This is really really good. I really could eat a couple of these things and just call it a meal. Also the starting bread is really good the way you wish it was good at all restaurants. It is warm, slightly buttered and topped with sea salt. Really good. The appetizer was so good and there were so many interesting appetizer options that we thought we were going to regret ordering appetizers. Boy were we wrong. I had the scallops served over a short rib with some sort of muscadine sauce. Really Really Good. My mom had the flounder which was also amazing. I didn't know that flounder was this tasty of a fish. Wifey had the monkfish which we don't see nearly enough on menu's in the south, but is a great fish and here was very well prepared. The side items are also really good. We tried the tandoori style fried rice which was the winner. But the field peas and corn tasted very fresh and was also good. This would be one of the few restaurants that every single thing I tried wound up tasting amazing. Definitely an expensive meal, but the quality of the food lived up to the price.
(5)
Roy L.
I usually don't write reviews based on just 1 visit, but for this place I'll make an exception. The services was excellent. Our server was fantastic. The interior is nice and open. These are the only 2 good things about the place. They charge $3 and $3.50 for oysters now when oysters are in season. That's a total rip off. They also over sauce all of their dishes which is a clear indicator that the quality of the food isn't as great as they try to make it appear. You can tell because this is an semi-upscale joint that serves Tilapia, probably one of the most cheapest fishes you can buy wholesale. My friend ordered the Tilapia and I ordered the Short Ribs, better rephrase that to short rib since it was only 1 pathetic piece of meat that was over sauced and looked very familiar to the Korean Short Rib dish that I eat all the time. They charge $25 for this dish. At a Korean restaurant you can order a whole pan full of this for $25 and it'll come with about 3 or 4 pieces, not just one, and it won't be over sauced. We did have the Beignet style hush puppies, which were awesome. Being form New Orleans I always respect a New Orleans style or flavored dish. Now everything above was not that big a deal since my friend decided to pay for us. We had a group of 5 friends and she was in town for the holidays and decided to treat us because of her new job and new digs in Chicago. No the real complaint comes when I buy my friends a round of drinks. Only 4 since 1 guy is a moron and can't drink BC he has 2 dui's. So I order 4 Patrons. The bartender says they don't have Patron. So I ask, what do you have similar to Patron, he replies with Don Julio. So I order 4 shots of Don Julio. Very smooth until I got my check. $53 for 4 shots of Don Julio. I'm sorry, but is this a restaurant or a club? I know most of my complaints about this place is about the price, but I'm a dude trying to ball on a budget, not live like a spendthrift like most of The Optimist's customers. Also when you compensate quality with sauces, then that tells me the quality of food is not that great, unless of course the dish warrants such saucing. If you don't mind paying $3 or $3.5 for an oyster that tells me you're a spendthrift. So I checked in on my Yelp App which is connected to my Twitter feed. They tweeted me a few days later thanking me for checking in. Everything above was mentioned. So they tweeted back with this generic response: @roylee1 Sorry to hear you weren't pleased with your experience - please call a manager at 404-477-6260 if you would like to discuss further Actually I really don't want to discuss any further. I was planning on giving them another shot, but when you respond with less personality then a mannequin then I'm assuming you really don't care. I also don't like to be treated better after the fact, but if you look at my whole post you won't see a complaint about the service, because it was great. The food however, not justified for the prices they charge.
(2)
Karina B.
I am coming out of Yelp retirement to share what an amazing experience we had at The Optimist! Service was attentive & well versed in wine selection. We had several appetizers - oysters, Little Gem salad & charred Spanish octopus - all delicious. But the green curry mussels were outstanding! Seriously, you want to eat this. We could have made a meal out of this dish. Entrees were perfect! The seared yellowfin tuna was easily one of the best dishes we've ever had...and we know food. We suggest sharing starters and entrees so that you can also try the sides. We shared a perfectly seasoned tomato salad & wood roasted beets. One tip: skip the dessert menu and order the corn milk hushpuppies beignet with cane sugar butter instead.
(5)
Laura W.
The Optimist unfortunately falls into the trap of being overhyped. For months now this is the only restaurant I've heard people talking about, tried a few times to get reservations, finally had to make one weeks and weeks in advance. It is a beautiful space- not unique or original but big and open and clean. Of course the place was packed with hipsters on a Saturday night. The one thing that was excellent was our server. Unfortunately I don't remember her name but she had brown hair and cool glasses- had kind of a quirky look to her. She was great! Food however was just okay. I did not get oysters, as much as I love them, I just can't bring myself to spend $3-$3.50 per oyster, especially when I know of a great place in Marietta where you can get a dozen for $9. The she crab "froth" was just she crab soup- was good but nothing special. I'm not sure what I was expecting with the fried smelt, but I think I was hoping for something really salty like anchovies and it just tasted like greasy fried fish with some kind of aioli for dipping. I wanted to love the octopus- heard it was great- it was spicy and really flavorful but seemed overcooked and something about the flavors was just off to me- I wish it had something sweet in there to balance out the flavors. I ordered the duck fat poached swordfish because it sounded amazing. It too was just okay- seemed a bit dry even. The best thing we had was the short rib- it was absolutely fabulous. I thought it strange that the best thing was this considering it is a FISH restaurant. Mexican hot chocolate for dessert was delicious but was only luke warm. Overall, it just seemed that everything was so HEAVY. I don't expect that when it comes to seafood. I want lighter dishes- maybe in the spring they will offer some of those. I would go back- for lunch or if someone else is paying- my husband and I spent $150- we can't afford to do that often. I don't mind spending that much on an amazingly memorable meal (like we had at Tomo in Buckhead) but for just an average dinner that is way too much. For seafood, I actually have had better meals and cocktails at Lure and as far as Rocket Farm restaurants I prefer JCT Kitchen over the Optimist. The Sunday night dinner we had at JCT recently (at only $24) was much better than the meal we had here, and I didn't leave there feeling broke.
(2)
B. C.
Came for lunch and the service, ambiance and food were simply wonderful. I ordered the Gumbo and Lobster Roll (which I am normally not a huge fan of) at the recommendation of my server and loved both of them. Can't wait to come back and try the rest of the menu..
(5)
Craig J.
Went last night for the first time on my daughter's recommendation, she nailed it-Outstanding! We started with the Lobster roll which was packed with big chunks of fresh lobster and just the right amount of sauce, certainly rivals what I get in Boston! We then moved on to the starters which were delicous! My wife had the Arugula salad and the littleneck clams-loved it! I had the spanish octopus and believe it or not the fried smelt, both dishes rocked! We finished with a lemon tart that was slap your momma good! Service was excellent and we will definitely be back so we can try the main dishes!
(5)
ATL n.
Began this adventure with an excellent death's door gin martini, knowledgeable and great bartender, before being sat near the kitchen in the gorgeous indoor space. I had recently watched a video somewhere (daily candy?) on the renovation of this space, so was looking forward to checking it out. We had potentially the best server I've had in ATL -- extremely dry, hilarious jokes who was attentive and brought us some gifts from the chef (we may have just wanted to hang out with after though - fine line?). We started with a dozen oysters and a bottle of white recommended by our waiter, which was paired nicely. The whole experience was laid back luxury and I'll be sure to return... it even got me to 246 (finally) in Decatur which just deepened my love affair with the Atlanta culinary scene.
(5)
Tammi D.
When you walk in this place, it is big and spacious, has an open kitchen, and a chic look to it...reminds me more of some NY or Chicago restaurants. The tables are not on top of each other, which is nice. I sat in a large spacious curved booth, which was really comfortable. Service was just okay. The yeast rolls that we started with were very good, and good bread is usually a sign of a good meal to follow. But for me, the food fell short. The charred octopus was very tough and chewy. The spicy shrimp were good, but be prepared to make a big mess, because they come entirely in their shell, including heads and tails. The sauce was tasty. The sweet potatoes were good, but full of butter...how could they be bad? The tuna was just not good...I've had way better tuna elsewhere. It came served as huge slabs of meat...and it just didn't taste very good. My friend got the black bass, and we decided to each try an eye. Yes, you read that correctly. It was a Anthony Bourdain moment. The fish was pretty good. They were out of the banana pudding so I tried the Apple buckle and chocolate mousse. Both were good, but not great. I'd probably go back more for the atmosphere than anything else.
(3)
Vicky J.
Just love this place! My 'goto' restaurant for lunch meetings. Great parking is a big plus.
(5)
James D.
great service, everything is fresh Oysters were ok (didn't love them but were ok. East Coast were better than WC, imo) and everything was quite good. Nice plating but the mains were a little light, more like entree. You would be hungry if you didn't have a few apps and dessert, and I'm not a heavy eater. Otherwise, well cooked and seasoned. Nice flavors and quite nice atmosphere!
(4)
David W.
Fourth visit, each time fulfills the hype. Freshest seafood, creatively prepared. Excellent wine and cocktail list. Top notch service and reasonable prices make for an unforgettable night of dining.
(5)
Kristen M.
Went to The Optimist with some co-workers for lunch 2/28/13. Everything was amazingly delicious and well-thought out. Love the decor and the service was excellent. Our party had the shrimp loaf, blackened mahi sandwich and lobster roll. Definitely try the hushpuppies; and the grapefruit sorbet & chocolate mousse was great, too. Will definitely be back.
(5)
Justin B.
i happened to be in atlanta for a few days for work, and all i heard was that this was the place to try while in town. i was just thankful when my colleague said that the place was known to have pretty decent oysters, so i was game regardless at that point. first of all, driving over here, you realize you're in a really up and coming part of town. there were several fine looking establishments by the side of the road, along with relatively new but well-designed condominiums, furniture and decor stores, etc. i was impressed. i didn't know that this was what atlanta really had to offer. driving up to this place, you don't really get a chance to fully experience what's in store. it's not until you park your car and walk up to this rather unobtrusive building that everything comes together. there's a little putt putt green out front with trees creating a center courtyard. strung lights sit above you, creating a warm romantic glow. that same warm glow is coming from inside, while some areas of the restaurant are open facing the green. each of the rooms inside are very nicely appointed. it's a mix of classic industrial design sensibility with antique flair and southern charm. i'm a sucker for type, so i was a bit fan of the typelogo and way the menus were presented. the lighting was smart, drawing your eye in various directions around, helping to create distinct spaces while keeping the very space you sat with your dining partner private. my one critique is that the reservation, restaurant, dining room situation is rather complicated. not having gotten a chance to familiarize myself with the place ahead of time, i didn't realize there were multiple restaurants inside with different rules for reservations, waiting for tables, terms of service, etc. i didn't really feel like it was necessary, to be honest. i like when a restaurant has one system. i don't mind a good private or seemingly secret room, but this system didn't seem to do them any favors. regardless, we sat in the oyster bar and rather enjoyed our whole dining experience. the waitstaff were lovely, the oysters were lovelier and the other items we selected from the menu were a mix of pleasant surprises and classic favorites that i knew i would enjoy. highlights included the garlicky clams and the preparations for the cucumber oysters. i love the shot pairings for the oysters, as well. overall, a really smart dining experience. next time, i'll manage to conquer the system and find my way into the main dining room. the real test, i presume.
(4)
Matt P.
There are times when you eat food that is so absurdly delicious that you just don't know what to do with yourself. My first time eating at the Optimist was one of those times. I went with my parents and sister, and, in order to maximize the amount of things we could try, we shared a number of small plates and sides. The mussels appetizer was amazing--by far one of the best bites of food I've had in a while. Instead of giving you a list of what I ate and telling you similar stories about how amazingly delicious they were, I am going to let you go in, flying blind, to create your own adventure :-). Oh, and bring all the monies... this place is not cheap.
(5)
Selena M.
What is there to say about the optimist? It's big, trendy, and impeccably decorated in shabby-chic/industrial/it's cool because you can see the ductwork style that seems to be the decided upon decor for all new restaurants. The space is really great and just generally gives off a good vibe. The server was knowledgable and helpful, the food came out promptly and drinks were replenished without being asked to do so. The food is...meh. I think The Optimist, like many other trendy but well meaning restaurants has sacrificed the integrity of the food in an effort to be experimental or cool or even avante garde. For example, the beet salad, which is a mainstay of any "good" restaurant these days was accompanied by some weird cheese. It was semi-hard, tasteless and generally not a good pairing. It should have been goat cheese. Goat cheese with beets is just better, no need to switch it up just to differentiate YOUR beet salad from another beet salad. Beets are rich and woody, you need that tartness to balance it. Likewise, the hush puppies, which come as a side WITH dinner were covered in powdered sugar. Were they yummy? Sure...But was it necessary? No. Did it in any way complement the fish? No. Did it come across as contrived and odd? Yes. It's all just trying too hard. Apparently the oysters were good, but that says nothing of the restaurant except they order good oysters. The octopus was overcooked and overseasoned. The baby gem salad (basically a Caesar) was wayyyyyyyyyyyy overdressed to the point of being sopping with dressing. I mean that's such a rookie mistake. I ordered the skate wing schnitzel. It was ok. I found the taste to be lacking, you could really only taste the breading. The fish was unremarkable in every way. Moreover, it came with a brown butter sauce which itself was markedly bland. And because the fish was sitting in a pool of butter the whole thing was soggy and greasy. My father had what I think was snapper in a lime sauce. What it amounted to was a decent cut of fish (albeit also pretty flavorless) sitting in a pool of limeade with slices of lime. The sauce was not complex or interesting...it just tasted like straight up lime. I guess it was a passable dish because how bad can fish and citrus be? But certainly not worth thirty bucks and would have been ten times better if it were just a whole,grilled fish sprinkled with lime. However, the key lime push pop was delicious and adorable and MADE SENSE. So, basically, as a a seafood restaurant they need to quit it with the gimmicks and just focus on the fish. It would be a million times better if everything weren't smothered in some bizarre sauce which apparently has convinced a lot of Atlantans that the food is actually good. They are doing just enough to fool the unwashed masses.
(2)
Jemel D.
Very, very good, but just a little overpriced in my opinion!
(4)
Kar T.
Stopped in on a very busy friday night. By the time we were seated they were sold out of 2 items on the menu, but it wasn't a big deal. For starters the whole shrimp were spectacular. I had the duckfat poached swordfish for an entree, which was okay.. but the hushpuppies are a must. The service was prompt and friendly, and overall it was a good experience.
(4)
Marcel S.
I thought the food was ok. The rolls were yummy. Oysters were bad. And scallops so so. Last night must have been an off night. At least my company was entertaining.
(1)
Cherie B.
Won't be back. I started out going to the Optimist for dinner Saturday night. I called in advance to see if we could get in wo a RSVP. I was offered an RSVP but was told I could probably get in earlier at the bar. She said there could be a short wait but she couldn't tell me for how long -- like no idea. Their parking situation has been jacked for months. That said we get there and valet says they won't valet any cars wo a RSVP. Yeah it's drizzling and there's no street parking. Is it appropriate to ask your customers to walk from God knows where in heels in the rain? And the mgr wasnt sounding genuinely apologetic and confirmed they had this unheard of policy when I called to complain. Once I told the manager about how unconcerned she sounded she offered to give us a gift card. She said we could come in or have it mailed. Of course coming in without a reservation is apparently a problem so I suggested mailing it. I haven't received a call about sending the gift card out like she said and it's been two business days since. The food is decent but not worth this kind of hassle. I said I wouldn't come back after I had to wait like 30 minutes for valet to park my car the time prior. I should've stuck with my instincts. Why have a special event when you can't accommodate parking for your customers? Get organized so your hostesses at least can tell people oh yes, you should make a reservation or you won't be able to park her. No point in going back to this place. We ended up at Article 14 -- good food, friendly service, plenty of free valet parking, and no wait.
(1)
Jason S.
Meh is right. Were out of half of what we ordered on a Saturday night. Cool space and good energy but the food was a bit miss.
(2)
Necota S.
Great drinks, great service, great seafood and please request the bread (server may not tell you). The wine list is good and this place is conducive for romance as well as your friends (that you know will pay their portion of one expensive dinner).
(4)
Anup S.
Incredible food selection! Phenomenal seafood and beverages, highly recommend and will be a regular!
(5)
Keith B.
Two visits to The Optimist. Oysters are good also the mussels. Main course (Fish) was very tasty and presented well. The building has a modern, beach house feel. Service was adequate, the waitress was a little over-tatooed, but what are you going to do? Be prepared, the food and drinks are pricey and it is has been very crowded. I guess it is the typical Atlanta rush for a new spot. I did not stop at the bar, but it looked about 3 deep at 6:30 on a Friday night.
(4)
Kevin W.
What was Bon Appetit thinking when they included this place on their Best New Restaurants list? And then to put it on the cover?? Please. The Optimist is a terrific space with a good vibe and a very of-the-moment wine list. (The staff may be a little too hipster-coolio but that's par for the course.) The cooking, however, is ham-fisted. Great quality fish and shellfish gets clobbered with too much fat and too much salt in dish after dish. This is trendy dude food excess at its most dispiriting, and it spoils perfectly good ingredients. Ford Fry, who opened the place, is apparently a fancy chef, so it's too bad there's not a good cook in his kitchen. The Optimist leaves you wanting less.
(2)
Jerry G.
Dined with the family recently. My first trip, the family had been to The Optimist before. Fish, fish and more fish.. That's not a bad thing mind you.. First up oysters.. Excellent.. Fresh, on the half shell, delicious.. For a main I had skate wing schnitzel. OK, the presentation side of the fish (the pretty side) was a bit over browned and the bottom of the fish looked like it hadn't hit the frying pan but the fish itself was excellently done.. Family had scallops that looked good, Vermillion Snapper and scallops that all looked equally as nice. Wine list is medium in length and a bit steep in price but, hey, it's an upscale Atlanta eatery so I didn't feel gouged.. Waiter staff is somewhat attentive.. Did the "let's pour out the entire bottle of wine on the first go around" trick but that's rather standard these days. At one point our server sort of "disappeared" and while I want to believe he was just giving us room to talk and sip wine I think he was really working other tables that he could flip faster.. More customers, more orders, more tips, etc. The restaurant itself is very tasteful but suffers from the trappings of the latest open architecture.. A conversation in a normal speaking voice is not possible. The prices were are a bit high but the presentation and quality of the fish is first rate. I would certainly go back next time I'm in Atlanta.
(4)
Prisca W.
This is a pretty cool restaurant! This was my first visit, as I haven't hung out in this area in a while. I believe this building was previously an art gallery. But anyway, while I'm not a fan of oysters, the menu is chock full of other tasty offerings! The gumbo was pretty yummy! I'm definitely coming back with friends to sample more of the menu!
(5)
Glynn H.
Have eaten there several times and had fantastic food and service. Could not ask for more. But are they still in business???.................have tried via email and phone to make a reservation but no email connectivity and no one is answering the phone or responding to left messages. I certainly hope they are still with us as they are one of the best in Atlanta.
(4)
Heather H.
I really wanted to love this place. The restaurant is beautiful and luxurious in a relaxed sort of way. I went for lunch and then had dinner at the oyster bar and both times the food fell flat. The menu sounded amazing and enticing, you wanted to order everything. However, the execution was off. And what I ended up getting was a disappoinment., even their fresh "hot buttered rolls" were cold, hard, and made 12 hours earlier for an overpriced $4.
(3)
Meredyth Y.
I have to give the Optimist five stars because the oysters are exceptional, and no other restaurant in Atlanta can match the Optimist's selection and variety. The rest of the food is still very good, but next time, I will go straight to the oyster bar.
(5)
Joel Y.
It's the perfect date restaurant. All 10's on list Lighting Food Drinks Service Atmosphere Restroom The restroom one is important for me because I have gone to so many "nice" restaurants to be disappointed by the lack of thought given to their restrooms. But we had some great wine and the oysters. Not a huge fan of them but she convinced me to try some and I'm glad I did. They were prefect. Ruined me for all other oysters anywhere.
(5)
Jen K.
Honestly, I do not understand how this place is so highly reviewed. The food was mediocre at best. I took about 10 people here for lunch during the week. We ordered the raw oysters (the only good thing I tried), the peel & eat shrimp (mediocre with old bay seasoning), the bisque (not good), some sides to share (also mediocre) and then our entrees. Not a single person in our group loved the food. Not ONE. So I know it wasn't just me. I had the lobster cobb salad. Frankly, I don't know how you mess that up. But they managed to do it. The salad sucked. The lobster looked limp and was just dumped on top. The dressing sucked. Just overall, the taste and presentation was mediocre. I will not be back.
(2)
Tom D.
Delicious! The hush puppies are worth the trip! We had a party of 12 and everyone loved what they ordered, service was a bit slow, but like I said "we had 12 people" and it is a busy place! Get there early and have a cocktail.
(4)
Barry G.
I'm kicking myself for not writing this review sooner. I actually visited the Optimist late in the summer 2012 and I was realllllly impressed. I'm a big fan of the Westside (my office is right over there) and the Optomist is an excellent addition to the fancy places starting to define the neighborhood. First impressions are huge here. the restaurant is beautiful. There's a huge dining room, huge bar and a smaller what appears to be a fish bar. We visited for an anniversary and were glad that we chose this restaurant. The menu is a perfect size offering several choices but not offering too much as to confuse or dilute the theme of the place. You're in a seafood restaurant. We found a table that worked out well for us (my fiancee, didn't like the first table....not sure why) and were introduced to our server. The food was excellent, we ordered oysters to start, as we tend to do wherever they are offered and were very impressed with the quality. As I recall 2 different types were on offer when we visited. One from the east coast and another from the west. It was great to really sample the difference and compare the texture & flavor of each. At this point it's worth noting that it was not cheap. Oysters are sold individually. This seems like robbery to those of us accustomed to the gulf where you can likely order them by the weight or half-dozen at very least. The premium cost was fortunately born out by the quality and selection of the oysters. Sadly I don't recall the entree selections of the rest of the tabel but I ordered swordfish which was fantastic. Everyone at the table was really impressed with their entree selections and the atmosphere of the place. Sadly I can't go into more detail as this was a few months ago BUT writing this review has helped me decide to visit again very soon. Look for an update soon.
(5)
Will F.
Best restaurant in town. I've sat at the Oyster Bar 5 times and have always LOVED the food, my favorites are the Hush Puppies and the Swordfish. James, behind the bar, is great to talk to...my wife loves the specialty drinks he makes. One of the best bartenders in town hands down.
(5)
Erica A.
I absolutely loved this restaurant! My boyfriend and I had reservations on a Sunday and they were surprisingly pretty busy since they were just voted best new restaurant in Atlanta. The hostess was warm, friendly, and greeted us right away. We got there early and she offered us to have a drink at the bar, or to be seated immediately. We decided to sit but it took a few minutes to be greeted by our waiter. I didn't deduct any stars for that since we knew they were busy. We loved that we could bring our own wine for a $15 corking fee. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was fun, the menu was diverse, and the service was friendly and not too "in your face". I would definitely recommend it to anyone going on a date or even just for a gathering of friends.
(5)
Paul S.
I am a native Floridian. Seafood is my middle name. My wife and I went to The Optimist with very high expectations. We are light eaters so we shared some of the Oysters - which we phenomenal. The horseradish was not the normal creamy stuff, it was the true root and it was a perfect compliment to the homemade cocktail sauce that was served with the oysters. We then moved to a single main course, Redfish with cornmeal crust (very light dusting) with brussel sprouts. The side dishes were hush puppies (ridiculously good), beets with blue cheese and brussel sprouts. We had the beignets with a unbelievable sauce. They have a very reasonable corkage fee. The Service was some of the best ever. Excellent Meal - Will repeat!
(5)
Johnston O.
Went for the first time last night, the food and atmosphere are excellent but our service was borderline awful. The food gets a 4.5, but the service was a 1. I go to restaurants for the food and very rarely rate for service; adequate service is all that I expect, but this was so bad it substantially affected the experience. Food: Oysters - half and half East Coast/West Coast - both were delicious and extremely fresh, it's nice to try both and really taste the difference Octopus starter - this was awesome, possibly my favorite part of the meal. Very spicy and cooked perfectly Mussels - these were great and fresh, but the bread was good for sopping up the sauce. More of a classic approach to mussels, nothing unusual. Monkfish - the monkfish was excellent - well cooked and great flavor. The description on the menu did not accurately describe it - I believe it only mentioned pickled fennel and onions, but it was served over tomato sauce with olives as well. Kind of a monkfish provencal, which I liked but was much heavier than I anticipated. Cocktails - very good and well mixed Service - It may be a product of a new or bad waitress, but we were ignored for the first 20 minutes after being seated. The junior server/bus girl brought us bread and poured water promptly, and luckily came back 15 minutes later when she saw that our waitress had not been by yet. This is understandable if the restaurant is crowded or understaffed, or if you're with a large party, but there were 2 of us, with plenty of open seats around and no one outside our area appeared to experience these problems. The service from our waitress was generally slow the rest of the night as well , with long lulls of being forgotten. This is only remarkable because she did not deliver any of the food, other staff did. I enjoy a long meal, but spending over 2 hours for 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 cocktails and a beer is a bit much. I plan on going back sometime in the not too distant future, hopefully this was just bad luck and if so I'll update.
(3)
Foodie F.
Was expecting to not like this place after the disastrous dinner I had at King & Duke but here I am writing a glowing review. First off, the space is beautiful & very comfortable, like visiting your wealthy uncle's beach house. The food is also very good - for some reason I've found that brussels sprouts at most restaurants taste like gasoline but these guys are doing them in fish sauce & have managed to turn me into a full on enthusiast. I had some oversalted collards once but I am willing to overlook that on account of it being a singular experience. I will however shy away from a 5 star review because the bartender seemed a little disorganized & inattentive both times I sat at the bar which was a bit of a mood killer.
(4)
caroline r.
Debating 2 or 3 stars on this one because the food was outstanding but the service was not good--spotty and terribly timed. We were at a table in the back corner and it sort of felt like they just forgot about us. It was 10min before our server came over and then our first round of drinks took nearly 25 minutes to appear. The waitress came to take our order before the cocktails had arrived, and one of us received soup about 10-15 minutes before the rest of the first course plates arrived. All said and done, we were there over 2.5 hours...a much longer meal than I had anticipated On a positive note, the food was so delicious. Between the 4 of us, we ate oysters, angels on horseback, scallops, halibut, sea bass, hush puppies, and beets. No complaints whatsoever about the food. On the whole, this restaurant has been open long enough to have worked out their service kinks by now. Had they opened a week or two ago I could be more understanding. If the bar and kitchen can't support service of a large restaurant at capacity then there are too many tables and the place shouldn't be so big.
This place has two of my favorite things: a wood fired oven and seafood. I ate twice last week. They have only been open a few weeks. The service is very friendly and they are eager to answer my questions. My favorite items are the angels on horseback, fried oysters on little slabs of pork belly with mushrooms and a red wine fish bordelaise sauce: the garlicky clams are awesome with pork belly garlic broth, hot peppers: roasted carrot salad with a ginger vinaigrette: chilled roasted beets with horseradish and apple: beignet style hush puppies: and the soft shell crabs! All were really great. The duck fat poached swordfish was ok, but a little dry in spots. It was also a pretty small portion without sides so much as garnish and it was $24. Everything else was not only good, but a good value. There are two restaurants here, an oyster bar and a more elaborate restaurant. They have different menus. The oyster selection is better in the oyster bar section. The wine list is nice and varied. The bar selection is good with some interesting whiskies and tequilas. The one thing that raised an eyebrow was I was overcharged both visits. The angels on horseback were listed on the menu at $9 but rang up at $13 and the second time the bill had two bottles of wine and one glass when we had three glasses. Both times it was taken care of without incident or attitude. I am certain they were innocent mistakes but it is something to watch out for. I will certainly be back for more. With knowledgable selection, this place is a great value and can be a regular haunt.
(4)
Tracy F.
Freshest oysters you can get in Atlanta!!! Great atmosphere. Attentive and knowledgable waitstaff. Def going back soon.
(5)
K S.
perfection in every way. service: bustling restaurant, crowded and all but our server james was wonderful... attentive, wonderful recommendations, on top of it all. f ood: perfection. seriously we were a large group and therefore were able to taste a bit of everything... the she-crab soup was spectacular, the spicy grilled octopus was spectacular, the oysters were good, the wedge salad as good as it gets but unless you are craving leafs get seafood... and for the entrees... every bite perfection! the fish and chips were the best we've ever tasted. no joke. the seared tuna cooked just right. and the desserts! omg you can't go wrong!!! i'm not a merenge fan but at the optimist i am, and the apple strudel - wholly molly. don't forget the banana pudding... ha seriously you can't go wrong with anything on the menu here. oh yeah and even the design of the restaurant is perfection. pricey but worth it
(5)
Mary Ellen B.
I ate at the Optimist and found the food to be mediocre and a let down especially considering the hype I had heard and the price. The bar staff was rude and had no desire to serve me a beverage. I have this two stars instead of one because my waitress was awesome.
(2)
Alan K.
It's not often that you have a perfect evening following a hectic few days but we had a terrific evening at The Optimist as much because of the terrific food as because of the unwavering customer service and attention to detail shown by each member of the staff. The experience with The Optimist actually started earlier in the day when I called from New York where I had been stuck because of airline delays for two days. I had dinner reservations to celebrate our anniversary and with the connections and returning home there was no way that we could make our reserved time. Without hesitation the staff member on the phone offered 7:00 or 7:30 or whatever else would work for us. We arrived and everyone from the person who first greeted us to our wonderful waitress, Katie, we were treated like VIPs (although to be honest it appears that this is what they did for everyone). I spotted not far from our table another table where a noted Atlanta chef and restaurant owner was sitting with his party and the attention paid to them by the staff was no different than what we were treated to. The cocktails were fabulous as was their beer and wine selection. One of our favorite cocktails was the MOTHER OF PEARL, a combination of Death's Door Gin, Fever Tree Tonic Water, Fee Brothers celery bitters, celery salt/black pepper, fennel frond and celery leaf. Our server did a wonderful job steering us not so much away from some dishes as to some truly outstanding ones. Going back to the staff again, as we have all experienced at one point or another - you have wonderful meal only to have the experience ruined by one or multiple staff members who are just bad or perhaps having a bad night. Dinner at The Optimist was like visiting the Apple Store if it were a restaurant ... stay as long as you like ... talk to the staff ... meet your neighbor ....even play a little golf or Disney where the staff is always on since it is always someone's first time. The design and atmosphere were awesome as you can easily transport yourself to the beach or anyplace near the water that you want to be. As I said before, the food was perfect. Each dish came out hot, beautifully presented and delicious. We had oysters, figs, halibut, striped bass, mushrooms, hush puppies and dessert. I can't really describe the food other than to say it was excellent -- you really need to experience it yourself. In this day and age, especially with little kids (and having to pay a babysitter) no evening is inexpensive and when it's all said and done you hope that with all the money you spend that you have a great time ... we most certainly did here. Not only would I recommend The Optimist without reservation I would tell you just come and chat with anyone on the staff ... it will make you feel better about your day. The Optimist is clearly in our top five all time. Congrats to the staff and thank you.
(5)
David B.
Ford Fry of JCT kitchen, Optimist has been recently ranked #1 esquire magazine restaurant in US. The design of this place is A+ and I heard it was done by local design firm. There is a putting green outside, raw bar area near the entrance, long drink bar in main dining area. The atmosphere is light and airy. The fish options on the menu were impressive. I have never seen speckled trout before at a restaurant. For appetizers we ordered bacon wrapped figs which were excellent and shrimp la plancha which were overcooked, chewy, and difficult to peel. I had a skin on red snapper with a simple salad. A rating on the fish and salad. I went back last night for drinks. I will definitely be back to this place. It has more to offer in atmosphere and menu with similar concept to Miller Union.
(5)
Monica S.
So, not many restaurants open that often in Atlanta anymore due to "The Great Recession". That said, Atlantans flock to new restaurants the moment they open in desperate need for something new in their palate and (let's face it) to be a bit bourgeois, and claim they've "been there and done that". I am going to speak from two points of view. 1) from an event planner point of view as I had a private dinner for 15 last Thursday hosted at The Optimist and 2) from a normal patron,s point of view from my dinner with a few girlfriends celebrating a 30th birthday on a Saturday evening. To begin with, it's obvious The Optimist is a bit overwhelmed with the response they have received from the community. They haven't had a ton of corporations utilize their space, so their knowledge with food and beverage minimums and contracts are still being tailored as well as their response time (for Corporate America's point of view). However, AbbyKate (event manager), in the end winded up delivering as needed. The restaurant was flexible in my requests and constant change in numbers. AbbyKate also met with me unexpectedly the Saturday before my dinner to show me the space I had requested for my group and took the time to give me a tour of the space, which I greatly appreciated...especially considering how busy they were that evening. My internal client who the dinner was hosted for, thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and the food (albeit it was a bit slow...but they are serving 15 people at once, so that's a little expected for a new restaurant...which is why they push to order from a tailored menu as opposed to a la carte). Now, for the review you are probably most waiting for - my personal experience. The valet parking was atrocious. The poor valet has to work with a woefully inadequate parking lot and tons of impatient, hungry people. That said, if you can cab it, do so and be dropped off on Howell Street, not in the parking lot as it's hard to turn around. We managed to get a resi at 9:45 PM (made four days prior) and they made great timing in having us seated 10 mins prior to our reservation. I was a bit apprehensive when they mentioned the air conditioning was not working to it's fullest potential, but at least they told us on the phone when confirming our resi and were fully apologetic about it. Aside from the TERRIBLE noise level (all concrete), I loved the place. I ordered the east coast oysters (half a dozen) with the shoe string fries. Their homemade crackers were delish as well as the perfect, fresh oysters I slurped down eagerly. Our waiter was incredibly knowledgeable with the menu and helped my friends make their orders. While the sticker price is on the high side...everyone agreed that their meals were beautifully presented and well worth the price. I think it's funny when people complain about the portion size, because the portion size is exactly what we SHOULD eat and is healthy amount of food, but definitely not a Chilli's or Outback restaurant portion (nor should it be). I'll be coming again, as I love the Westside, the restaurant staff's professionalism and service...and most importantly they have the best oysters in town.
(4)
Jo R.
Great service, great atmosphere, food just okay. Was told by so many I would love this place. I was really disappointed.
(3)
Michael C.
One of my favorites in Atlanta. The octopus is phenomenal.
(5)
Ronald T.
Optimal Opiated Optimism. Overly Overt & Overstanding. Oh, Oh, Oh was this an experience. As one pulls into valet, you would notice the regaling sounds of live music behind the mock mini-golf course. 1 star earned. Greeted well, and since we were guests of Chef Adam's we were seated front row center, almost on display in front of the inviting Chef Stations. 1 star earned.The Restaurant space provided a very open, yet cozy seating arrangement. After ordering our 1st bottle of Red, Chef Adam came by to greet us, and ensure us our time taken to spend with him would not be in vain. 1 star earned. We ordered 2 starters and were served 4 it was clear our experience was clearly going to be unique. 1star earned. Another bottle of Red and our service now had surpassed stellar and entering magical territory. The staff was attentive and thoughtful, at first I thought it was bcuz we were special, but soon I noticed that everyone in the restaurant was special, and THAT was special. Then came the Entrees, this was the coup. We ordered the Whole Haddock and the delectable Monkfish. It was accompanied by a Chef personally selected Citrus Sol. Best Flat Fish I have ever had. Hush puppies confit. Speechless. Overall, just Magnificent. For one not easily impressed, I was thoroughly impressed
(5)
Pravin M.
They were out of a lot of food when we got there. Being from chicago I had some high expectations for this place, especially after the write up in esquire magazine. So I was destined to be disappointed. We had the oysters, and they were pretty good. the salmon was average, the ahi tuna was sub=par the quality of the tuna was sub-par. The hus-puppies were good, and the wine list was good. Nothing exceptional, except the ambiance. I would go back if I had to, but I don't have to go back.
(3)
Amy P.
I would go again, older but wiser. This was a trip in 12/12 and the menu has thankfully changed since. Firstly, it was deafeningly loud on a Wednesday night. Just know the space is more like an airplane hanger than not. It was our 8 year anniversary and I made that clear in the reservation. The staff didn't make any acknowledgment of it, but no big deal. Cocktails were solid and our waiter helped me find something new served 'neat' (b/c why truck with ice?). There were two major letdowns in a three course meal: the octopus starter (which our server removed from the check w/out our having to even ask) and the chocolate cassoulet. The octopus was so tough I couldn't chew it. The thing with cephalopods is you have to cook them a long time or no time at all, in between they are inedible. We suffered through, but our server saw our discontent and removed the item even after we told him not to worry about it. Props! The swordfish entree is still on the menu, and as expected was a very firm cut of fish. It was good but kind of 'no nonsense' in spite of its lofty accompaniments . The chocolate cassoulet dessert was so sweet, gloppy and rich that it will forever remind me of desserts at Applebee's in the 90's. Nostalgia and memory can play cruel tricks. I was quite jealous of my neighbor's ginormous portion of fish and chips. Though that seems like a pretty pedestrian staple, it's probably what I'll have next here because of the surefire execution and value. I'll also second the lack of a proper pedestrian entrance. We parked on the street and had some confusion about where to enter. Service at the table was perfect for how busy it was. The front desk was crowded and a little sloppy.
(3)
J. D.
I really want to give them 2.5 stars... The atmosphere, build-out, concept and patio all add up to one very impressive space. I sat at the separate oyster bar and we ordered off the menu there. Our bar tender was cordial, but sort of very serious and was strangely quite personality-free. I ordered the peel-n-eat Royal Red shrimp. Royal Reds come from the deep waters of the Gulf and usually are only available in the coastal resort towns in the region). The shrimp served to me were not Royal Reds. They were also completely covered with about a cup of dry seafood boil spice mix over the top. I have never seen cold shrimp served like this. Not only was it impossible to peel the shrimp with all this mess, the flavor was overwhelmed by dry spice. We sampled some raw oysters at $2.50 or $3.00 each depending on East or West Coast source. That's expensive for oysters, even in land-locked Atlanta. We sampled the sausage stuffed squid body as well. It was stuffed with a very spicy sausage meat that completely over powered the squid. The thick remoulade sauce was a poor match and added nothing to the dish. Some other little tweaks here would be appreciated. For example the oysters were served with home made crackers, a nice touch but they were too sweet and didn't allow the oyster flavor to shine. Traditional saltines are a better match as the bland taste is the perfect foundation for the briney sea creatures. I also didn't care for the cocktail sauce, it was quite sour. The addition of the freshly grated horseradish helped a tiny bit, but raw horseradish is quite a powerful thing. We tried the blackberry crumble for dessert. It was a nice dish but the thyme ice cream on top ruined it. The spice added a weird contrast to the sweet berries. Again, a simple vanilla bean scoop of ice cream would have been just fine here. The atmosphere and vibe of The Optimist is a traditional New England fish house. In the coming days I hope the powers that be here work out the recipes to better match that tradition. Don't reinvent the wheel, honor it.
(3)
Christy A.
This place is wonderful and excellent fish and everything else. I like going for lunch because dinner gets very loud or an early dinner. It really is a great place. Never had a bad meal here or any of my friends. It is on the pricey side but worth it. It feels like San Francisco or Napa. Great atmosphere and the servers are always good. Don't forget to try the shrimp appetizer with the come back sauce. Yum
(5)
Alan R.
Nothing specail. Really dont understand all the hype and how this palce is considered a top 50 in USA. Esquire, you are slipping. Just nothing at all to remark about. Wine list ok, service slow and not friendly. Went at lunch and not crowded and very slow service. Hard to get the wine ordered, even harder for that second glass. Menu very limited and just not the wow factor. I prefer Lure.
(2)
Sharon B.
The Optimist is owned by the same company that owns JCT Kitchen, which is also in Atlanta. The food at the Optimist was great! I had the fish and chips and the size of the fish that was served was huge. Great ambiance and a good location. I would definitely suggest you give this restaurant a try if you like seafood.
(4)
nancy m.
This was not our first dinner with The Optimist, however, with each dining experience my opinion goes down a notch. We had reservations with friends on Friday night, and agreed to go early to meet at the bar and have a drink. The bar service was very slow. When my friend's glass was empty, her glass was taken away instead of asking if she would like another one or something else to drink. My glass sat empty on the bar until we were seated at our table more than 15 minutes later. We reviewed the menu with our server and asked him what he recommended. He stated the swordfish was his fav, so 2 people ordered it. He came to the table a few minutes later, and informed us they were out of swordfish. My husband asked for the next best, and he recommended the snapper. A few minutes later he returned to the table and informed him they were out of snapper too. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AT A RESTAURANT OF THIS CALIBER-AND NEVER TWICE! Our meal was "meh". Then our server asked if we would like some dessert. We all declined and he responded "your loss". Not appropriate. In the past, we have raved about this place. But not now. We expect better service and food, especially at this price point. I'm not sure we will give The Optimist another chance.
(2)
Oliver B.
Esquire magazine doesn't get it wrong. Best new restaurant in the country. This place is phenomenal. Been there several times including lunch and have been overwhelmed with the food. The service is good but highly recommend the bar for dinner. The mixologist is amazing. The food is bullet proof. Everything I've ordered has been off the charts. Having lived in many other major city's it's nice to feel like I'm in one. Prices are on par if not less than expected.
(5)
Jerry R.
We absolutely love their lobster rolls and fries! Unfortunately you can only get that combination at lunch until 2:30. If you want it at night you have to order it from the cocktail menu and sit in the bar area BUT you are unable to get the fries that are so delicious. It is only served with chips which are no where near as good as the fries. Now if you want the fries you can order them in the main dining area. What a convoluted mess that is! Just be customer-friendly and don't make your customers jump through hoops that you have created to make your kitchen staff happy. Is it the staff who are paying to keep you open? I would have given them a very high rating for food alone; however they have a long way to go in being customer-centered! When discussing this particular issue with a manager in a very cordial conversation she was not willing to budge for the convenience of the kitchen staff. "They just get so busy," she said. Hmmm. Providing fries to the bar area? Sounds like a restaurant that doesn't have priorities in order. Pleasing kitchen staff OR customers. Go figure.
(1)
Kai B.
This place has easily become my favorite restaurant in Atlanta! The food is AMAZING, especially the lobster roll in the oyster bar! The chowder is probably the best I've had EVER and I moved here from New England!! The servers are FANTASTIC, being in the restaurant industry myself (at another popular restaurant) I can tell the company put a lot of time and effort into the training because I've had almost every server and have always had a stellar experience. My overall favorite part has to be the atmosphere, I feel like I'm back on Cape Cod on the beach, it's so relaxing even when they're slam packed busy! I recommend this place to anyone who asks, it really is an experience!!!
(5)
J B.
Hard review to write. Some parts of our meal were stunning others less so. On the bright side, the service was great. The young lady who waited on us was attentive and helpful and still not overbearing. Continuing on with the positive, dessert of chocolate mousse was great. Rich and flavorful but still light. Cocktails were very very good. My wife loved hers so much I had to go to the liquor store to get ingredients to replicate at home. With respect to side dishes, the hush puppy beignites with honey butter were very, very good. Jerusalem artichokes 3 ways was interesting, not sure we would order again but was interesting enogh that we are glad to have ordered them. Our entrees were very good with respect to flavor but very small. So while the flavor was definitely worth the price the small portions gave us pause. Neither of us were too impressed with our apps. Based on other reviews I should have gone with my gut instinct and ordered the she crab soup. So to sum up, I'm looking forward to my next visit.
(4)
E B.
Another try at the request of friends. Same server who was excellent once again. Everything this visit was perfect and went off without a hitch.
(5)
M T.
Was really excited to try this place based on all the media attention. Not sure if my expectations were too high, but it did not blow me away. I'm going to chalk this up to a lunch meal vs. dinner. The service is professional, the oysters were some of the best that I've had in memory and I'll be back to try the dinner menu once the crowds settle down a bit.
(4)
Lolo H.
Having been on a bit of a restaurant tour of Atlanta for the past few months, I can say that the Optimist is the best of the bunch. Decor is pretty standard for Atlanta - that sort of hip industrial look. Service was excellent and not overly attentive. Drinks were fun and delicious. The food well prepared and extremely fresh, which is so important for seafood. NO ONE SHOULD SKIP THE SHRIMP A LA PLANCHA. It is amazing. Lobster roll was so good. I was not a big fan of the fried rice, but it is probably just a palate preference. We were stuffed but had desserts, which were also fabulous. Left the restaurant happy and full.
(5)
Mom F.
We dined here after finally being able to obtain reservations. The food was ok - the fish was fresh and the taste was interesting. However, the price was outrageous. 28 for 3 scallops! The waitress said the side dishes were good for sharing....not so. 8 carrots for a side dish...really?? Won't be coming here again.
(2)
Mick M.
Everything is very good just small portions. Its a bit pricey, but still worth it. If you only get 2 things....Octopus and lobster roll both best ever!!!!!! Only thing to bitch about if sit in dining you cant order from the raw bar.....thats dumb
(5)
Chapman S.
The Optimist.. It's a rather appropriate name for the place because you have to be optimistic that you will be ordering a dish that this place happens to make correctly. Oh where to begin. I was coming to The Optimist on the invitation of a friend, my boyfriend, and several other friends for a party of 6. Apparently a friend said that they called ahead and were told that the earliest seating they could get us in on would be around 9:30; but we walked in around 7 and were told we could sit in either the 'tapas' styled menu bar area or the main menu dining room. We chose the dining room. The menu is small and gives you the option of the major seafood options. You will however find when you sit down, the menu is well ... rather pricy. Oysters well run you about $$2.50$$ A PIECE. Shrimp is 12 dollars for a half a pound. My boyfriend elected on getting the fish and chips (18$). The fish was very rich and if you like fish as such, you will enjoy it. The fries were made in a shoe string fashion and could be described as rather crunchy (to the determent of the dish). I had tried some myself and thought I have had much better; the bf also felt he has had much better as well. Fish and Chips should be served with steak fries anyway. More on this in a bit. I had elected to order the Seafood Gumbo with something called "pot luck" garlic bread. It was needless wrap in a busy piece of paper and string. The garlic bread was rather substandard. The bread was good but the garlic flavoring just came across as lazy. The gumbo... OHHH THE GUMBO. The gumbo was not gumbo. Some people might have reviewed this dish on here and liked it. More power to you but it was not gumbo. The moment I took a bite i could tell something was rather off. As a fan of Creole/Cajun, I believe they were going for the more Cajun variety in which the roux is almost burnt. A few bites in and the imposter 'gumbo' was giving itself away. It was flat and bland; I believe the chef (whom I can say for certain has NEVER been to Louisiana kitchen) tried to compensated for imposter gumbo by over spicing it. The issue the spice only kicks in the after bite and it fell flat on its face. I explained, along with two companions in my party our opinion of the imposter. They fessed up the roux was made with OLIVE OIL..... AH HA mystery solved. Roux is made with butter... and only butter. If this chef cannot make a good roux, he has no business putting this on the menu as gumbo. It was needless to say a major disappointment. Ok on to my next course. Shrimp. I got the half pound for 12 dollars. Sigh.. Ok well lets see here. The shrimp was very tender but sadly WAY over spiced. So much over spiced that I did not finish. Shrimp do not need to be this spicy.. they have quite enough flavor to stand up on their own. I would have complained but frankly I thought I might be pushing karma if I sent a second dish back. The highlight of the evening was some very delicious hush puppies with a very yummy sweet butter dipping sauce. They were the least expensive thing we ordered and because the wait staffed seem rather slow, we got them when we were pretty much finished with our food and they elected wisely (saving their tip) to not charge us for them. IF you get the chance be sure to order the push-pop key-lime pie, its rather yummy. A member of our party knew the pastry chef and we were given the range of their desserts on the house. They were all excellent. ALL and ALL, this place (other than the pastry chef) is run by a guy whom would rather serve you something complicated like over spiced shrimp or shoestring fries over the more correct steak fries and charge you something crazy for it than give you good down home seafood, made the way seafood should be. Skip it guys!
(2)
Cathleen M.
This place is great, I travel to Atlanta for work and usually I stay within the Midtown area but The Optimist was recommended to me by a few locals in the area. The seafood is extremely fresh, the oyster bar is amazing, the service is phenomenal and the ambiance is great! Really what more can you ask for. Sara was a great server and very knowledgeable about the food and drinks offered there. She provided excellent suggestions. I would say this place is a must try if you are in Atlanta and off the beaten path of the usual Midtown/Downtown area. I had oysters, the whole GA white shrimp in a chile sauce and the arugula salad, all of which were very good. I will definitely be going back to try their entrees next time I am in town!
(4)
Jeff C.
Went for lunch. Venue and vibe of restaurant were great. Service was excellent. However, my wife and I each had sable fish as an entree. The dish was virtually inedible--floating in oil and vegetables were mushy; tasted like bad diner food. I don't understand the hype about this place--very poor execution from the kitchen. Manager comped the bill and was quite accommodating but I won't go back.
(1)
Marlon F.
Great oysters, great service, nice environment. Overall I give The Optimist 4 Stars. Only one complaint is that as a Georgia native I eat saltines with my oysters. I brought my own and have no problem with that. Good job! Add saltines to the mix and I'm a customer every week.
(4)
Jian L.
it was great,very lay back place to eat.
(5)
Mindy M.
Scallops with oxtail marmalade...Yummy! The clams were outstanding. The lobster cobb & Lobster Roll are to die for. The old salty dog is my new favorite cocktail. The space is beautiful. It is an absolute favorite!
(5)
Gina C.
I've found my new fave restaurant! This is a sister restaurant to JCT Kitchen. I love the space, which is industrial with a touch of modern. We came for a lovely summer lunch and were immediately greeted by the sweet hostess. It wasn't overly crowded during a Friday lunch, so it was great to catch up with my bestie! We were first going to be seated along the booth, but the tables are so close to one another, so we asked if we could sit at a separate table. I started off with the she crab soup, which was creamy and delicious. My friend ordered the gumbo which I liked better. It was probably one of the best I've ever had. We each ordered a salad. I ordered the Maine lobster cobb salad with the dijon mustard dressing. I loved everything about the salad! It was a great summer salad! However, I asked for the dressing on the side and they gave it to me with the dressing already on it. When I saw it, it look like it wasn't drenched in dressing, so I took it. Towards the bottom of the plate there was too much dressing for my taste, so I couldn't finish it. My friend ordered the fried snow crab salad. It looked good. We also ordered a side of the hush puppies, which is a must. There were like little beignets. The butter that came with it was so good that I could eat it alone, but I had to tell myself that we are in a public place. We ended the lunch with a chocolate push pop, which brought me back to my childhood. Def splurged for our lunch date, but it was all worth it! My anniversary is coming up, so this would be a great place to try for dinner!
(5)
Carey M.
Great atmosphere, good location. Service is descent, servers are pretty attentive, but not overbearing or annoying. Scallops and lobster gnocchi are delish! Flavorful food. Fun, lively place to hang out with friends and enjoy good food.
(4)
Dorothy P.
Came here for a b-day dinner and it was the first time I've dined in here. I've eaten at the bar before and loved it (lobster roll was amazing!). Our reservation went smoothly. I hate it when you make a reservation and you still have to wait. I love the ambience, it does feel like the inside of a ship. We started out with the mussels (this is a must!)-delicious. Then for our main course we had the tuna and red snapper-both yummy. and for sides we chose the roasted beets (waitresses suggestion) and beignet hushpuppies. Can't say I liked the beets, mainly b/c I'm not a beet fan in the first place, but the hushpuppies were to die for! It's like combining my 2 fave starches in the world: hushpuppies and beignets. must get this. and for dessert we rounded it out w/ the chocolate cake and espresso ice cream. it was ok, a bit too rich for my taste. I think a lighter ice cream would've paired better with the heavy chocolate cake. For drinks I had the scurvy something and mermaid something, both were spot on. Overall a solid and delicious experience. Would definitely come back. The only reason I couldn't give it 5 starts was b/c I didn't like the beets and the dessert was too heavy. Nonetheless I love Ford Fry's creations!
(4)
Eric L.
An absolutely amazing experience from start to finish. Perfect Anniversary dinner. The oyster appetizers are not just any fried oyster. Delicate softness and full flavor. Main courses were out of this world, but difficult for us to share because of the unique flavors in each. The wine recommendation from our server was spot on. We even went for dessert. Home run. Love this place for special occasions (only because of our budget). So many things to try, we could go back and score again.
(5)
Annie B.
I really liked this place. The decor was awesome. Very relaxing and staff was great. I tried the lobster roll and though iit was tasty, it was very small for the $18.00. The app. was the hush puppies that are really treated as beignets. Dusted with powedered sugar and served with honey butter that is out of this world. Desserts were also a big hit at our table. Overall, it was a very nice dining experience and we will make the 35 mile trek again.
(4)
Jennifer T.
Went with a group of friends for a birthday. Service was ok, nothing special. Drinks were good. Food, well some of us enjoyed our meals while others had to send there food back for the fish being under cooked. Staff did immediately take care of the problem. My grouper sandwich was pretty blah. Over all not terribly impressed for one of the best restaurants in Atlanta.
(2)
Kim F.
My trip to The Optimist was nothing short of grand. We were quickly seated (had reservations, but that doesn't always mean you won't wait). My date is a frequent diner there but I had never been. He insisted we start with the shrimp a la plancha. I cannot begin to tell you how divine this incredibly messy dish was (you just have to dig in and pull the heads off, which was a little dicey for a woman who won't even buy chicken with the skin on it). For the next week I wanted to move to Atlanta just so I could have these more frequently. I chose the scallops for my entree, which was three very large scallops in a sauce that tasted to me like a cross between teriyaki and soy (I know that's not how they describe it, but that's how it tasted to me). Very good, perhaps a bit overpriced since it was accompanies by nothing. My date had fish, can't remember what kind, but it was delicious, not that that helps you since I don't know what it was. For sides we shared the basmati fried rice, which I definitely recommend, and the multi-colored beets, which were also good - I just expected them to be warm and they were cold. Not that we were still hungry, but lastly we had the beignets with bourbon praline and fired pecans. There could not have been a better end. Unless you topped it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The service and the ambiance were also first-rate.
(5)
Gayle B.
Okay I have been wanting to try The Optimist for a while. We walked in and sat at the oyster bar, just thinking it was the only bar. We then switched to the bar inside the restaurant. The service at the bar was bad. The bartenders were right next to us. They never asked us if they could take our order. I ordered wine (3 times) that was at the "other bar" and they didn't offer to get it. Ordered the lobster roll (that too was at the other bar and we had to ask them to get it). It was delish! If I ever came back here, I would have a lobster roll and drinks. Dinner was meh. I had 3 scallops (thats's how many were on the plate - and they weren't huge). I've had better at lesser hyped restaurants. The bok choy (ala carte) was excellent. I honestly don't know what everyone else had, but the consensus was that it was another "trendy Atlanta restaurant." No dessert. I would try lunch here. Dinner wasn't bad, it just didn't live up to all the hype.
(3)
Nush Y.
Considering all the great reviews I read for this restaurant, I was deeply disappointed by the quality of the food. Although the atmosphere was energetic and the staff knowledgeable, the food itself did not warrant the $100+ cost of the meal. The fried oysters we ordered for the appetizer were very over salted, and both of our entrees were just "okay." My boyfriend had the fish and chips, and I had the cornmeal crusted red fish. The fish and chips was heavily over breaded and over salted. My red fish meal, on the other hand, was incredibly bland. There was simply too much fish and too little red pepper jelly to flavor the meal. Dessert was good, we had the lemon tart with lavender meringue, but again it did not warrant the final costs of the bill. Perhaps we caught this place on an off night, but most likely I will not return anytime soon.
(2)
Anne O.
Went to the Optimist a few days after their opening and was impressed! The staff was all very friendly and a great amount of teamwork was obvious. Kudos to the staff on that! As it is a new place, the service was a bit slow and wordy as they explained the concept, etc. It was also a bit difficult to tell who the servers were as there doesn't seem to be any uniform except an apron. Now, the food...It is so NICE to see a seafood house that truly has that as it's focus. Each entree is offered steak house style...protein on the plate and you order shareable sides. You can tell just how much love, time & attention went into concepting this menu. My faves were the duck confit swordfish. AMAZING!! The meatiness of the swordfish paired excellent with the confit, who knew?? The scallops with oxtail marmalade were another huge hit at the table. The oxtail was prepared perfectly and was not too heavy to cover the delicate flavor of the scallops. We ordered pretty much every side and the winners were the mushrooms and the gnocchi. The mushrooms were prepared K.I.S.S. and were perfect. You also can not go wrong with the lobster butter and corn the gnocchi was soaked in. Yum! I will be back again and again. Thank you, Ford!
(4)
Brian B.
Wow is all I can say. It is expensive, but it was very very very good. The lobster roll was excellent. The beat salad was full of flavors and excellent. If I had to have a complaint it was the soup with whitefish had a salt sprinkled on the top that made it a little bit too salty, but still very delicious.
(5)
Regina R.
Delicious!! My husband and I bellied up to the bar tonight after a day at the park and we were not disappointed. Michael took excellent care of us - recommending the classic punch which is akin to a top shelf long island ice tea and east and west coast oysters to enjoy. The wood roasted oysters were so plump and full of flavor. And what a surprise that they make their own saltines- waaay better than Nabisco! Great service, comfortable setting (The Optimist is fine dining, but the adjacent Oyster Bar is laid back, Miami Beach feel) and delicious food. Not a cheap evening, but certainly quality for the dollars spent. We will return!
(5)
Jason L.
Wow - had an outstanding meal here. Nice drink menu, tried some kind of twist on gin and tonic, and later some wonderful draught beer. Started with east and west coast oysters, then onto the (duck fat cooked) swordfish. The sides were good, and I especially recommend the fried rice and the mushrooms. It's possible there was crack in the mashed potatoes they were so go, but not certain. Our server was knowledgeable and always there when she needed her. And on a Sunday evening the place was hopping at 8:30pm. Great place, highly, highly recommended.
(5)
Liana H.
I have been to the Optimist 3 times now. I really want to like it but the bad experiences just make me not want to go back. Pros: - Atmosphere - a great building that has been redone inside, different from typical - Atlanta seafood joints - Nice servers - The Beignet-Style Hushpuppies are to die for! - Some of the other dishes are great as well (Fried rice, fish sandwich, long bean appetizer) Cons: - Often Pretentious - Overpriced, under-portioned - Charged a higher price than what was on the menu for a meal - 10% "gratuity" added to our $400 bill because we brought in a small birthday cake - The Oyster Bar will not serve many items from the main restaurant The first time I ventured to The Optimist was a Wednesday for lunch shortly after it opened. The place was practically empty yet service was slow. We had drinks and ordered the Beignet-style hushpuppies as an appetizer. These alone will make you go back even if the food is grossly overpriced and under-portioned. Our lunch was delicious but a joke in how small it was. We think American-portions are usually way too big so I look forward to properly sized portions in nicer establishments -- but this was entirely too small. I left feeling like I needed to have lunch afterwards. My husband had a lobster roll/wrap that he was overcharged for (and didn't realize until we had left so we didn't bother bringing it up). It was the size of a small hotdog on a bun, about two bites. The french fries were the small mini-stick variety like the dried kind you'd get out of a can at a grocery store. They were extremely difficult to eat and left much to be desired. I would expect a delicous fresh-cut flavorful fry from a place like this. My fish sandwich was absolutely delicious with flavors unique but not too out-there. Again, the portion size was just a few bites. I'd guess about 3-4oz of fish max. It was like getting a big slider appetizer. But there was only one on the plate. The second visit was to the Oyster Bar on a Sunday afternoon/evening. We met clients there and stayed a good while. It was a comfortable, casual yet nice environment. Uninformed at our previous visit that the "Oyster bar is a separate restaurant from the main restaurant and they do not serve the same food" I had been raving to our clients about the hushpuppies. It was a great disappointment to learn they would not serve us what we came for unless we moved to the restaurant. We were already comfortable and had part of our order already in.... the server thought the chef/management may make an exception... but it turns out they did not. Instead, I had to go to the bar in the other room, order a drink and our hushpuppy order "to go" and then bring it back to our table at the Oyster Bar. Any place that charges $6 for 6 pieces of fried dough you think would be willing to make an exception to their self-imposed rules and walk our order an extra 20 feet. I had to wait 25 minutes at the bar away from the rest of our group. The third visit was a Thursday night for dinner, party of 7. We made a reservation and when we showed up at 5PM the restaurant was nearly empty. Even with a reservation we had to "wait while we get your table ready." Hu?? I guess they want us to wait long enough to spend some money at the bar first? That's the vibe I got. We started off the meal with a bottle of bubbly to celebrate us 7 local small business owners getting through the holiday rush. We ordered long beans (delicious tempora-battered fried green beans with a dipping sauce) and the hushpuppies as an appetizer. Our party ordered a variety of entrees, soups, and seafood appetizers. No complaints on the taste but everything was small portions except the fish & chips which was enough to split. We also got an array of what they claim should be "family style" sides at $6/each. All of these were very good, but somewhat small portions if meant to be shared. 3 of the 7 were celebrating birthdays so we brought a small homemade cake, plates, and serving utensils. The server later brought us our check and we noticed 10% gratuity already added, so we added 10% more to make it 20%. As we were leaving the server informed us the "10% gratuity" was actually a "cake cutting fee." Hu? No one cut our cake nor served it it us. We certainly were not informed it would cost $35 for us to eat our cake there. Happy birthday to us, right!? We spoke to the manager on the way out as we didn't want the server to get stuck with only a 10% tip and her excuse was the server should have told us about the fee in advance. I was thinking of going here again in a week for my actual birthday, but I don't think I'll be returning. They took away the festive spirit of an otherwise wonderful evening. The Buckhead Life Group Establishments, Canoe, Rays, or Fifth Group Restaurants all have seafood and service that surpass that of The Optimist....
(2)
Kira M.
I've dined here twice since they've opened and both meals have been excellent. The quality of the fish and seafood is excellent and the wine list has great selections for all budgets. While I didn't find any of the items tried mind blowing, surprising or overly imaginative, they were all very, very good. So far, we've tried the fresh oysters, bread, green beans, octopus, mussels, gumbo, tuna, whole sea bream (rare find!), and scallops. All dishes were a hit. The service is very good as is the atmosphere.
(4)
Brian P.
Very good restaurant. Worth trying. I've now been twice and can recommend it. It is a little pricey, but the quality is excellent. The hush puppies and the Brussel sprouts alone are worth the trip. The octopus appetizer is spicy, but too small and not worth the $13 price tag. The mussels are very good, but the portion size is smaller than expected. The peel and eat shrimp were excellent. The seafood gumbo excellent. We had seven there for dinner this past Saturday night. The scallops were excellent, the trout excellent. The fish and seafood entrees were all terrific. Service though, was weird. Our waitress was really very nice, extremely articulate and friendly. We really liked her, but she made some garish errors. For example, my friend only ate a few bites of her fish, but the waitress didn't offer to box it up. Instead she put a dirty plate on top of it and took it away. When we pointed out her mistake, she got defensive, but did have a fresh one made to take home (only after some gentle prodding). Then, there were over $40 in desserts on the bill even though no one ordered desert. She said the prior party at the same table had ordered desert, but none of us understood this excuse. She took the deserts we didn't order off the bill. Overall we liked her a lot, and said nothing to the manager, but it was bizarre. Back to the food. Better than The Fish Market. Oceanaire has better portions, but I'd say the food was better at Optomist. Kyma is probably the closest comparator, but the Optimist is better because the room is more hip, not as stuffy, and the energy is significantly better. Overall, I'd say for a great place for a date, birthday celebration, or for business.
(4)
Rob B.
The Optimist opened only six days ago, so I think three stars is more than fair for a new restaurant. From the minds of JCT and 246 - the space is just as cool as you'd expect (the bar is even cooler than its predecessors). Service was what you'd expect for a young restaurant, but the food made up for it. Cocktail- Mother of pearl Refreshing gin on rocks with celery salt. Good but not great. Starters- Fresh homemade rolls Dozen oysters Angels on horseback The rolls and oysters were both winners. Oysters are on the pricy side, but you get the freshness that you deserve. This will be my preferred oyster spot from here on. Angels on horseback missed the mark. Too rich and unbalanced components. Maybe they can tweak this idea to pull off a better result. Mains- Snapper with vidalia onion broth Skate wing schnitzel Snapper was the fish replacing the normal grouper dish. Fresh but too simple. Skate wing was tasty. I would certainly order again.
(3)
Craig P.
Have eaten seafood gumbo in probably over 100 restaurants in my life. If its on the menu I will always give it a shot. The best is always and will always be found in NOLA but the bowl I had at The Optimist tonight was by far the best I have ever had outside of NOLA. Can't wait to back again to try the mussels.
(5)
Jie Y.
nothing special, average seafood and good service
(3)
Denise D.
I so wanted to like tis place since oysters are my very favorite food in the entire universe and I adore JCT Kitchen so I expected the standards to be similar. Not so. Loved the space...hip, noisy and fun. Server Nicole was helpful though I seriously doubt she cares for seafood or either knew how bad it actually was here because she recommended the hamburger for our entree (not a good sign if you ask me). I am just sorry we didn't listen. Fried oyster appetizer came and the oysters were cooked well, but they were those HUGE GROSS chewy kind that you could cut into 4 pieces. Just nasty. The remoulade sauce was tasty. My daughter had also ordered the oyster loaf because we love oysters, but that went completely uneaten due to the caliber of oysters.So on to the fried soft shell crab sandwich. The menu should have stated ...comes with a huge handful of shredded carrots and cilantro that overshadow any taste of crab whatsoever, you might as well order cardboard. Gumbo had no crab...just more of those disgustingly chewy oysters and one shrimp. Roux was waaay too dark if that is possible so I am guessing this was the night before's dish. I will say that the french fries with malt vinegar aoili were delicious. That's it. I am sad because this place is half a mile from my husband's business and we love having lunch dates. It's back to JCT Kitchen and Canoe for quality. Trust me, go to Serpas' if you want a decent fried oyster. This is so not the place. The wine was good. Pricey,but good. The day you see me pay 40 bucks for a dozen oysters on the half shell is the day I give up eating seafood for good. saw the lobster roll. It is the smallest thing I have ever seen, but I also saw the burger and it did look good. I have no idea how it tastes. Spent quite a bit for lunch to only like the fries. Can't see myself even thinking about returning here.
(2)
Sandra M.
We ate in the bar, as we usually do. Never a disappointment. It was more than delicious. Service is friendly and knowledgeable. Atmosphere is friendly, people actually talk to each other! Food is prepared right at the bar in a wood fire grill. Everything was wonderful!
(5)
J'aime La Nourriture O.
Enjoyed the decor. Fish & Chips just OK. The plate was piled high with lukewarm fries and a HUGE portion of fish which was full on batter but bland tasting fish. Not a fan of the menu selection being driven by where you are seated in the restaurant. I will return, however I will not order the same entree again.
(2)
Grant D.
I had a great experience at the Oyster bar at the Optimist. The scene, decor, and atmosphere were great. The octopus was amazing and I've been thinking about it since I ate it. I considered ordering it again immediately. The service was just ok, but everything else made up for it. I will definitely be going back.
(4)
L M.
Loved, loved, loved this place. Great atmosphere, amazing food & our server, Sara, was fantastic. Our party of 4 ordered oysters that were reported to be delicious, fried long beans were amazing & the shrimp la plancha - was beyond amazing. The sauce that the shrimp comes in - well, I could just eat that with a spoon. Sara, our server, was very helpful and knowledgeable about the menu. Gave great suggestion, helpful in selecting oysters (discussed difference between east coast vs west coast oysters), great info about the entrees. So our table had grouper, mahi mahi, snapper & halibut. All were delicious - but mahi mahi was the favorite. Maple sweet potato side was super delicious. Field peas were good, not great. Dessert - apple buckle was amazing, banana pudding was the only misstep in ordering - too much whipped cream, not enough pudding/banana - just not worth the calories on that one. Cannot wait to go back here & will most definitely be back.
(5)
Chandler V.
we really like this restaurant - we have been several times and the food is good and the service is good too - try the fish sandwich and the gumbo - the manager is friendly and seems to take care that all of his guests have a great dining experience - save room for the desserts too
Amazing seafood dishes. The octopus starter is small, but spicy and paired with cubes of watermelon for the fire and ice effect. Fried long beans are good for a table to share. The place is really loud. Snapper entree was just the fish. It was good, but fish portions here are small so order a side if you want anything else with your fish. Rolls were great, although very salty. Would expand the wine list to include Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Also allow lobster rolls to be sold on the dinner menu, not just the bar menu.
(5)
J M.
Today was my first trip to The Optimist and I have to say, it is definitely worth your time and money to go. I went for lunch, and made a reservation on their website through a link to open table and highly recommend doing that, as they were full when I arrived on a thursday afternoon at 12:30. The restaurant is beautiful. bright, clean lines and open, light filled space.The staff is very pleasant and helpful. We didn't feel rushed at all-in fact, we had a 2 hour lunch and never once felt like the staff was trying to move it along and turn the table. I recommend the raw eastern oysters with house made hot sauce and house made wheat saltines for a starter. not only were they very fresh, but each oyster had been FULLY loosened from the shell for ease of consumption. the whitefish chowder was also very good and the gumbo is one of the best offerings. The lobster roll was fresh and airy-not slathered with tons of mayo like some other places tend to do. the lavender and lemon meringue with fresh honey comb was perfect for sharing and just delicious. Even the coffee was good, and that is saying a lot because in my experience, most southern restaurants serve exceedingly week coffee. it was bold and had a smooth finish. Allover, an excellent experience. I will be going back one night to visit the adjacent oyster bar where the menu had at least six different kinds of oysters on offer. As the warm weather comes, it is a great time to go because you can dine outside. they even have a mini putting green. The only drawback is the location-on howell mill road, right past star provisions, but directly across the street from the union st. mission. I felt a bit guilty coming out of the restaurant and walking through the banks of luxury cars in sight of the "working to eradicate homelessness" sign after paying $120 for lunch for two..other than that, a great time and worth seeking out.
(5)
ted B.
My first (and probably last) dinner at the Optimist last night was very disappointing. We had reservations for 5 for 7:30. The first and biggest complaint is that the noise level is overwhelming. You cannot have a conversation with your tablemates unless you shout. I realize that "energetic" restaurants are trendy but this was the noisiest restaurant I have ever visited. My voice was hoarse by the time we left from shouting above the ambient noise and the music. The service was poor. We were seated after 8 for a 7:30 reservation. Then for 20 minutes we were totally ignored until we finally grabbed a waiter who turned out to be a trainee. He got us water and then disappeared. Five minutes later another waiter showed up and immediately started explaining the specials without asking about drinks. So it was a good 35 to 40 minutes before we got drinks. After that the service improved but there was no attempt to apologize for the bad start. The food was average at best. Oysters on the half shell were good but the mignonette was warm not chilled and much to vinegary. I ordered the scallops and they were okay but I have to say $22 for 3 scallops and nothing else is pricy. None of my tablemates was impressed with their dinners either. The halibut in particular was overcooked and bland. I would give this restaurant a C at best. There are much better restaurants in West Midtown than this--Bocado, Miller Union, and JCT Kitchen.
(2)
Rex O.
#NAME?
(3)
Rich K.
Everyone is raving about this restaurant so I hate to be a contrarian. We went there Monday night, 12/3/2012. Very nice open, modern decor, my only complaint is that the tables are very close together and you become part of your neighbors' conversations. My wife started with the frothy she-crab soup. It was very subtle, not what you'd expect in Charleston. For me the saving grace was the shrimp fritter that accompanied it for dipping into the soup. I had the grilled octopus salad. The octopus was absolutely covered in a paprika and other sauce so that it was difficult to actually taste the grilled octopus. Kyma, although not my favorite restaurant does a better job and more traditional job with this appetizer. For our main course my wife and I split the flounder. Absolutely perfectly cooked and delicious. We couldn't finish it and took almost half of it home, but it was absolutely awesome. Cooking fish is delicate and difficult business, and these guys do an absolutely great job. The flounder like a great last hole on the golf course, is what will bring us back again to this place. As sides we ordered the fingerling potatoes and turnip greens. Like the octopus, the fingerling potatoes were dripping with this paprika sauce and again you really couldn't taste the potatoes underneath. The turnip greens were fresh and clean, not overly cooked like you would expect in a southern style barbecue joint. They were sweet and we enjoyed them. For dessert we had the lemon tart with lavender meringue and honeycomb. Absolutely delicious. The lemon taste with the lavender was so interesting. Not sure I understand the honeycomb on the side but we dipped the desert in the honey. I would be curious to know the rationale behind the honeycomb with this dish which clearly didn't need it. To drink we split a bottle of the Rose Cremant, sparkling wine at $55 for a bottle which sells for approximately $20 retail. So not so bad. Without tip, our bill came $139 for two. I will definitely come back to this restaurant solely based on their ability to prepare fresh fish. Last night I had dinner at Hal's with a couple that had similar observations, except that their sweet potato fries/chips were crispy on the outside and not cooked on the inside and corroborated my feeling about the octopus salad. However like us, their yellowtail tuna was expertly prepared. Unlike us, they went to the restaurant early on a Saturday, enjoyed the putt putt and outside ambience before having dinner and had a really great time. I would be curious to hear other people's comments on the appetizers and side dishes. I was thinking about trying the tiny clams in garlic broth and the smoked fish soup.
(3)
Theresa N.
They do have the best oysters in town. And the food is great as well. But the service is not what it should be for a restaurant of this quality. We've been here twice. The first time our server treated us like she was too good to serve us. This time our server was good. But when our food came out....my sister's food came out first...with our sides....then 5 minutes later my friend and my fiance's...and then five minutes later...my food. And five minutes is being generous. And nothing was said other than a quick rushed apology from our server. The only saving grace for our server was we could see him getting stressed urging the kitchen to get our food out.
(3)
smacksmackgulp K.
I think all in all, a 3.5/5.0 experience, but I'm rounding up due to the fact that it's still early. Been opened, what, 2 months now, max? Had a girls' night dinner with two others. The positives - tasty, fresh, non-gulf oysters with a delicious vinegar mignonette sauce. We got a dozen, half East Coast, half West Coast. Very good bread/roll service, could eat those till the cows came home: yeasty, buttery goodness. BEAUTIFUL, open dining space - and I love the Oyster Bar side as well...very retro-fun decor. Service was quite smiley and eager-to-please. Did not rush us, even though we stayed past 10pm just chatting and drinking wine. The scallops were cooked perfectly, and the beet salad was yummy. Good wine selection too. The not so good - while nice, the service was still a little stumble-y. The server wasn't exactly sure where the oysters that day came from (other than knowing East Coast/West Coast). Mind you, this isn't the usual douchey, "where exactly was this chicken raised? Free range? Heritage?" Portlandia b.s. The breed of oyster actually lets you know what they're going to taste like. A Fanny Bay tastes waaaay different from a Malpeque, that tastes way different from a Kumamoto. And the Optimist has raw oysters as a specialty, right? Its prices reflect that ($2.50 - $3/per oyster), so the servers should know the daily selection verbatim. When the oysters arrived, they were just plunked down by a runner. No explanation which side was from which coast, and we had to flag someone down so they could tell us. We were also 1 short of a dozen (although once we brought it to their attention, they brought out four more, which was very nice of them). The oxtail reduction next to the scallops--while the sauce itself was nice--it had dry, tough pieces of oxtail. I've cooked oxtail before, so I know the reduction needed to just cook a touch longer to loosen the tendon of the meat. The gumbo was a little too salty, but the spice was nice. The mussels were fine, but have had better made at home. The price point was that of a nicer restaurant, so I would like to see a little bit...more. But very promising. I would go back...after all, I'm an optimist too :P
(4)
DoAnn B.
I was so excited to try the Optimist for lunch. After arriving, the hostess said we had to wait 10-15 mins although 60% of the restaurant was empty. After sitting down, it took our waitress about 10-15 mins to come over to bring us water. I really wanted to try the lobster roll but decided to go with the shrimp po' boy instead (we both did). BIG mistake. After ordering, it took about 10-15 mins to get our soup, which is fine. No biggie. But after the waitress picked up our empty soup, it took another 20 mins to bring us our sandwiches. There shouldn't be this much time in between courses, and especially during lunch. Them, when we both bit into our sandwiches, the shrimp were incredibly tough and dry. I waited all this time for an inedible sandwich. I seriously took one bite and couldn't eat anymore. I could understand if I waited forever and the sandwich was delicious and cooked correctly, but in this case, I waited a really long time and ended up with a sandwich I couldn't eat. The waitress picked up our sandich not even wondering why we barely touched it. I should've said something but by that point and 2 hours later, I just wanted to get out of there.
(2)
james e.
We were right on time for our 8:30 reservation but were told we would have to wait a few minutes. No problem, but 50 minutes later we were still waiting and watching others just walk in and get seated. So after spending $76.00 plus another $14.00 tip on a dozen oysters and four rum sangrias we left
(1)
Betty R.
Took my folks here on Friday night in honor of Father's Day - but my super hip dad had already been twice (he loves the place)! The space is fabulous - really beachy and laid back but still upscale. Biggest non-food/drink complaint - the chairs are so very uncomfortable - I had a sore back for the rest of the weekend. Service was a little spotty, but generally available and helpful. Cocktails were good (I had a strawberry basil punch and the Old Salty Dog), and the wine list was surprisingly accessible. For apps, we had oysters (yum), the fried crab roll (really tasty), and the "angels on horseback" (parents loved, but for me, at a seafood place, you can keep the pork belly). We had four different kinds of fish for entrees - tile fish, skate, grouper, and halibut - and everything was delicious and cooked perfectly. The pickled ramps with the tile fish and the sauce with the halibut were particularly notable. We got shoestring fries, gnocchi, and carrots for sides, and they were all very good - the fries come in a HUGE portion, but somehow they disappeared (along with the tasty malt vinegar aioli they came with). Desserts were a disappointment all around - the only thing keeping The Optimist from a 5-star review. We tried the chocolate "pop tart," the blueberry pie, the grilled pound cake, and the grapefruit tart. I didn't try the pound cake, but everything else left me cold - they were technically perfect (for example, the crusts/pastries on everything had wonderful texture), and they were presented beautifully, but there wasn't a whole lot of flavor to speak of. The grapefruit tart, for instance, didn't taste like grapefruit unless you actually landed on a piece of the candied grapefruit garnish. Next time, I will skip the sweet stuff and order another round of cocktails and oysters!
(4)
Dillon O.
It's NOT all that. First of all the physical space is open, very loud and warehouse-like. I get it -- it's trendy; however, I just don't care for it. Service was excellent but the food was OK at best. I ordered the fish & chips expecting a couple pieces of fish and thick traditional chips. Instead there was one big piece of fish and the "chips" were shoestring potatoes. Both the fish & so-called chips didn't taste of anything much except grease. I'm sure I could have gotten better at any pub and probably much cheaper than the Optimist's $20 price tag. On to dessert -- I ordered the lemon meringue tart. It is a mound of overly sweet very heavy meringue with a very thin layer of lemon curd and a thick crust -- simply hideous. And I love just about any kind of dessert but this was by far the worst I've ever had -- at $8.00, no less. I would never go back to the Optimist -- it's your typical over-hyped, over-priced, trendy BS Atlanta restaurant.
(2)
Travis R.
The food was good, but the service was abysmal. 8:30 reservation, sat at 9:10, didnt get out till 11:45! It was brutal waiting 20-30 mins between courses and the server's attitude almost felt like we were the problem. Won't go back.
(1)
Kelly W.
My boyfriend took me to The Optimist for my birthday dinner, which I was very excited about since I couldn't wait to try this new hot spot. I have to say I was intrigued from the minute we walked up, spotting the small putt putt golf area for while you wait for a table- cool. Love the atmosphere here, feels intimate when you walk in, but when you turn the corner to head to your table the space opens up dramatically to the super tall ceilings, awesome bar, and open kitchen concept. It was packed on a Wednesday night so I was glad we had a reservation. We had probably the best table in the house, a large booth for the two of us, positioned in the back which was perfect to watch everything that was going on. Service was excellent, and I enjoyed looking over the fun cocktail list. I stuck with a classic, the salty dog while my boyfriend sampled a few beers. Everything we ate was fabulous. Started with oysters, of course, and they were fresh and came with all the fixings. Then we had the octopus with watermelon- I was hesitant about this but it was AMAZING. I also tried the she crab soup that came with these yummy shrimp toasts. For our entrees, I had the duck fat poached swordfish that I pretty much devoured, while my boyfriend tried the lamb belly. Also a winner! Overall we loved this place and had a great time. We will definitely be going back.
(5)
Richard R.
I was in the area for some research and development. As a chef from Louisiana, I have to say that the gumbo was incredible and authentic Cajun gumbo not New orleans gumbo. Oysters were so fresh and delishes. The price for the oysters seem to reflect that they are not gulf oysters but flown in from east and west coast. Ambience was great as well as the service.
(5)
ZsaZsa E.
My dining club attended this restaurant at the recommendation of a friend. She raved about a few dishes she tried a while ago. The venue is very nice, comfortable and visually interesting, was great for a warm spring day in Atlanta. The valet service was definitely a perk.... Drinks were delicious and unique, the Spanish style charred octopus, kale salad, and fried oysters were a hit with the table. The Monk fish, chicken, and curry rice were just average, nothing to rave about. Service was amazing as well. No complaints there.
(3)
Sadiha A.
Love! Love! Love! This was my second time going there and I have wanted to go back since the first time I went. You cant make reservations for more than 4 or 5 on open table so it seems like there are never any open reservations. Call them! Not only is the food amazing, the service is outstanding. Also, the people working there add to the eye candy ;)
(5)
Michelle K.
This place gets better with every visit. We recently visited this beautiful restaurant to celebrate an anniversary. It was the place where we first met and we both thought it was fitting to return for a romantic dinner. My first impression of this restaurant was A. it's worth the drive to W. Midtown and B. their patio set up rocks! I was very pleased with the mussels appetizer during our first visit together and catching up over drinks by the tables near the bar is quite nice and a lot quieter than the main dining area. The bar here is so nice and I look forward to returning and just sitting at the bar while snacking on appetizers and enjoying one another's company. Dinner here was quite memorable. I had the grilled mahi entree and it was far better than I could've imagined. I rarely order fish entrees when dining out since I'm a major carnivore at heart but when I do, I have pretty high expectations. My fish was perfectly cooked, flavorful and the portion size was great. The boyfriend ordered the swordfish cooked in duck fat. "Duck fat" must make everything taste 10 times better because his swordfish just melted in your mouth! Highly recommended. I was intrigued by the "Gentle Reminder" cocktail because it had watermelon listed as one of its ingredients. One sip later, I was eager to share with my man because the combination of the watermelon puree and whiskey plus other ingredients that I can't remember right now, made my drink savory and sweet. Our dessert was the "hot dog bun" one with peach ice cream, blondie mini squares and toasted coconut flakes. Who knew that toasted coconut flakes would taste so good with ice cream?! It was pretty fantastic to say the least and this is coming from a non-dessert person. Service was fantastic so much so that I was very happy to leave her a nice tip. The main dining area is very loud on a busy night but the food is so tasty that you don't really mind it much. If you're bothered by such things, then I recommend asking for a table near the bar area. Not sure how that area is on a Friday night but it has to be quieter than the main dining area. After dinner, we spent some time lounging on the patio which outlooks their valet service and entrance to the restaurant. Between the comfy lawn furniture and hanging lights from the trees, it's the ideal romantic setting or relaxing ambiance when out with your friends. We both look forward to returning again soon enough to enjoy other menu items and of course the patio.
(5)
Thu M.
Oysters were Amazing. The attentiveness of the staff, as well as the ridiculous line and the "stand by the bar and maybe you'll get a seat at the bar to order food that's not on the full menu" ordeal was beyond me. Yes, the food we had was good, but they are not worth standing around like a food hooker beside a bar of happy gluttons who planted themselves on their stools for the long haul. We sat at the oyster bar, where service was slow and spotty. With all the other happy hour places and oysters with no lines, you'd only come here to experience the ambience from a spectators point of view. I really wanted to try the dirty shrimp.
(1)
Mark B.
I have been to the Optomist before and I apparently did not review. My wife and I went for our anniversary dinner. We arrived to a traffic jam. Right now with all the construction the valet parking is a mess! I hope it gets better because coming and going was quite a wait. There is also a $2 fee. We were seated promptly in a nice comfortable booth. The Optomist is lively and I must say a little loud. We ordered cocktails and oysters to start. The oysters arrived but they did not bring the correct number. They were OK nothing special. Also ordered the octopus, the server recommended the version that is served outside at the oyster bar. It was SO tender! Outstanding, the best I have ever had. The cocktails took quite a while to arrive. They just seemed so busy. That being said our server seemed to be rushing us. Next we ordered shrimp toast and a New England shrimp roll. The shrimp toast was flavorful with some fresh pickled items. The roll was not good. Nothing New England about it other than the bun. We decided to split the duck fat poached swordfish and short rib. The dish was good although it did now wow me as something really special like the octopus did. It was a good idea for surf and turf. All in all I enjoyed my first trip a couple years ago to the Optomist better. On that trip we sat at the oyster bar and hour waiting on a table inside. There are items and drinks that you can only get there such as the punch. It is open air and usually has entertainment. I also do not remember the inside being so loud. I am talking about the music and people. The dining scene on the Westside has gotten very trendy and hip. I am sure the Optomist has got to keep up. It just did not give me a feel of fine relaxed dining. The quality is there so it is definitely 4 stars but is is pricey. You hate to be rushed. It was a good meal and I would definitely recommend the Optomist for seafood.
(4)
Nauman B.
Trendy eatery nestled in the heart of west midtown area. If food was the only criteria that makes a restaurant top notch then Optimist wouldn't make it on the best restaurants list in Atl but it's the whole package that certainly makes it among the best. Extremely friendly staff, trendy ambiance with a full bar that creates great cocktails. Great for a romantic evening or family/friends event.
(4)
Kristie A.
One of my all time favorite spots and definitely the place to visit when you're in Atlanta! Second time in and it was amazing once again. I ordered the Lobster Roll and it was by far one of the best I've ever had, roll was perfectly toasted, small amount of celery and the lobster was stacked high on the roll in huge chunks!!!
Atlanta chef-owner Ford Fry opened The Optimist, a now very popular local seafood restaurant, in Westside (West Midtown) Spring 2012. Fry also owns nearby JCT Kitchen, King + Duke in Buckhead, and No. 246 in Decatur. JCT and No. 246 are excellent restaurants, among Atlanta's best, so it shouldn't have surprised me when I found The Optimist right up there with them. The Optimist is named after a sailing dinghy. The restaurant is located in an unassuming part of Westside near other hotspots such as Bocado, Le Fat, Bartaco, and Miller Union. Outside, the restaurant has a small lawn with lawn chairs, small table seating, and 3 holes of mini golf. You can grab putters and balls inside from the hostess. The restaurant doesn't look like much from the outside, but the inside is awesome. It's divided into 2 areas: (1) the oyster bar and (2) the dining room. The day's oysters are on display at the oyster bar and you can only eat most of these oysters at the bar. They aren't available in the main dining room. If you eat at the bar, you can watch the oysters being freshly shucked. Also at the bar is a wood-burning oven decorated with octopus tentacles. There's small table seating in the "oyster bar" section of the restaurant, so you can have a quiet meal there if you want. Most of the action happens inside the large dining room. It's a very cool-looking, open, and tall space with a viewable kitchen on one end and a beautiful, lit-up bar on the other. One thing I really like about the layout is there's not a bad seat in the house. Every seat has a good view. Like No. 246, there's a finishing table in front of the kitchen. On a busy day/night, which is pretty much every day, the tables are tucked cozily together. You may be sitting very close, within point-blank earshot, to those dining next to you. The atmosphere is loud (but not too loud) and energetic. The individual restrooms have a playful design with numbered doors, like a game show. Like many of Fry's restaurants, The Optimist's menu is seasonal and constantly changing. Your favorite dish from your last visit might not be available on your next visit, but one constant is certain: seafood. Oysters, shrimp, crab, scallops, mussels, octopus, squid, and all sorts of fish prepared in any number of ways, from raw to cooked. Most of the fish is wood-roasted. Prices are expensive. A single oyster will set you back about $3.00-$3.50. Roughly speaking, appetizers are $8-14, fish entrees $25-30, and desserts $8-10. A multi-course meal with drinks adds up quick. Everything I've tried has been phenomenal. It includes: East coast oysters from Quivett Creek, MA West coast oysters from Sister Point, WA Mussels with green curry broth, bird's eye chili, and herbs Georges Bank Scallops with smoked shortrib and brown butter chicken jus Monkfish with summer corn relish, pancetta, and blistered shishitos Boston cream pie, vanilla ice cream, cocoa nibs The east coast oysters I tried were larger and brinier than the west coast oysters. The smaller west coast oysters were sweeter. Both types were fresh and succulent, melt-in-your-mouth quality. If you really like oysters, order a sampler. The oysters come with fresh horseradish and housemade mignonette, which is cilantro heavy. Almost everything at the restaurant is housemade, except for two types of bread. The dinner rolls are out of this world. They are served buttered and salted. The outside of the rolls is buttery and consistently crispy, while the inside is fluffy soft. To date, best dinner rolls I've had. The mussels are served in a green curry broth, which I believe has coconut milk too. The bird's eye chili (Thai chili) and herbs (basil) give this app an obvious Southeast Asian flair, like Thai coconut soup. The mussels are plump and the broth is delicious on its own. A slice of buttered toast also accompanies this flavorful dish. The scallops are spectacular. Slightly charred and cooked in a sweet, semi-thick brown sauce, the silky smooth scallops pair well with the savory short rib slice. Green and purple muscadines also accompany this dish to add a layer of fruity flavor. Monkfish is sometimes referred to as the poor man's lobster because of the fish meat's lobster-like consistency. It's a white fish that's certainly meaty. The corn relish is refreshing. Two spicy Japanese shishito peppers are served with the fish. A Boston Cream Pie is a cream-filled, chocolate-frosted cake. The Optimist's version includes a scoop of ice cream and cocoa nibs, which are raw, unsweetened chocolate chips. If you're looking for a good cocktail, the Damson in Distress has 4 types of alcohol: plum-infused Lunazul blanco, Damson Gin Liqueur, plum bitters, and Prosecco. It's tangy and doesn't taste strong. This is a great restaurant for special occasions and to take out-of-town guests. Reservations are recommended. Book on OpenTable for free dining points. Valet parking is complimentary.
(5)
Lawrence C.
I've been here a few times, and yet apparently I never provided a review, until now. It's been one of our favorites in Atlanta, and we have fond memories of each dining experience. HOWEVER, regrettably, I must DOWNGRADE the restaurant to FOUR stars. Note that they started out as FIVE stars, years ago, when they first opened. The food is well presented (see photos), yet the portion size has decreased (I would have preferred a larger portion and higher price----or waiter to promote another appetizer instead of us getting one to share). We shared the Softshell crab for a starter, $16; and our mains were Wreckfish w uni butter, $26; Striped Bass, $26; side order of Snap Peas, $6.50. Dessert to share was the chocolate mousse cake, $8. The flavors are all well balanced and tasty, yet lack that WOW factor. The service is good, for the most part, but overall the wait staff is a little too relaxed and quick to move on (This was observed at numerous tables). The environment is average on summation; exceedingly noisy as a result of the tile flooring and high industrial ceiling, even when the restaurant is not full, as on this recent Saturday night. One of the two bars provides the effect of a wall on one side of the dining room. The spacious dining room with open kitchen in distance is a plus. There is a good selection of wines by the glass, at varying prices ranging from $9-$25.
(4)
Brigitte B.
Cannot say enough good things about this place! From the ambiance, to the service, and (most importantly) the food...everything about The Optimist is top notch! My boyfriend and I visited The Optimist for the first time a couple months ago. I did some research on Yelp for menu recommendations prior to our reservation...here's what we decided on: Appetizer: Shrimp a la plancha..amazing! Whole, local shrimp in a delicious chili butter sauce. The sauce was definitely the highlight of this dish. It was rich with just the right amount of spice. The shrimp are served with a piece of buttered toast to soak up the remnants of the sauce, which I highly recommend! A messy, but delicious start to our meal. Entree: Duck fat poached swordish: The fish was tender, juicy, and cooked perfectly. When I had this dish, it was served with bacon and sauteed strawberries in a light sauce. For the sides we ordered the "beignet style" hushpuppies (which I read raving reviews about) and the collard greens. The hushpuppies are out of this world! They come served with powdered sugar and honey butter on the side. Overall, I absolutely loved The Optimist. It is not a cheap meal, but in my book it is completely worth the price. I will definitely be going back!
(5)
Andrea A.
This review is about a napkin. Yesterday I had a late lunch at The Optimist. I've dined there dozens of times before and this time I enjoyed my food too much to write about it. The pleasure of the Key Lime Pots de Crème alone was like a moment shared between lovers. I dare not kiss and tell so let me tell you about the napkin instead. After a couple minutes of sitting comfortably in a booth, it occurred to me that the napkin in my lap was black. The sea of napkins adorning the other tables were bistro-style--white with red stripes. There wasn't another black napkin in sight. I asked the waiter, "Did you swap out my napkin so I don't get white napkin lint on my black pants?" He laughed knowingly. Of course. I appreciated the fact that he didn't want me to leave the restaurant looking like a Dalmatian. It sounds elementary but little things mean a lot. I didn't even have to ask for a replacement and that's the level of detail and attentiveness that I have come to know and love from The Optimist.
(5)
Jen H.
I've been here a couple of times but my experience yesterday was so worthwhile I needed to write an review. It's quite hard to find a decent seafood restaurant that serves fresh seafood with delicious flavors. I came here to celebrate a birthday and everything we ordered was exceptional. This is one of the best natural lighted restaurant and I love the atmosphere. Our server was very knowledgeable and great at explaining all the difference between the 12 types of oysters and the menu. We had all of the types of oysters, the octopus starter. Then for entree had the grouper, lime flounder, duck fat swordfish and lobster roll. I never thought you could treat oysters as a wine tasting event where you eat one and reflect on the flavor of the oyster description, who ever writes their oyster menu is amazing because I could taste every flavor described and also realize what type of oysters I'm more interested in eating. They did a phenomenal job on the octopus, it had a kimchi finish and a slight heat but the octopus itself was tender and not tough at all. I personally loved the duck fat poached swordfish. I've never had swordfish that was so succulent , pillow liked soft and flavorful. The brisket pairs really well with the fish. The cocktails were also tasty. As you can tell I loved my experience here!
(5)
Carrie Neal W.
After three years, I made a return visit. Lots to say- from the errors in my first review (ie, unless the fish and chips really was haddock then, though it's cod now...) - to taking my parents for a visit I thought they'd love, to trying different menu items and more. First, I am kinda sorta between a 3.5* and a 4+* - so the subjective CN algorithm settles on a 4.* This could be a mini-novel, so know you were warned. The service was great- Adam has a good personality, and while he was a bit long-winded, he did a great job with details and such (he stopped juuust short of describing everything on the menu and saying "it's all good,") and his presence was consistent but not intrusive. A perfect approach since I think it was obvious the three of us were focused on each other and having great conversation. The food was kind of up and around. They still have those delicious rolls - yay! I liked the yellow tail starter (the pineapple mixed with the fish was great), and we loved Dad's fried oysters. I have always been wary of any kind of oysters, raw or fried- but loved the kind of parmesan/sesame (?) crust and the wonderful sauce. I would definitely get these again. Dad's entree choice was also a winner - the trout was deliciously tender and well-flavored. I only got a small bite (he'd have given me more but it would have been selfish to ask) and I would definitely get this next time. The ice cream cookie sandwich was delicious as our dessert- we all enjoyed the peanut butter ice cream/oatmeal cookie package (I think I got that combo right- we did have a lot of food...) was perfect with the not-cloying pb ice cream and the soft-ish cookies... Mom got the fish and chips people highly love (and my friends tried last time). Mixed reviews here. If I recall correctly, a few years ago the "chips" were fries not potato wedges; the current po-tah-to version is decent, not that mushy-center-kind, but ... not as good as frites. The cod was lightly battered and ok-flavored, and still a very generous portion. I did like their version of a tartar sauce with a twist. Overall - impressive because it is a large dish but probably something I would just try once. I did not enjoy my grouper. I decided to go with it vs the hangar steak (I'd been in the mood for that, but thought I'd keep in the seafood theme since I had steak last time), and thought it would be a tender, simple entree with the lemon, olive oil and rosemary (?). The flavor just wasn't quite enough but more noticeably, it was just too tough. My parents love hush puppies and thought these were ok, yet surprisingly sweet; my Mom is no rube but she did remark "wonder if these are meant more as a dessert..." I love mushrooms but there was just something uninspired by these. Not tough, not soft, not well seasoned (Adam explained that each type is cooked separately, bc different types need different cook times...I didn't know this so, hmm...), overall just ok; I'd try the asparagus next time. And, to wrap up the not-so-great part, this is a place that does not have s&p shakers on the table. In general, I dislike this. I know chefs season dishes as they design best; I also know that palates differ. It is correct in my Southern debutante country club world to taste your food before adding more seasoning, esp s&p, but it is just plain ugly for a request for such to be met with a harrumph-y look. Just sayin'. I do enjoy all of Mr Fry's restaurant and am glad we went for a (kinda important - my daddy just turned 70, y'all) family dinner. As I said, food was up and down, and I was leaning toward a three, and kind of wondered if the newer concepts like K+D and more recently St Cecilia were a distraction... But. While I very much dislike being charged for mandatory valet, I understand that parking is a challenge with the lot situation. However, it's not cool for a valet to have a pen or something in his back pocket and leave a streak across your very light grey leather seat. Here's where the 4+* comes in: my mom was talking with the valet - in her Southern (and unnecessarily apologetic) way- while he tried (unsuccessfully) to rub the stain out. I slipped out the backseat to get a manager. I calmly asked and got him (amazing what being polite and direct will get you) and explained. He came out and talked with us and simply said that what happened wasn't ok; he was glad we came to him and would both make a report for the restaurant's records and for the valet company's use - and asked my mother to please take it to a detailer of her choice and they would cover the expense (he meant it because he asked for our information to make sure all was covered). I didn't even have to mention I was a Yelper (and therefore would be elite-y and promptly write a review). Handled with class. Final answer for $1000, Alex? Solid. Glad to live down the street. Will definitely have a boy take me for a nice dinner - and have some of those dishes I enjoyed....and give some others a shot.
(4)
Kris A.
What an amazing place! Lets start with the layout...there is a turf aka lawn in front with a small putt-putt area for the kiddos to entertain themselves while everyone is waiting for a table=brilliant. There are also patio and picnic tables scattered on the lawn if you decide to dine al fresco. Lining the lawn is a covered area with more outdoor tables and an uncovered area with lawn chairs and benches for additional seating options when on a wait. We visited on a Tuesday evening and they were on a 40 min wait. So I highly suggest reservations even on a week night. As you walk in, the hostess is situated on the right and a large oyster bar is straight ahead with ample stools. There is also a wood fired oven in this area which gave it that fire and ice effect. The dining room has vaulted ceilings and low lighting. Very modern, classy and elegant. Servers don't wear uniforms which added to the relaxed atmosphere. They offer their raw oysters in a really unique way. You are given a paper list and a pencil. The list includes oysters from several different regions all cold water and mostly east coast if I remember correctly. It even provides the size of the oyster (sm, med, lg) and a short description of its flavor profile. They are served with fresh grated horseradish, house made saltine crackers and a mignonette sauce along with hot sauce, etc. We also ordered the she-crab soup and the whole GA shrimp a la plancha which were both delicious. I highly recommend this restaurant and I'm looking forward to a return visit already.
(5)
Candyce V.
Lunch here was delightful. The smoked white fish chowder was served hot and with oyster crackers. I enjoyed it until the trout with peas, cippolini, pancetta, and oyster mushrooms arrived. The fresh was fresh and perfectly seasoned. And I indulged in a bit of dessert--the strawberry sundae. I lingered in the restaurant until after they closed to prepare for dinner, and no one rushed me out of there. My server (oh, I wish I remembered her name!) was such a sweetheart and super helpful. Can't wait to come back here for dinner.
(4)
Lindy F.
"Do you consider the eating of oysters to be moral and the eating of snails to be immoral?" -- Spartacus (1960) So many dining experiences to choose from - so this will be an overall review. I love this place and there is a lot of seafood items I cannot eat. But Ford Fry grabs my attention every time he opens a new place and I usually become a big fan - well, this is yet another gem. I will say that it can get loud in here at dinner, so my lunches have been more enjoyable from a noise perspective, however, in every instance I have been seated at the exact. same. table. All 4 times. There is this decent-sized round table that seems to be in the middle of the walkway when you come from the entrance - apparently that is my spot. It doesn't hurt that I always come in a larger party. If you get nothing else from the menu when you come here, you must indulge in the hushpuppies. No, no, I insist. Little fritters of corn goodness served beignet style with a cane syrup butter that I would kill people over. It is that delicious. I could eat two orders on my own. That being said, we can discuss other items now... I guess. I've had several cocktails here and the barkeeps do an excellent job. You have to mix a great craft cocktail to keep my attention - and that they have. My faves are: peel & eat Georgia white shrimp, "come back" sauce & lemon fried oysters, horseradish mayo, vidalia onion, celery whole Georgia white shrimp a la plancha, "sopping" toast, arbol chile, lime Oyster Loaf (think po boy) confit fingerling potatoes, pork belly, chile oil, scallions Pork cheeks with Spaetzle Okay wow - I've eaten a lot... considering there is very little I can eat under the sea. I'm quite impressed with myself. I do tend to come here when someone else suggests it, but I am never disappointed. I cannot do the raw oysters, but my friends always enjoy them. The best things I have eaten are the shrimp a la plancha and the oyster loaf. I am dying to try their burger as well. So if this girl who cannot so much in the way of seafood enjoys the Ford Fry pearl... you know it has to be good, right? Service is always stellar and they do an amazing job keeping the tree nuts away from me as well - they take that allergy VERY seriously. I have never had an issue. Now, if they could hire this level of staff at another of his restaurants... I might go back there.
(4)
D.J. K.
Came here for dinner and loved it even more. Had the clam roll, mussels, kale salad, oysters, seafood gumbo,and scallops. Everything was fresh and delicious except the gumbo - it was too fishy and salty. The atmosphere is definitely trendy, hip, modern, and dining room can get loud as it tends to echo. Can't wait to come back here again!
(4)
Richard R.
February 16th, 2015 My wife and I didn't get out on Valentine's Day. So, since the kids were out of school for President's Day and Atlanta was expecting a pretty severe cold front to come through, we took the opportunity to travel into the city for lunch (knowing it would be a light traffic day). THE SCENE You may have saw in the news (about this time last year) when Atlanta had Snowmageddon. We aren't used to severe winter weather in the South and the city got caught totally unprepared as motorist were trapped in their cars for hours, some even running out of gas and becoming stranded. Others parked their cars on the side of the expressway and walked. There was even a case of a local Target opening their doors to feed stranded motorists and let them sleep for the evening. Well, we knew the city would NOT want bad press like that ever again, so we braved the cold temps and risked the threat of black ice with full expectation the city was not going to let anything like last year happen again. THE EXPERIENCE Although they have their own valet service, we were able to find a few street parking spaces just outside the front entrance. The exterior is kinda cool, particularly the mini-golf course set up in the courtyard where they also host live bands in warmer weather. However, there were these rusty looking old school metal tables and chairs that looked like you might require a tetanus shot after sitting in one of them. I can confidently say no clean freak such as myself would be caught dead eating at those tables. Once inside, part of the space looks like an old ice cream diner while the other space looks sleek and modern. A large expanse of windows bathes the dining area with natural light. However, plenty of cool lighting also hangs down from the air hanger-ish ceiling. There is an open kitchen on one side and a long bar on the other with pleasing wood tones on the floors and tables in-between the two. We found it interesting that both the hostess and our server were from the same Northern suburban county as we live. Seemed like a long way to come for work, but they relished in the idea of working for Atlanta's #1 restaurant (currently). Although I was highly tempted to switch to the Lobster Roll, I stuck to my original plan of getting the burger. It was ranked in Atlanta Magazine as #3 on the top 20 Best Burgers List. - - - - - - - - - - - - T H E F O O D - - - - - - - - - - - - CHOWDER FRIES $13 | 4 Stars If you follow my reviews at all then you know I lean heavily towards being a traditionalist. But I am also easily amused when a kitchen can present a creative new twist on a food I love. These chowder fries were magically delicious. Smothered with bacon, clams, white cheddar and scallions, it tasted exactly as though you were eating French fries dipped in a rich, creamy chowder. I thought this was brilliant, but probably not something I would order very often. OPTI BURGER $13 | 3.75 Stars This is a great burger, but it's not a Holeman & Finch or Bocado burger. I found the Opti Burger to be a tad bit salty and I'm still undecided on whether or not I liked having my bun slathered with butter (NO PUN INTENDED). Seems like unnecessary calories. There is also something called come back sauce on the burger. Perhaps that was what gave it too salty a flavor. Whatever the case I found the burger to have just a little too much of something; still can't put my finger on exactly what it was. The Opti Burger comes with heavily seasoned shoestring potatoes or a few alternatives for a small upcharge. CHOPPED CHICKEN SALAD $15 | 3.5 Stars My wife enjoyed this salad and actually ate more of the chicken than I expected. She is kind of a part time vegetarian, but occasionally will eat meat that doesn't taste super "meaty". She did comment that it was a tad pricey for the taste. SERVICE was excellent with the only real issue being a wobbly table. Our server kept my coke glass filled and checked on us often. This was refreshing given the lack of service we've been experiencing as of late. FINAL THOUGHTS Chef/Owner Ford Fry was in the kitchen today so I feel privileged that our food was exactly as he intended it to be. His Sous Chef was off today according to one of the staff, so we were happy to know our first visit would be in his capable hands. I must say I disagree with the Opti Burger being placed in the top 3 for Atlanta burger. It definitely deserves top 10, but I can think of at least 9 burgers I would prefer over this one. Good burger? Definitely! Overhyped? Most certainly. I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars, but in the end, they are closer to 4 stars than 3. Maybe next visit I'll stick with what they are known for... seafood
(4)
Michelle H.
The food overall was decent but the service left a lot to be desired, which is unusual for restaurants of this calibre in Atlanta. None of the dishes were particularly remarkable or memorable, and I especially did not enjoy the shrimp ala plancha - they were incredibly and unnecessarily messy for this type of dining experience (I will peel crawfish with the best of them, but at a nice restaurant, why leave the heads and shells on and slather the outside with sauce??). They were also out of the one dish we really wanted, which our server failed to tell us until we ordered it. Too many misses overall to return.
(3)
Will S.
Came here the Sunday after Valentine's Day. It was pretty crowded and probably due to the holiday. I had reservations, so no wait. The dining area is completely open so you can see everything. They have an open kitchen on one wall and a large, well-organized bar that's lit up in a dim blue light. Seating is pretty tight. We sat at a two-person table, and had two tables on both sides of us only a foot away. Could definitely hear people next to us talking about our food, but that didn't bother me cause I was talking about the other tables food. At the entrance you'll find the oyster bar where you can select from several different oysters to try. STARTERS -Yeast Rolls You get two pieces of rolls for free. They are buttered and have salt on top which is different. Pretty good -Seafood Gumbo I'm not a super huge fan of gumbo. I like it, but it's never blown my socks off. I'm more of a chowder guy. The gumbo here was pretty good though. It had a nice spicy kick to it. It has sausage, oysters, and a little bit of crab meat. It's about a bowl size, maybe a little smaller. It's served with a bread with a thick spread of garlic butter in between. -Mussels These were excellent. You get about 16-20 served in a bowl of curry sauce. The sauce is sooo good. Reminded me of the times I used to eat Thai Curry 2-3x a week. All of the mussels were a decent size. I highly recommend getting these. It's also served with MORE BREAD, but this bread was a garlic toast and really good. You can ask for more to soak up that curry sauce once you finish the mussels. ENTREES - Nice selection of seafood. They even have a small section for non-seafood eaters which I was tempted to order from. Prices range from $22-33. -Peacan Crusted Flounder This is what my girlfriend got. I had a few bites, and it was really good. Flounder is a pretty thin fish, but it looks like they fold a couple of pieces on top of each other, so you get a good amount. The pecan crust was pretty good, and my girlfriend really enjoyed. -Duck Fat Poached Swordfish I've only had swordfish a couple of times and each time it was a thick, dry piece of fillet. It came with pork belly and the waiter really recommended it, so I went for it. Best swordfish I've ever had. The fish was super moist, and easily eaten with just a fork. I need to find out where to get duck fat, cause I want to cook everything in it. It's made with a sherry au jus which was really good. There are little bits of pork belly, but I'm not sure how those fit in with the dish, but they were good nonetheless. SIDES - All the sides are pretty large and meant to be shared. -Collard Greens These were pretty damn good. Maybe some of the best I've ever had at a restaurant. They were smokey, but had a sweet flavor to them. -Hush Puppies Another awesome side. They have a nice texture on the outside, and warm and soft on the inside. They sprinkle them with sugar and serve with a side of cane syrup butter. The butter was so good, I had to keep my girlfriend from eating it all after we had already finished the hush puppies. DESSERT -S'Mores Ice Cream Sandwiches Couple of chocolate cookies with a graham cracker ice cream. These were good, but nothing too special. One order comes with two sandwiches so easy for sharing. Overall this place was pretty good. Everything tasted great. It's definitely pricey so it's not somewhere I would come to regularly. No idea where parking is, but valet is $2. I would recommend making reservations at least 2 weeks ahead of time.
(5)
Amy C.
I've been here for a couple dinners with DH, but today I was here for a business lunch and the food was exceptional. I had the lobster cobb salad, which was a real winner. There was a bunch of lump crab meat over a bed of bibb lettuce, nice bacon, hard boiled egg, watermelon radish, regular radish, avocado, blue cheese crumbles and some really nice dijon dressing. Someone else at the table had the fried fish sandwich, which he enjoyed. It came on thick, Texas toast and was severed with really crispy shoestring fries. Another person really enjoyed the cornmeal crusted fish. My only complaint (there has to be one, right?!) is that the chairs are very uncomfortable for a shortie like me. I'm 5'2" and my feet were dangling and it wasn't pleasant. The service was efficient and not intrusive; perfect for a business lunch. The vibe at lunch is so different that at night--much more chill and a great place to "do lunch"!
(5)
Sarah F.
We ate at the bar in the main dining room which has a full menu and comfortable, high-backed chairs. The hostess was a little helpless--struggled with menu and seating questions and left it up to us to find seats together at the bar. Very nice oyster selection--options from PEI, New England, NY and even a West coast oyster or two. You order sushi-style, marking per-piece quantities on a checkbox card. Prices were high, but appropriate given geographic location and quality (around $2.50-$4 per oyster). They also have appetizers, soups, entrees and sides if you're not into oysters. I went with 6 oysters and a side of hush puppies. The oysters were very fresh and nicely served. The hush puppies were incredible--savory cornbread with a light dusting of powdered sugar and brown sugar butter for dipping. I wasn't sure about the sweet/savory combo, but now I'm sold. The place is a little hard to find, at least for out-of-towners (although our local Uber driver passed it twice before finding) and parking is valet.
(4)
Lauren L.
My first time dining at The Optimist, the power went out. When the power goes out the fans in the kitchen don't work... So the entire restaurant filled with smoke. We had to leave (with nothing comped from our bill). Despite this first experience... I keep going back. THATS how good the food is. I have never had something there that wasn't fantastic. The raw bar is my personal favorite- the lobster roll and their oyster selection. Please please please get the key lime dessert. - @gluttoneats -
(5)
Tom G.
Outstanding! Has a really cool vibe. Was in Atlanta for a business trip and we went as a small group. The place has a lot of character. Putting green outside then when you go into the restaurant he see a large oyster bar that is quiet impressive. Has a warehouse feel in the dinning area an a large bar area. We had the octopus app, baked oysters and hush puppy's all great. I had scallops and others had the whole fish dish (little strange looking but they can remove meat if you don't want to look at a fish looking at you while you eat it!! Would highly recommend this spot. Enjoy.
(5)
Carolina M.
Finally. I've been hearing about this place for years and it's nearly perfect. Cool nautical, beachy theme for some of the freshest seafood. Here's what I had: Various oysters: We picked a few from this list. Some of the favorites we had were the Katana Bay and Komo Gway. I think the choices change from time to time, but these were both delicious. I really enjoyed the homemade saltine crackers that I'm going to try making some myself at home. Uni: This was listed under the "Opportunity" category on the menu. This was a little unexpected because the uni appears to be mixed with some other ingredients and is served on a top of a fine potato chip that closely resembles a Lay's potato chip. The taste was pretty amazing because the uni is creamy. 3 of these for $9 makes you feel like this is some super fancy Superbowl party snack. While this was a unique twist with uni, I think I'm still a purist at loving uni on its own at a Japanese restaurant. Grilled octopus: Served with a miso yogurt sauce and some pickled bokchoy, there are tons of flavors to this, but it was overpoweringly salty. I suspect that the octopus was given a little more salt in addition to the old bay seasoning that was already put on it. I had a hard time eating this because of the salt but the texture of the octopus was perfect. It's not the best octopus I've had but I'm thinking it might have been just an off day for this dish to be SO salty. I would try ordering this again. Monkfish: I had this as my entree and it was served in a broth with mussels and squid. I really liked this. What really drew me into it was the additional seafood. Mussels were cooked til they're soft and creamy and the squid shape was almost in fine chewy noodles. The monkfish was cooked just right. If you've never had monkfish before, it's often been referred to as "the poor man's lobster" and it's exactly that: a soft, chewy texture. Shishito peppers: Life changing. I loved this side and it was generous as a side portion. They are surprisingly sweet brought out from a slight acidity added to the peppers. I know these peppers as "Korean peppers" where sometimes you get a surprise pepper where it's spicy. Delicious. I would definitely order this again. Basmati fried rice: There are some pieces of fish in here which make it a bit salty and there's some smokiness to the overall flavor. Not a bad side to get if you want something a little more filling. Key Lime Trifle: This was a cute little dessert with very intense key lime to it. Honestly, it's a bit too small/shallow of a dish to see the layers to it, but the flavor is all there. Key lime pie taste in the form of a little trifle. I would love to come back. $2 valet + tip, but worth it. The service is great and maybe it's just me with the attire here, but I thought people were dressed a little too fancy for how casual The Optimist's scene seems to be. Small putting green is a nice touch too while you wait, but I'd definitely recommend making a reservation in advance.
(5)
William T.
Food was simple but delicious. We had octopus and oysters for appetizer. The octopus is tender and well flavored. The oysters also had a great flavor. I had a simple olive oil covered fish. It was tender and perfectly cooked. A must try is the cornbread. More like a dessert. It was quite delicious. As a good comparison for three of us with a few round of drinks it was about 220.
Went for a birthday dinner. The place was cool. Drinks were creative and well made. We had the lobster soup and gumbo. Lobster was a 10. Gumbo was a 5. The gumbo was really soupy, which is not what I'm looking for in a gumbo. I had the Ciopinno for dinner and it was fantastic! Tres Leches cake was to die for. Overall great meal!!
(4)
Shannan J.
This is my favorite restaurant in all of Atlanta. The service, food, atmosphere - everything - it just can't be beat. Try it once and you'll come again and again!
(5)
Trevor W.
Undeniably one of the best seafood houses in the United States. Ford Fry opened this magnificent Fish Camp in the Spring of 2012 to accolades that included Restaurant of the Year and 7th Best New Restaurant in America. After two years, The Optimist (a type of sailing dinghy used for teaching kids) is still sailing strong, impressing both new and return visitors alike. Your experience begins as you dock your car with the friendly and swift valets in front of the restaurant. Valet is now $2, but there is street parking a block away on Marietta and free lots in the Brickworks complex. From there, you walk past large putting greens designed to keep you busy in high traffic times and enter the the building. The restaurant is divided into two main sections: an Oyster Bar that also serves as the reception area and main dining room featuring a separate cocktail bar in the center. You may choose to relax at either of the bars and the friendly hostesses will fetch you when all is ready. The dining space is reclaimed wood Savannah chic with massive floor to ceiling windows, filament lighting, and coastal themed decor. The open kitchen sits in the rear of the dining room with individual bathrooms down the side of the kitchen space. (and incidentally I love their restrooms: individual doors, white hexagonal tile, pedestal sinks. Gorgeous!) Service here is on point and regal without the pretentious feel of fine dining snobbery (black linen also available upon request). When seated at the table, they offer an Oyster tasting menu paired with their lunch or dinner menu. If you are price conscious, I cannot recommend the lunch menu enough. Half the cost, all the goodness. We've done numerous lunches here and it is a great way to do The Optimist on a budget. Otherwise, it commands a price commiserate with the quality of the ingredients and preparation of the food. You'll easily spend $30-$50 a person on dinner, but they have a surprisingly affordable cocktail and wine list to match. The Oyster menu rotates out with the seasons and is split fairly evenly between Atlantic and Pacific options. I'm partial to the wonderful, large oysters of PEI, but you must try some of the Pacific fare as well. Oysters are ~$2-3 a piece and come with in-house saltines, cocktail, shaved horseradish, and vinegar ingredients so you can dress your oysters your way. The Dinner menu features starters that range from salads to shrimp and octopus, progresses to wood fired seafood mains, and has a separate section for sides that serve 2-3 per dish (We tend to order the sides and share them family style with the meal). I've yet to have anything here short of delectable. The presentation is as beautiful as the meal tastes with everything served in unique pans and ceramics to match the preparation. Standouts: * The Lobster Roll. For $15, you won't find anywhere better in Atlanta short of the late night menu at The Octopus Bar in EAV. Always available at the bar or your table (it is off the main dinner menu, but just ask), a generous amount of claw meat overflows a warm, buttery roll. * Sides: Beignet hush puppies, beets, brussel sprouts, succotash * Mains: the servers are very knowledgeable. The monkfish, octopus, and scallops are some of my go-to favorites The Optimist, redefining a gourmet seafood experience in landlocked Atlanta!
(5)
Amanda W.
I have had the pleasure of eating at The Optimist several times, and each time my meal has been excellent - actually some of the more memorable foods I have ever had. Since I'm a raw oyster lover, I always have to sample a few off of their daily selection. My preference is for the cold water oysters. The oysters always taste fresh, and they even come with homemade saltine crackers. The cocktails are also always top notch. The cocktail menu is always different every time I have been, but the drinks would put some of the other fancy cocktail places around Atlanta to shame. As for the main course, everything I've had has been delicious. Though if you're not a seafood lover, there is usually a beef or chicken dish available. Since my husband isn't much of a fish person, he has gotten the beef and it was good. I got the Crispy Whole Flounder once and it was phenomenal. I got a whole fish to eat. It was a pain in the ass trying to work around the bones, but it was so good. However, the best part of every meal I've had at The Optimist has been the dessert. The 2 desserts that stand out most to me is Apple Pie covered with melted, sharp, cheddar cheese. This may sound gross, but the salty / sweet flavor was insanely good. Another dessert I had was an ice cream sandwich. What sold me on the ice cream sandwich is that the waiter described it as tasting like Captain Crunch Berry cereal. It had homemade cornmeal cookies filled with homemade berry ice cream. And yes it did taste like the cereal.
(5)
Veronika D.
I tried their oysters from different states and some bass with grapefruit. Fish was ok, nothing special but the oysters were delicious!
(4)
Loan N.
Must try the scallops and oysters!! Like taking a bite into the ocean with the fresh seafood.
(4)
Nicole O.
Super cute place! The bar and the restaurant so full of character and charm, Prawns ala plancha! They are served with the head and tail, but worth every bit of work to eat. The bread, the sauce...altogether delicious.
(4)
Victoria V.
My boyfriend and I were blown away. Food, service, drinks are all amazing. Ian was our server and his service was impeccable. I had the snapper which was fresh and full of flavor. We will most certainly be back again.
(5)
Annie J.
Our amazing server Chris, combined with the phenomenal menu, made our family lunch absolutely wonderful. YOU MUST TRY the Grilled Octopus and the shrimp starters!
We went to The Optimist our first night in Atlanta and loved it! That atmosphere is trendy but cozy and welcoming, and the staff are professional but fun. We ordered a couple of their seafood dishes along with hush puppies and the fried rice to split and everything was delicious. Before our meal arrived we were brought bread to the table and it was amazing. I could've eaten it all night! For dessert we shared the key lime trifle - and ordering dessert was definitely the right choice. If I lived in Atlanta I would have definitely already been back by now!
(5)
Kimberly J.
I came here to accompany my friends on a city wide burger tour. While the burger was tempting, I opted for the lobster roll. IT WAS DELICIOUS!!! Best lobster roll I've had! It's very hearty with nice fattening buttered bread. I did get a chance to taste the burger and it was tasty. It tasted very fresh. I must admit that when I return, the burger will probably be the last thing on my mind. Every dish that passed us looked delicious. The service was great too. My only issue was the uncomfortable chairs. They just weren't suited for me. Thankfully our wonderful served exchanged the type of chair for me. The decor of the place is really nice. Prior to my party arriving, I sat outside in the blue chairs and enjoyed some sun. I could definitely see myself eating outside here.
(4)
James T.
Food = 4 Price = 3 Experience = 5 Very cool setup... not cheap. Get ready! I thought it was worth the money. The hushpuppies were great... the watermelon ahi was very minimal for 9.00... the lobster roll is good, but expensive.
(4)
HyeWon K.
We ordered lobster roll, clam for the starter, Grouper, tomato as a side dish. I felt eating the salt except Lobster roll. This is the 5th visit and I realized I expected better food every time because I loved the interior but no more....
(1)
Dani L.
Every time I come to this place I find it why I really love seafood Absolutely incredible cooking skills! Cheers to Chef Adam and Tonny for their absolutely great menu options. The octopus is absolutely to die for and the whole GA shrimp a la plancha is probably the closest thing to perfect you can find out there. Very New Orleans style dish, spicy, creamy, Yummy! If you have a chance to drive to that area in Atlanta please do yourself a favor and visit this place. They also have some oyster specials
(5)
Vicki N.
I've heard a few people raving about this place, so we went ahead and made reservations here. Parking can be difficult if you don't want to valet. We found a spot a street or two over. They seated us right away and in front of the kitchen, so we can watch them bustling around. For the food, we ordered the spicy charred octopus appetizer, hush puppies and the crispy haddock. Each dish was very good! While we were ordering, they placed a plate of bread on our table. It was basically a toasted Hawaiian roll, basted with butter and sprinkled with coarse salt. My favorite dish would be the octopus appetizer. Usually octopus is very chewy, but this dish was soft and easy to eat while being very flavorful. The hush puppies are fried using a beignet batter then topped with powdered sugar and served with a honey butter side. It was extremely good! The crispy haddock comes out as a whole fish, so it's slightly difficult cutting the fish apart, but you'll get the hang of it eventually. The haddock was perfectly crispy while tasting of ginger and cilantro. The fish also contained a lot of meat, so it is fulfilling and worth the price! Service was a little slow that night. Our appetizers took awhile to come out. Other than that everything was great! I would definitely venture here again to try other items.
(5)
Fefe P.
I realize there are hundreds of great reviews of The Optimist, but I promise you--they are well deserved!!! This is one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta. As a heads up, there is construction happening in the parking lot of the restaurant. You have to make a pretty sharp turn into the lot, which can be hard to see at night. Please don't let that deter you, as there is valet parking which is $2. Once you get past the construction, the restaurant itself is unassuming on the outside. When the weather heats up, there is patio style seating in the courtyard. Once inside, the atmosphere is always very cool. There is an oyster bar as you walk in and a large, open dining room. Service has always been outstanding and our last waiter (Chris from NY) was phenomenal in making our dinner experience amazing! Here are some tips: 1) Come Hungry--I guarantee you that there is not 1 bad thing on the menu...you just might be tempted to overeat, maybe :-). Also, they provide buttered, salted dinner rolls that have to be the best in the history of the world, possibly (hope you're not low carb). 2) Try the Starters--there are numerous Starters that will knock your socks off e.g. Mussels in green curry coconut broth, she-crab soup, charred octopus...to name a few. These will give you a nice variety to taste and share. Plus, portions are appropriately sized. 3) Corn Milk Hushpuppies--enough said 4) Leave Happy--the Fish & Chips and the Duck Fat Poached Swordfish were total standouts. If you leave room for dessert, it will be difficult to go wrong with anything on the menu (these usually change anyway). Happy Eating!!!
(5)
Tricia N.
My husband and I were visiting from NYC and we decided to have our anniversary dinner at The Optimist. I am so glad that we did. It was an amazing meal that we still talk about to this day. Our waiter was super friendly and knowledgable. He knew the menu and the ingredients very well and was able to make recommendations to us. The atmosphere is very modern and hip. They have a great, yet pricey drink and wine list. We started with some oysters, which were super-fresh, served with homemade saltines and horseradish. We shared the she-crab soup, which was amazing, as well as the shrimp a la plancha, served with an outrageous chile butter. I had the trigger fish entree and my husband had swordfish, both of which we really enjoyed. All of the food is presented very tastefully. They really know what they are doing with local ingredients. We sat near the open kitchen and liked watching the hustle and bustle. It was a great dining experience. This place is a little on the pricey side, but it was really worth every penny. I would absolutely come back on my next trip to Atlanta.
(5)
John G.
Definitely one of the best restaurants I've been too in years. 5 stars in every sense. Service, Atmosphere, Delicious Food, Amazing Drinks, and 100 % Clean. They've been open just shy of 2 years. I will be back.
(5)
Lindsay E.
My husband and I went on a date a couple weeks ago to The Optimist, and I loved it! The atmosphere is super chic but relaxed. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful. The food was very, very good. Here's what we had: Shell on GA shrimp a la plancha for our appetizer. This was amazing. Garlicy, creamy, seafoody sauce over succulent shrimps and perfect toast. How do they get it crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside?! My husband got the fish and chips with hushpuppies as a side. He didn't like how thick the fish's batter was, but I thought it was okay. I like the faint scent of beer you got right before biting in. Hushpuppies aren't usually my thing. These ones were sweet, which was cool. I got the NC flounder with a side of assorted mushrooms. I enjoyed it all, but by the time I was getting full, the mushroomy taste and the fishy tastes started to overwhelm me. I guess that meant it was time to stop stuffing myself! I'm looking forward to visiting again, and then I think I'll have a better idea of the Optimist. I'm suspicious that the chefs might be trying too hard with some of their dishes, but then again, I'm not terribly familiar with fine dining. Keeping with some of the simpler recipes might be a good idea for me next time, except for that shrimp a la plancha! Can't go wrong with that! The restaurant was quite loud. There were many interesting looking people, and I enjoyed surveying the room looking at the groups at the bar, the bachelorette parties, and the couples on dates. This would be an excellent place for a classy night out with a date or a group.
Why 5 Stars.......many visits 2nd review....They get it on all fronts. Delicious creative food, friendly knowledgable service and a "vibe" The place has a soul and a funky, hip and eclectic combination of diners, sraff and decor. A must try is the homemade caramel sea salt icecream!
(5)
Jennifer N.
I was excited to score a last minute reservation. The meal was great. We started off with the scallops. The broth was so good, I asked the server to bring me a couple pieces of bread to sop it up! Delicious. I had the tuna and my friend had the grouper. Both were spot on as far as taste and preparation. I skipped desert and just had another cocktail. Overall, it was a great dining experience. I hope to come back the next time we are in ATL.
(4)
Brooke M.
Absolutely fantastic seafood! Wow. This is our new favorite restaurant in Atlanta. Nicole, our waitress, was fantastic and just adorable. She said fish and chips or the lobster roll was perfect for lunch, but for dinner, go for the grouper with miso butter (incredible velvet masterpiece), swordfish cooked in duck fat (words can't even!), and the redfish encrusted in corn meal (wow!). We had all of those dishes and 12 oysters to share from the fresh oyster bar as an appetizer. They were awesome! The cocktail sauce was delicious and you felt like you were eating those oysters at the beach they were so fresh. The fried rice was so great we ordered 2 for the table and the asparagus with goat cheese is incredible. As you can tell, this is our favorite restaurant in Atlanta! Bravo x a billion! This place is incredible! WE WILL BE BACK SOON!
(5)
Dale N.
Killer octopus! Great cocktails and winning ambience.
(4)
Franklin J.
The food quality and taste was amazing. I got the $20 Lobster roll which was stuffed full of lobster. Wife got the scallops and they were giant sea scallops that tasted fresh, were well cooked and deliciously seasoned. Atmosphere is also a good one. They have putt putt while you wait. Little pricey for what it is I feel but definitely good.
(4)
Sebastian M.
The optimist is a little over priced in my opinion. Their oysters are good though. They tasted very fresh, which is big to me because most places in Atlanta that have oysters are going to be hit and miss. I almost always have at least one bad one in a dozen. Atlanta is landlocked so any oysters here are brought in so you can't really have high expectations. We had several drinks and oysters at the oyster bar after we ate dinner at Bartaco which was fun and it was great because they are like walking distance from each other. I got the Three Sheets Under which was really good. Fresh tasting and refreshing, nice and strong. I love strong drinks because I like the taste of alcohol so that was perfect. My wife and her friend had a Winter on Cape Cod. She enjoyed it as well. We would be back for another after dinner drink but I doubt we would be back for dinner.
(4)
Alexander G.
Wow! West Midtown has another hit on its hands. I ordered the Cobia served with Chorizo and a cream sauce, the white fish chowder, some oysters, and the key lime desert. Everything was fantastic and the portions did not disappoint. The mixture of flavors in each dish complemented each other perfectly and magically surfaced the unique flavors of the primary item. Did I mention how awesome the fish chowder was? I am optimistic (hehe) that I going to go back often just to order this fantastic appetizer.
(5)
Chris H.
I was very Optimistic about our romantic dinner at the Optimist. Having eaten here three times before, I had no doubt that our two year anniversary meal on Valentine's Day would be "da bomb" (as you chaps say). It was "da bomb" alright unfortunately it was an explosion of sodium. Picture an IED made of salt and you will understand how our meal tasted. Please allow me to explain... I booked our prix fixe menu reservation months earlier because I knew how popular Optimist would be. I really wanted this meal to "hit" the spot because our next stop would be '50 shades of grey'. The hostess seated us right away and even congratulated us on our anniversary. The waiter arrived shortly thereafter and took our drink order. He had a great attitude and was very attentive. Our first course was creme of cauliflower soup. I hadn't eaten all day in anticipation of this bad ass meal. When the soup arrived, it was the size of a thimble. A thimble! I kid you not! It was about a spoonful and a half and most of it was salt. Blah! Then they brought out some dinner rolls which looked like Hawaiian rolls with some melted butter on top. We passed on the rolls despite our hunger. The Heart of palm salad was decent and the only course seasoned properly. I had the escargot with bone marrow and egg. I took a giant gulp of water because I had a sneaky suspicion of the days worth of sodium I was about to ingest. I've had escargot a couple times before and liked them but these were a little tough and not every tasty. The combination of the marrow and egg was a good touch but it would've been nice to have some veggies or something to defray the "taste of the ocean". The meal was really slow and we were about to be late to our "steamy flick". I ordered the short rib which wasn't really that tender and it was...you guessed it salty as a MOFO. My GF ordered the blackened Cobia. It was mostly tasty except the last couple bites were sushi. By the time we finished our entree, it was 5 minutes until Mr. Grey began to discipline his Sub. I won't ever do VD here again but I know they are much better than this unfortunate experience and will try them for a regular meal.
(2)
Amy N.
We were greeted as soon as we got there. It took a couple of minutes for the waitress to serve us but she was great: she checked on us regularly, was extremely friendly, and answered all the questions we had about the wine and food. We sat at the oyster bar which limited the menu options but that was ok since we were only there for the oysters.They have a wide range of different oysters for you to choose from. I tried 7 out of the 12 they offered; they were delicious! They also have a nice selection of wine, beer, and cocktails. I will definitely be coming back!
(5)
Maya S.
Food had no taste #gross Do not come here You will leave sad #sadface Optimist? More like pessimist #HA
(2)
Erika E.
Finally made it to The Optimist for dinner last weekend and I am so glad that I did! The food, the drinks, the service, and the beautiful atmosphere all made for a wonderful dining experience. We decided to order some fresh raw oysters for appetizers, and I had the cornmeal crusted sea bass with an order of hush puppies on the side for the main course. I wanted to try dessert, but I was stuffed and couldn't have eaten another bite if I tried. I look forward to going back to The Optimist to try one of those lobster rolls for lunch one day and would totally recommend this place for anyone looking for a phenomenal dining experience.
(5)
Geordie J.
Better than average. Wife loved her scallops, I was underwhelmed with the blackened mahi. Way too much seasoning and slightly overcooked. You must try the spicy clam roll starter, that was amazing. Had a side of crispy fingerling potatoes with bacon that were very good. Atmosphere is typical for a newer, hip restaurant in west midtown; open, light and airy, with all of the servers in the usual plaid shirt and skinny jeans. Service was above par, very attentive. It was a hot day today so I drank a lot of water, they must have refilled seven times. I had the bourbon special, which was very good. I'd definitely return, but would not recommend the mahi. The cornmeal-crusted snapper was my second choice so I'll try that next time.
The starter fried oysters were not to our liking ( may be we are not oysters fans!). My lobster roll was just fab, and so was the side hush puppies( please don't leave this place without having them melt in your mouth!). Friendly people, good atmosphere, small quantities, good food! Our dinner started alright but ended well
(4)
Amy O.
Was "squeezed in" for a table of 10 but the restaurant ended up being pretty empty when we got there. The oysters were amazing. I ended up getting the whole fish which was delivered then violently but open in front of me. Made me loose my appetite, wish they would have done that in the back as I had suggested. However food and atmosphere was great. I would go back for the oysters.
(3)
Charles C.
This was my 3rd time to go but my first time I ate in the dinning room. We started at the oyster bar and had excellent service. The oysters were fantastic. Next we moved to the bar in the dining room where Don took great care of us. The gumbo was very tasty And the Cobia was outstanding. It is a bit loud but not overbearing. If you are looking for a great dining experience give them a try
(5)
Mai H.
My friend and I had greasy food for the past couple of days so we decided to splurge on our last night in Atlanta. We came here due to the near perfect review. Gumbo - taste funny and bitter. It looked very black for some reason. I Informed the waiter and he said kitchen apologized. Took order off our bill. Thank you. Fried oyster - oyster was very fresh. But the breading fell apart and was very soggy. Left most of the breading uneaten. Fish chowder - watery like a milk broth with ingredients thrown in it. It was forgettable. Definitely don't have the feel and look of a chowder. Baked oyster - I can't tell if the oyster was fresh or not. It was prepared with a hefty layer of sea salt and garmishes. I just did not realized the amount of the salt that was on that oyster. Unfortunately, i ate the oyster with all the preparations and I was not happy when the oyster hit my tongue. It was like eating a spoonful of salt with a small soft pouch of something that burst in my mouth. This this the point where I thought to myself it was a mistake to come here and I want to cancel the rest of my meal but I didn't act upon it Grilled squid - sold out Grilled Mahi - was very watery as if it wasn't completely thawed or it was boiled prior to putting on the grill for grill marks. The fish was not truly grilled. We can taste the grains of salt on fish. Part of it was very salty. Part of it was very bland. We just threw the fish in our mouth and quickly ask for a check. Service - not so good. I thought this restaurant was suppose to be a bit on the high class since the prices are not cheap. A drop of sauce got on the table and the waiter ignored it. We decided to shared an entree. He placed a sharing spoon about an inch next to the sauce on the table and left. I thought to myself this is unacceptable in this kind of environment. I was sort of annoyed. I have to remind the waiter to refill my drink. I felt a bit ignored by our waiter. I shouldn't but I put down my 20% tip. We got out of there as fast as we can because there was not a chance we will buy another dish from the menu not even dessert. Overall, they have fresh ingredients but dont know how to cook them. I think the main chef was out of town for the night and left an apprentice to take over because there is no way yelpers will give this kind of ratings with what I just experienced. This place is definition very memorable for me, but all for the wrong reasons.
(1)
Jennifer H.
Appetizers were awesome and good size. Octopus was so soft and the sauce was just great. Large shrimp was cooked perfectly. Their bread is buttery that you can see and feel the melted real butter. Probably the best dinner roll I have ever had anywhere... The whole fried snapper was good, but seemed overpriced. Soft inside and crispy outside. Cobia was plain and again overpriced. Will come back for dinner but order a few appetizers and try the oysters. And of course just to get their dinner rolls. The place looks spacious and nice.
(4)
D M.
Very good experience with a business dinner. Servers were attentive and friendly. Great wine selection, awesome appetizers (fried oysters, little gem lettuce, and seafood gumbo highly recommended). Georges Bank scallops were perfectly cooked as was the grouper. Definitely recommended.
Came back during lunch for the infamous lobster roll. Honestly don't understand the rave. The chunks of lobster were big and tender but the sandwich was not very flavorful. I also got the frothy she crab soup which lived up to its frothy description. The soup was a bit too fishy for my taste though. The shrimp toast that came with it was very greasy, if that is your cup of tea. I made reservations for 1230, just in case it was packed. Sure enough, the lot was full but the valet attendants were prompt. We were seated immediately and the server was very friendly. I give this a 2.5 at most. I don't consider the food to be of average deliciousness an I definitely did not feel it was worth the price.
(2)
Jamie S.
Optimist has it all...ambiance, amazing food, and hand crafted drinks. We ordered a bit of everything from oysters, halibut, swordfish, kale salad to gumbo soup. The sides are shared portions....highly recommend the award winning fried rice! There is a putting green outside with an outdoor dining patio as well. Great experience!
(5)
Ray M.
Today after much ado I finally was able to eat here. The service was great the ambience simple yet elegant. I had the shrimp appetizer it was quite good probably the best thing I ate. Though tasty it was very messy. I also had the scallops and a friend had the sword fish. Both were perfectly cooked . But not exceptional in flavor . The hush puppies however were terrible! Salty nasty sea biscuits is what they should call them . Barely edible really . They were gracious to remove those nasty bites from our bill. I don't know if I'd be back. I did not experience the wow factor .
(3)
Marcella G.
I like this restaurant, not just because of the food but because of the atmosphere. It's trendy, it's romantic, it's cozy and it definitely served good food. The staff is very attentive (hello never-empty-glass) and they know what's good on the menu, so if you ever undecided just ask them. I came here with my BF. I ordered the grouper with truffle oil and my BF got the swordfish and they both are really nice. The fish were cooked perfectly, the sauces were both amazing, it's just that it left me unsatisfied, somehow. I think it's just that the food were nice by itself, but just okay combined. Or maybe for the price that I paid, I expected something more. We also ordered the sides (beets), which was amazing and also the dessert chocolate tart which extremely amazing. The beets were tender but not mushy, and coated with delicious vinaigrette so it's sweet and also a little bit sour. The chocolate tart, came with a very light cream that made the chocolate more present. The cream just blew me off I guess. The tart was flaky and the chocolate filling was almost like brownie. Oh my, I need more.
(4)
Lindsay B.
Really delicious. Had dinner with out of town work colleagues and this was an excellent choice! Have been several times and The Optimist comes through again. Cocktails were delicious and maybe a little too drinkable, the seafood fresh and the meal - exactly what we wanted. Top 3: 1) clam roll 2) hush puppies 3) house made hot sauce/koozies! (tie) Great place to host a dinner big or small. And, who doesn't have to play a little put-put and drink a cold cocktail before a seafood dinner?
(4)
Helen K.
Went for lunch today and although you can definitely tell that the seafood is very fresh, I might have had too high of expectations that I was little underwhelmed. However, I hope to go for dinner and hopefully re-update my review with additional stars. Located near all the eateries on howell mill area, the location, restaurant decor, and ambiance was very nice. We started off with the oysters, both the East coast and the West coast and overall preferred the East coast and felt the West coast oysters a bit fishy. On the plus side, the house made crackers to eat with your oysters were pretty delicious. For entree, we had the lobster rolls since this was only available during weekday lunch menu. Despite my love for lobster rolls, this was not my favorite. I thought it had too much of the sauce/mayo and didn't really taste refreshing compared to the one that I had in Washington DC, which tops in my books at the moment. However, the sides were amazing, which gives me high hopes for the dinner menu. Hush puppy beignet was to die for and the shoe string fries were very flavorful. Overall, I would not recommend the lobster roll and I hope to find other entrees that meets my tastebud here.
(3)
Jillian A.
A dear friend of ours came into town from Chicago on a visit. Right off the plane we ask what he's in the mood for. He calmly replies "seafood". I have been jonesin' to come to the Optimist. He abides. What awaited us was far beyond my expectations. We'll start with the fact that we were without a reservation on a Thursday night and expected that we might wait. Luckily for us, seating at the incredibly charming oyster bar was available. Our waiter promptly came to us and took our drink orders. Considering we were newbies to the experience, we asked our waiter for his opinion on how to order. He recommended that we all agree on an appetizer and agree on three meals that we can share amongst each other. We came to the consensus that we would start with the Charred Spanish Octopus, then we would order the Fish & Chips, the Grouper, and the Duck Fat Poached Swordfish. This is the best decision ever made. I am a fan of octopus just based on the experiences I have had with sushi. Knowing what I now know about how it's suppose to taste has ruined octopus for me in these familiar settings. You can cut the octopus with a fork at the Optimist. Enough said. Everything we had was my favorite, but if I had a favorite over all favorites, the Duck Fat Poached Swordfish is the winner. It was so tender that it melted in my mouth. I've had swordfish before, but not swordfish like this. It was fresh and enjoyable until the very last bite. The grouper was meaty and refreshing. The Fish and Chips are easily the best that you will have in this city. It sounds silly considering it's a fairly average item on many menus throughout the world, but I would be hard pressed to find a place that did it so right. Finally, we were sold on dessert. We indulged in the Maple Ice Cream Sandwich and the Banana Cake. The Banana Cake was easily the victor among the two, but don't discount the ice cream sandwich. The pumpkin butterscotch cookies that create the sandwich are excellent. If I had a complaint, it would be that I can't see myself venturing back anytime soon due to the cost. However, you DEFINITELY get what you pay for and I will never discount that when it comes to good food, good friends, and good vibes.
(5)
Karen L.
ATMOSPHERE: The Optimist is a good seafood restaurant! I love how much open space the restaurant has. It feels like you're sitting in a clean, urban warehouse with fancy lighting and full bars. SERVICE: Our server looked very young but was really impressive! She had a lot of knowledge of each dish and was very articulate. FOOD: The rolls that they bring out are SO soft, fluffy -- they are super buttery and topped with salt. Can't be very healthy, but I couldn't stop eating them. We got mussels as an appetizer, and it was pretty good but not amazing. It had a good coconut broth though. We also got spicy charred Spanish octopus as an appetizer, and it tasted like BBQ wings! Except with chewy octopus. For my main dish, I had the duck fat poached swordfish. It was amazing! It came with chunks of smoked short rib, which were super tender and a great complement with the fish. I also tried some of my friend's crispy whole jack crevalle. It's a whole cooked fish, bones and all -- unfortunately, more bones than meat. I liked my swordfish a lot more. This place is a bit pricey, but I don't think you'll be disappointed. Their menu seems to change daily also -- I'm really sad I couldn't get a lobster roll, which I'd seen pictures of! But I do like that they have so many unique dishes. I wish some of their plates were better, but I was really happy with my swordfish.
(4)
Ken R.
Lunch today was incredible. The Chowder fries are insanely delicious. Hushpuppies and lobster roll equally awesome! Cannot wait to return, only regret is have not been before today!
(5)
Jenny D.
This is a great place for a special occasion. The service was OUTSTANDING At first the host tried to sit at the table closer to the kitchen, I told the host that I prefer not to be too close to the open kitchen and he moved us back without any problem. Once we were seated we were greeted by server immediately. Food was very good and very fresh. However be prepared to pay a lot for the food. Actually the appetizers were decent price. I'll try to remember how much things cost. I believe the appetizer mussels were about $14, they give you a hearty portion so I thought it was worth it. Other appetizers I believe were reasonable priced. What I think was a rip off was their main dishes. For example I ordered the mahi mahi, all by itself it cost $26. It was simple dressed with a lemon and parsley. That's it. Yes it was good and fresh, cooked to perfection. But really for $26.00 they can't add a vegetable or starch. You have to buy the sides separate, which I realize that's how some of the finer restaurants sell their food. ihat is just a reason not to come restaurant too often, save it for special occasions. If I do go back just as a usual Friday night dinner, I might just order appetizers and couple of cocktails. This way I feel like i'm getting my money's worth. Oh by the way, the sides were about $9. I ordered the basmati fried rice that they claim was voted best fried rice in the US. I was suckered into ordering it, it was good but I wouldn't say it was the Best as they claim. In my opinion it was on the salty side. Our other side was hush puppies - this was delicious and I would order it again.
(4)
Tamera B.
I guess after 3 satisfying visits I can write a review now. The Optimist has been great for: - Some of the best fish preparations I've had in this city. Each time I've tried a fish I've never had (or heard of) before. The latest was cornmeal crusted tautog prepared with charred okra and a pepper jelly - excellent! - A leisurely, no-cell phone dining experience with friends and loved ones. And it was good to see most diners did not have phones out but were enjoying the company and food. - The most delicious salty and buttery yeast rolls. I could shamelessly eat a plateful (I haven't) and not share. Get your own. - A well-thought out wine list - One of my favorite things to eat in Atlanta - a clam roll! - Celebrity spotting. At least 2 of the 3 times. Well, let's say 1.5 of the 3. I don't want to count a "Real" Housewife of Atlanta. But I absolutely will count Aaron Paul. Breaking Bad Bread, bitch! I would absolutely count The Optimist as a place I'd take guests, it has been a consistent representation of stellar food in Atlanta. Cheers!
(5)
Greg A.
We found the Optimist to be a creative seafood venue with great service and nicely prepared meals. The octopus was probably the best we've ever had and we regularly try it since it's so difficult to get right. Morimotos was number one but the Optimist's preparation and presentation took over with room to spare.
(4)
Carrie B.
Finally went for my birthday earlier this month for more than just the bar and cocktails and I really am sorry I didn't give this place a shot sooner. I'm a huge seafood-lover and tend to be pretty disappointed with my overall experience at a particular Buckhead seafood establishment. Not only is The Optimist way closer to me, but the service and food were spot-on. The octopus appetizer was amazing as was the cobia and tuna. Don't waste your time on the fish & chips, anyone can do that, branch out and explore this amazing menu, I promise you won't be disappointed! Oh and the place is stunning and they must have great sound-baffling since even though it is a huge place, we didn't have to elevate our voices to hear each other.
(5)
Doug L.
First the good. Our server was attentive and when we had an issue the manager came over and tried to make us feel better Not sure I have been more disappointed with a restaurant than here. I am a vegetarian and they acted like I was from Mars. I get it, I'm not Mainstream but most places here one choice. They did a vegetable plate. The sauce the beans were good, I love horseradish. They had little peppers that were flavorless and a pile of mushrooms that were, just mushrooms. My wife had a fish and she didn't like the sauce, it was supposed to be a ginger sauce and almost no ginger. They did bring her a rice side that she loved but Order a crab which was forgetful. The decor is nice but based on this I can think of 50 other restaurants I would send you to first
(2)
Abhi K.
We went for lunch on a weekday. The space is large and since it was an off-time, there was no wait. Walking in, I was immediately impressed with their wall of liquor. Not only is it comprehensive, but it is aesthetically pleasing. The main dining room looked like a converted warehouse with exposed piping. I know that's super trendy and it's really un-hipster of me to say this, but that stuff still impresses me. There is also an oyster bar, which was closed during the day. I got the filet-of-fish sandwich, which was pretty good. It was a good chunk of fish between two buttery pieces of jalapeno texas toast. The jalapeno gave it a little kick, but was not overly intrusive as I only placed what the taste was halfway through the meal. I also had a side of hush puppies, which were amazing. They were little balls of cornmeal with whole corn niblets, deep fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar. They came with a brown butter, which was like crack for a foodie. Do not order the burger (the fact that its the only non-seafood entree on the menu should've been your first clue). It is greasy and nothing special. Parking is a $2 valet. I'm against places that charge for valet parking, especially when there is no option to self-park. Economically, people would probably be willing to pay more than $2 if it was a voluntary gratuity. This really hurts the drivers since I'm sure they keep less of the $2 than if they received the same amount as a gratuity.
(4)
Trinh N.
The atmosphere was nice and hipster-ish. Very loud too, but it's because everyone was enjoying their time. The waitress I had was super super super nice. Heck... Even the people that sat next to me were so friendly. If you're looking for a place to relax and enjoy your time and have good food, this place is it. For starters, I got the Frothy She Crab soup and it was sooooo yummy! If you love crabs, get this soup. You'll be in love. I honestly wouldn't have mind eating this the whole time there because it was that good. Everyone kept raving about the hush puppies and I couldn't help but ordered one for myself and I'm not all that into it. Maybe it's just the hush puppies today because they were too salty for me. If they didn't sprinkle some salt on any of them, I'm sure they would have been so much better. And you would think that by sprinkling powdered sugar would make it sweet, but actually doesn't taste sweet at all. The duck fat poached swordfish....can you say AMAZING? Yelpers weren't kidding when they recommended this dish. You can't go wrong with it.
(4)
Laura K.
Had a disappointing experience last weekend. Server was missing for majority of our meal, we had to ask two people for a new round of drinks (which were made incorrectly), and our swordfish was overwhelmingly fishy tasting. The octopus appetizer was the only highlight of the meal.
(2)
Mark M.
This is a great place. I haven't been here in months because of a job transfer. The food was just as good as the last time, the service is excellent and the atmosphere is just terrific. If you're in the area I would highly recommend that you stop.
(5)
Lilly Y.
After a long wait, I finally stopped in with a work colleague for lunch. The Optimist has been on my list for some time now, and it was worth the wait, for the most part! First off, they have a really small parking lot. Like they can only fit maybe 10-15 cars in it, and have access to an overflow lot somewhere else. I didn't see where, but we waited for a bit to get our car back. Once inside, the atmosphere was really cool. Classy, clean, not overpopulated, and slightly nautical without being cheesy or gaudy. We sat in a corner booth and got to look at the whole restaurant. The chef was walking around and making sure all the food was prepared properly before going to a table, and the servers were quick and efficient, without being too quick or overbearing. It seems they found a happy medium and are sticking to it. I ordered the gumbo to start with, and it came with some bread wrapped in parchment paper held together with twine. The gumbo was fantastic! I could come back and eat it as a full meal. A little heat, but not too much, and the consistency of the roux and other flavors were spot on. For my entree, I had the red snapper over sauteed okra and bok choy. The snapper was good, and served with the skin on. I could tell it wasn't super fresh, but I have to admit I'm a little biased and rotten from spending time on the Gulf Coast. My boyfriend is from Mobile and his family always gets us the best, freshest seafood when we go down there. I knew I would take a gamble when I got snapper at The Optimist, but wanted to try it anyway. The flavors were good, and they did a good job with it. Bottom line is that it doesn't compare to how fresh the fish is when I order it in Mobile. Moving on, the bok choy was hard to eat. It was sauteed in oil, I think, and it was chewy and wouldn't break apart easily. The leaves were soggy and hard to tear with your teeth, so we ended up chewing on them for too long (my colleague got the same entree), and just it was not a pleasant experience. The okra was good, and I ended up eating around the bok choy just to get the okra that was cooked properly. For dessert, I had the chocolate creme brulee with Oreo whipped cream, and it was heavenly! Rich chocolate flavor, and the whipped cream was even better. I don't think I've had a chocolate creme brulee before, and I think the bar was set pretty high. My colleague had the banana bundt cake with ice cream and caramel sauce (can't remember the exact description, and the menu on their website isn't the same as the restaurant, at the time of writing). I had a small bite of the cake and it tasted like my mom's homemade, from scratch banana bread fresh out of the oven. In other words, good with a touch of nostalgia. My least favorite part of the experience was our server. He was too formal for our liking. We both prefer bubbly servers who take the time to get to know you, whereas this guy was all business. He was stiff, and didn't have much personality, but did everything technically right: kept our water glasses full, checked on us when our food hit the table, etc. So, I can't say he was a bad server, but it would have been nice to see more of his personality while we were there. I'm definitely coming back, but probably for a drink with boyfriend and to split some gumbo and dessert if we're hungry.
(4)
Katie R.
I love this restaurant, and I can't believe it took me so long to discover it in West Midtown. I met a colleague here a few weeks ago for drinks and dinner. I arrived early, so I posted up at the bar. Good wine list, interesting cocktail menu, and nice bartenders - the perfect combination. There are actually two bars in the restaurant (I think one is the official, so there is plenty of space to stretch out. The decor is all over wood/distressed metal, and it works really well in West Midtown. Lots of open windows, too! Moving on to dinner. Everything on the menu looked great, and I've never had a friend who told me they had a bad meal there. I'm pretty sure I had scallops, but really, it's all good. As mentioned in other reviews, service was excellent. I really have nothing bad to say about any part of the experience. When I first got to the restaurant, I went straight to the bar (really, it had been a long week), and I completely missed the outdoor garden area. I was able to check it out while waiting for my car, and I'm sad I missed it. Lots of green space, picnic tables, in general a nice outdoor space to enjoy a drink. Valet parking.
(5)
Ada K.
We had a team dinner here, so nothing was spared: we basically tried everything on the dinner menu! The appetizers were amazing, the shrimp scampi (while messy) and the octopus (while well octopus) stood out the most! That octopus is a must try -- haven't had one so well prepared in the states in a while! I also got out of my comfort zone and went with the monk fish and it didn't disappoint, a very unique lobster-esque taste. Definitely worth a try! Great atmosphere, wonderful wine selection. Had a great time!
I really liked it. Took a date here; we ordered varied oysters and I had the Octopus. Everything was prepared very well; I will be coming back
(4)
Craig M.
I'm from out of town and got the opportunity to eat at this place last night. The food was excellent but what really stood out was after waiting a little too long for our entries the manage brought out our food saying the wait was unacceptable to their standards and did not charge us for the main course. Very classy and not expected.
(4)
Daniel L.
Oh, hello there! Came here for a wedding last saturday and my expectations were blown away. I blame the alcohol and great company. 4.5/5 To start, this restaurant is hidden behind Octane, near 5 Seasons and M St apts. Tall ceiling and wide spaces, I really enjoyed that there was space to host a wedding and dance as well. After the ceremony, they walked around with a couple notable hors d'oeuvres. Chicken tenders - I was going to pass on this, but after the look of amazement on a few faces, I gave in (and I'm glad I did!) They were lightly breaded and just enough flavor to want more, but what was the kicker was the sauce it came with! thebomb 5/5 Spicy octopus bites - I had a few of these, and although they weren't spicy, I could tell after more than 3 or 4, you'd sweat a little. This says more about my tolerance though, since I stick to Mild. 4/5 After a few beers, we were seated and the main dishes came out. The appetizer was a little gem lettuce salad, with lemon anchovy dressing, croutons and parm cheese. Pretty average. The dressing made it worth finishing, would not want another. Reminded me of standard caesar. 3.5/5 Main entree: Skirt Steak on a bed of pinto beans garnished with jalapeño peppers. Very very very good. The steak was (seared?) or grilled medium-rare and sliced. Paired with red wine and a bite of grilled(whole) jalapeño pepper made this an exceptional experience for me! 5/5 Dessert: Banana bread cupcake. You HAVE to take a bite of this properly (unwrap, and devour an entire 1/4 of the cupcake from the top cream to bottom) to truly appreciate this. I absolutely loved the fluffy bread paired with the banana whipped cream washed down with a hefeweizen beer. 5/5 easily. All in all, wonderful food from this place. Can't wait to try more seafood next time (what they're known for, I know... what am I eating steak here for?!) 4.5/5
(4)
Cheryl T.
This restaurant lives up to all the hype. Seriously one of the best seafood restaurants I've ever experienced, and definitely the best inland restaurant. Worth the wait to get a table, and while not cheap, the food is fresh and deftly prepared. We ate here for my birthday, six of us, and no one was dissatisfied. Not even my 83 year old dad, who thinks a plate of food should cost the same as it did in 1950. Doesn't matter what you get, it's all good, but if you love oysters, definitely try a few with their homemade cocktail or minionette sauces.
(5)
arlene d.
Went for an Anniversary lunch with my husband. We had a great lunch. The service was good. We had the she crab soup more like a bisque but I like the creamy smooth texture. Would have liked to seen a small garnish of crab on the top. Shrimp today was very good pretty heavy though. We had a mixed salad, the mussels which were delicious quiet spicy . We did get the lobster roll based on all the reviews but that was the one thing I was disappointed in the lobster was water logged and the flavor was lacked .Would pass on that . Fries were very good.
(4)
Tim H.
Went for lunch and sat at the bar for faster service. The gumbo was so so. The lobster roll was also ok. Did not think it was anything amazing like previous reviewers.
(3)
Bruce L.
Dinner Review: I came here for lunch before and seated my self in the casual section of the restaurant. "Take my money!" - should explain my experience. For this review, I am fixated on my dining room experience. This venue is divided into two sections (Dining area and casual area). Menu for both area are different which adds to their diversity of selections. I recommend a minimum of two visits to experience both. An establishment like the Optimist thrives on providing extraordinary service to multiply the adventure of dining that you already get from their wide selections of seafood preferences (Great for seafood lovers). OYSTERS - To have a generous range of selections of oysters is stimulating to my relish appetite and this privilege is not easy to come by within Atlanta combined with fine quality (I'm referring to seafood - It's FRESH). I recommend any deep-sea oysters (Lucky Limes and Kumamoto are two of my favorites). Any time I see arugula salad on the menu, it's a no brainer. I am surprised that I do run into people who had never had arugula O_o (Arugula consist of many variation of flavors between sweet and spicy - for those who might be curious). If you are one of those who never had it, get it! The arugula salad is a fine selection to begin your meal. Selecting my main entre, I was leaning towards the snapper but when I saw GRUNT on the menu, I was intrigued by the name. I had to inquire about this fish labeled GRUNT! I understand describing a type of fish is a difficult task for anyone. My server had proficiently explained the type of texture, made comparisons and described the preparation of the grunt fish. Of course, I made my selection to the grunt fish and let me simplify it.... It was meaty (Like a tuna steak). Yumm The Optimist is a place you may take your significant other or a prospecting significant other ;) I do not see why your date wouldn't think you're a great "catch" after being nourished and delighted with what this establishment indulges you with.
(5)
Velvet B.
#11 out of top 50 restaurants on Atlanta according to Atlanta magazine. The lobster roll was divine for $21. Oysters are expensive and they were out of there homemade crackers. :( The decor is fabulous but our waiter was fumbling all night. Cannot wait to come back for a full dinner not just a snack. But be prepared to spend$100 for 2 sans alcohol.
(4)
David G.
I went to lunch here with my parents. I am not an oyster eater, but they are. They claim they are the best they have ever had. I ordered fish and chips. It was a good choice. My parents ordered the fish sandwich and the shrimp burger. Both were excellent. This is a good lunch spot downtown.
(4)
Kiki J.
Cool atmosphere. First time eating there. We ate on the oyster side on the patio by the putting green. We were on our way to a concert at Terminal West and just wanted to get a small bite and some drinks before the show. The oysters did not disappoint! Good service. Friendly wait staff. Definitely going back to try the other side of the restaurant which is slightly more formal with an extensive menu, in which to our dismay, was not an option since we were sitting on the 'oyster side' of this eclectic joint. Did I mention there was a putting green?
(5)
L S.
Visiting from Chicago and planned to visit the Optimist after clients of ours told us it was the "Only restaurant we need to go to while in Atlanta". With a recommendation like that- and limited time in town- it seemed to be our best bet. Since it was brunch time, we started with Bloody Marys- which were outstanding- just enough spice and perfectly balanced. Our waiter was extremely helpful in guiding us through the menu, so after discussing our tastes he recommended we try the grilled octopus (crispy potato salad, chorizo, herbs, creme fraiche) and the head on ga white shrimp a la plancha, ("sopping" toast, arbol chile, lime ), and the east coast oysters (fresh horseradish and mignonette). The octopus was very good and was an interesting play with the texture of the petite crispy chips and creamy creme fraiche. The oysters were fresh and tasted as oysters should. But wow-sweet Lord- the shrimp- That was an experience all on its own. I would honestly say that dish alone was the greatest thing I have tasted in at least 3 years. It was perfectly done and went so well with the deliciously made in-house crackers they had on the table (which btw they should sell in stores because we would eat them everyday they are so delicious!) Okay so all of that sounds great right? So, we decided to order more food as we were settling in. The next round began with a lobster cobb salad (dijon mustard dressing), 2 cups of seafood gumbo w/ potluck bread and rice, and another round of Bloody Marys. Okay-now I'm not sure what happened from our first set of dishes to the second- but honestly and quite surprisingly it wasn't even in the same realm as the first. The lobster cobb- even though the lobster was cooked perfectly- the butter lettuce was sopping wet from the amount of dijon- so much that no other flavors could be tasted. We actually just picked out the lobster and left both salads on the plates. The gumbo was attractively presented with individually wrapped bread servings, but the gumbo itself was lifeless and felt like the roux had been rushed therefore lacked any real depth of flavor. And finally, and most sadly- the second rounds of Bloody Marys had clearly been made by someone with less care and attention as the firsts, as they tasted bitter and overly spiced. One came with an olive and one didn't, and the lime wedges were both dried out. I know that can sound sounds overly picky- but as we discussed during the meal- the change in quality while dining, etc flavors would have been the difference between a Michelin star (or two) and nothing. We were poised for a shoo-in and left feeling slightly disappointed. Probably best they don't offer that rating system here. Anyway- overall it was a positive experience- simply because I was able to taste their shrimp dish. I really think my life might actually be better as a result of those flavors! The dining room, bar, and exterior seating area were beautifully designed, and the wait staff could not have been more pleasant. But the turn in taste half way through almost guaranteed we won't be dining again the next time we are in town.
(4)
Craig S.
What is left to say about how amazing The Optimist is? I recommend this to anyone in Atlanta - love Seafood? This is your spot. Love a fun bar? Check. Want good food, while also nice but not stuffy? Make a reservation ASAP. They keep the menu changing, and I've yet to have anything bad. Much like St. Cecilia, I think the side dishes are some of the best things on the menu. Don't skip on the sides!
(5)
Kate M.
I was really excited to visit The Optimist for my birthday dinner after hearing all my friends talk about how great it was. Overall it was just OK - there were good and parts to the meal and experience but I don't know that I would necessarily come back here again to celebrate a special occasion. They had an awesome area outside with putt putt on the lawn. On the Saturday I went they had live music that was fun and folksy and a really nice touch. all the doors were open and the warm night air breezed into the bar easily. It was neat to see the oyster bar and wood fired hearth where they made all of those style plates. I think if I do return it would be to grab a few cocktails and some apps. Not only would it be more laid back, but the price point would certainly help my wallet. The staff was welcoming, and the restaurant was still very busy at 9:15 pm which was the earliest we could get our reservation. The valet was not complimentary which was surprising, but it was only $2. The hostess had great attention to detail and while seating us flipped out our napkins from white to black so we wouldn't get any fuzzies on what we were wearing. Definitely a good eye! The space itself is industrial chic with a cool beach atmosphere. They have a beautifully stocked bar and open concept kitchen where you'll see the chefs at work and flames shooting up every once in a while. Now, on to the food! I absolutely love seafood, but was a bit disappointed when our waiter told us they were already out of multiple dishes and if we wanted a dessert we better order it now since they were running out of most. We hadn't even looked at the menu yet! We got some drinks (They were delicious! I highly recommend the Jolly Roger.) and perused at our leisure. For apps we got the frothy she-crab soup and the salmon "opportunity." The soup wasn't made with actual crab meat - just crab roe. It was very frothy as the name implied but it had the viscosity of water. The flavor was good and I could have drank the whole thing in two minutes. That being said it was described as a bisque to me and I really prefer them to be thicker than the dish we got. The shrimp toast with it was very tasty but super greasy. You could see the oil spreading all over the napkin it was placed on top of. The salmon opportunity was four bites of raw salmon with peaches, oil, and marcona almonds on top. It was just an alright bite. I don't think it was worth the $10 price tag since the oil really overpowered the fish. For entrees we got the monkfish and the skirt steak. The steak was incredibly tasty with a lovely demi-glaze on top. It had roasted zucchini and squash underneath which really soaked up the flavor. The monkfish was in a creamy tomato broth that paired nicely with the dish. Both of these were solid and I would order them again. The plates were small but well presented. We didn't order dessert because almost all of the choices were already sold out. Our waiter was nice enough to at least attempt to cajole us, but we were ready to go since it was getting pretty late. The Optimist was a solid three stars. I'd love to go back at lunch to see what their offerings look like or for a happy hour where I could get a few cocktails and maybe some oysters to munch on. Fingers crossed they won't be out of much then!
I really, really, really love the lobster roll here. Granted it's the only one I've tried so far but based on photos, I really love the large chunks of meat here vs some other places that do smaller pieces. Also, the housemade potato chips in vinegar or lime (something acidic/citrusy) is the perfect complement to it. I ordered lobster rolls for my mom and I from here once and she loved it so much we went again with two of my friends. This time we tried some cocktails and apps and entrees. Everything was A-OK but I still thought the lobster roll was the best thing I had. My friend greatly enjoyed her oyster and both fish entrees (we had one poached in duck fat that I had been so excited about) but I ended up finding both of them lacking in flavor. I would have loved to take them home and add some more seasoning. The corn hushpuppy app was pretty good but nothing amazing. I will def be back for the lobsta roll!
(4)
Christine U.
My boyfriend and I came here for our 3rd anniversary dinner because he read on The Week that it was one of the best restaurants in the US. We were definitely not disappointed! The charred octopus was by far the star of the night. PERFECTLY prepared and the accompaniments were very well thought out. Our entrees were also very well cooked and the service was excellent. The only low note was the carrot side that we got. It was crazy salty and a little burnt. I believe they've since taken them off the menu so I'm sure everything there now is great. Would definitely go back and I would certainly recommend it for special occasions!
(4)
Martina L.
The ambiance was very nice and they were pretty busy. I confess we expected more. We had oysters and octopus as appetizers, they were really good! The bread they serve was like a Hawaiian king brushed with olive oil and Seasalt - I prefer when restaurants as expensive as this, serve a freshly baked bun. Out of the entrees, mine was definitely the best of the 3 different our table ordered, none of the others were impressed with the fish they got or the sides.... Mine was monkfish and it was quiet exquisite. It's definitely a fine restaurant and service was pretty good. For the price I did have higher expectations though.
(4)
Jenny H.
I am disappoint. A friend of mine and I decided to go out and enjoy some fine cuisine. Like most folks in Atlanta, we'd heard amazing things about this place, and were very excited to try it out. Firstly, I like my wine, and I was disappointed in the selection. Not that it was bad or subpar, but it wasn't great, and our server didn't really seem to have a ton of knowledge about the wines. I asked for his help pairing, and was underwhelmed by the results. We started the night with a hamachi sashimi dish and some oysters. While delicious, I felt like the sashimi was way overpriced for the portion. The oysters, as expected, were amazing. We then each ordered a soup. I didn't see sizes on the menu (cup vs bowl), and our waiter didn't mention any either, so when we received our soup, I was surprised by how large the portion was. There was so much soup that I was almost full by the end. It seems strange to complain about, and certainly I could have eaten less, but I've always been told to clean my plate. Anyway, I think I would have been happier with cup or something. My friend ordered a gumbo and I ordered a chowder. The flavors were okay, but nothing special. Our main dishes were the scallops and the halibut. I was surprised by how small the scallops were, but my friend seemed pleased. I think these were the highlight of the evening. Great, obviously fresh, perfect seafood. The halibut was...not what I expected. It was a whole fish - head and all - and it was fried. I asked the server to fillet it for me, as I didn't know where to start. It came with a tangy bell pepper side/sauce. Because it's a whole fish, there were obviously plenty of bones to be had. I wish I'd known, as I probably would have ordered something else. I felt like our experience was pretty mediocre. Nothing stand out, but nothing offensive - which to me, after hearing so many wonderful things about this place, made it a let down. So, not a great experience for us, but I hope to try again someday. At the very least, I'd love to visit the oyster bar.
(3)
Leang C.
Seafood, seafood, seafood! If you don't, you should be ashamed. JK! The seafood here is done really well. Oysters are fresh and very tasty. Octopus, shrimp, fish, you name it. Larger than most list of custom cocktails for those with adventurous taste buds. Service was attentive and knowledgeable. Make a reservation if you can as it does it pretty busy.
(5)
Tamara G.
Everything I had was amazing. The seafood was fresh and the cocktails were refreshing. I'd definitely return.
(5)
Nestor R.
Service was top notch! Thanks Andrew! Our table had: whole snapper (awesome albeit a bit salty), blackened mahi (solid, but just ok), cobia (very good), and monk fish (I didn't try, but the verdict wasn't too good - chewy). Appetizers: grilled octopus (fantastic!!), little gem/Caesar salad (very good), arctic char (minuscule, but good). Our sides: Brussels sprouts (good, but very salty), collards (inedible), fried rice (delicious), hush puppies (what's not to love?). We had various desserts and they were all tasty. Overall Optimist lives up to its reputation and hype. I'm not giving it 5-stars because there was an underlying saltiness to many of the dishes and the sides were generally weak. That should not be the case at a top restaurant. Pricey, but a good special occasion option.
(4)
Erin H.
I chose The Optimist for my birthday celebration meal this year. We arrived about an hour early to sit outside and have a cocktail before moving to the table. I let the hostess know about our plans. She kept an eye on the clock, and came to get us at our reservation time. Very nice! Our cocktails were very tasty and nicely balanced. A word of warning, however: the jalapeno infused drink is far from mild. We also tried the peel and eat shrimp, which were perfectly cooked and well seasoned. We were lucky enough to get a table right next to the window. The space is huge. I was honestly a little worried that the large space meant that the food wouldn't be good. I was dead wrong. The rolls that are brought out at the beginning of the meal are awesome. I had the swordfish, and my husband ordered the halibut. Both dishes were cooked and seasoned perfectly. I am pretty picky about fish, and this was, by far, the best fish I have had in recent memory. The halibut was particularly succulent. The wine list had good depth; I was happy to see vinho verde as an option! Too full for a big dessert, we opted for the white pepper ice cream to finish. I wish I could have taken a pint home. I'm beyond excited that The Optimist lived up to its reputation. I cannot wait to go back.
(5)
Christopher K.
Lovely venue that offers a variety of settings. A dinner setting which I would recommend reservations. A bar setting with small plates and refreshing cocktails for small get togethers and a more intimate room for special occasions. We sat at the bar and our server Mike took us on a tour of their most delicious and house specialties. Starting with an array oysters, grilled octopus, steamed clams, soft shell crab, shishito peppers and some pretty amazing fried rice. All with fresh made cocktails to compliment the dishes. What an amazing night!!!
(5)
Chataun D.
With nearly 600 reviews, mine isn't all that necessary but here-a-goes. We had the fish and chips (sweet potato steak fries), almond crusted trout, the collards, hush puppies, and lemon pot dessert. Everything was absolutely amazing! The food temperature, seasoning, and even the cocktails were exceptional. Despite our positive experience with the food, the parking valet was not so positive. There is very little self parking. And my husband was disappointed with the amount of dust and dirt that was left on his car mats, on more than one occasion. When busy, the valet suffers from incompetence.
(5)
L P.
There's nothing negative to say at all! The food was out of this world, and the service matched! Five of us went for a Mother's Day outing and it was the best meal I think we all have ever had, and specifically in Atlanta. The seafood was spectacular (mind you we are from Daytona Beach and I don't want to pat myself on the back, but we know good seafood). Do NOT pass up on dessert! The cookie ice cream sandwiches and home made ice creams were all divine!!!
(5)
Justin D.
Fantastic meal. Great food; great service. My wife and I split oysters, little gem salad, hush puppies, and fish and chips. All were great....especially the hush puppies (a la beignet style). Highly recommended.
(5)
Dio S.
Good seafood restaurants are always welcome addition. Like other FF restaurants, Optimist is well conceptualized with trend setting menu, mostly solid executions, and stunning space. The restaurant had halfheartedly marketed itself as evoking the charm of a seafood shack on the New England shore. What we really have is large high ceiling dining room, enormous fancy bar, gorgeous natural lighting via gigantic windows which makes it a pleasure to visit early evening or at lunch time. It does not look like a seafood shack, ha ha. It looks every bit as elegant and recognizable as the other FF creations. That's good enough for me. I ate here a few times over the past two years. It's mostly hits with just some misses. The menu is easy to like: small plates and sides are many and varied. Many oysters. The requisite lobster roll. Most of the mains come with different, unique preparations, sides, and/or sauces. The fancy bar makes you want to order one of the trendy cocktails, which at any FF restaurant usually turns out to be quite delightful. I like almost all the small plates I ate here, except for the soups which makes me sad. If you are a traditionalist with seafood preparation, you might not like the mains as much. I am not a traditionalist but I still felt a couple times where the fish was messed with a bit too much or that there's just too much distractions in a smothered plating of lots of different things (delicious things, though) on the fish. I have no verdict on who has Atlanta's best lobster roll. Optimist's will certainly not disappoint. Overall, even if the food is not perfect and there probably isn't any dish I would crave and regularly want to eat, Optimist delivers a smooth, pleasurable dining experience, with foods that generally excite, very much meeting justifiably high expectation of a FF restaurant. And is a good option on the Howell Mill corridor that has become a mini food mecca over the years.
(4)
Dawn L.
At last :drumroll: I made it into The Optimist! Surprisingly, we were able to walk right in and get a table. For starters we ordered the Mussels in the Green Curry Coconut Broth, I just couldn't get my boyfriend to be adventurous enough to try the charred octopus as I was hoping. :whimpers: However, the mussels were excellent! I was one fraction of a second off from lapping it up like a dog, right there perched on the table. Their complimentary dinner rolls were absolute heaven soaked up in this creamy spicy decadent sauce. I also ordered two of their raw oysters, I LOVE the little house-made saltines & fresh horseradish that they come with. I ordered the Grouper with Rock Shrimp and Bacon in a Lemon Sauce, while I enjoyed it, I also found it mildly bland, it could have just used a *little* something extra. The grouper had a wonderful crispy exterior, and was cooked to perfection inside. My boyfriend ordered the Blackened Mahi with Charred Jalapeno Butter, this was my favorite, while my grouper was his! As a side I ordered the Basmati Fried Rice with Smoked Fish and Curry. It was the only side dish without meat we could find to order, and I am glad I did, I could make a meal out of this alone! The saltiness of the smoked fish and crispness of the peanuts was an explosion of happiness to my taste buds. To finish we had the Salted Caramel Ice Cream, what can I say, it was sweet, salty, creamy and full of what dreams are made of.
(5)
cath g.
What the heck is the deal with the parking now??? Can't even get in safely!!! The food was good last time but damn that construction project prevented us from even dining there!
(1)
Nemil S.
Free valet parking. They don't seat until the party is there (even if only one is missing). Sat at the oyster bar and got some drinks while we were waiting for the other guests to arrive. Interesting/unique cocktail selection, although not a lot that caught my eye as a bourbon and whiskey fan. Apps - Oysters - I enjoyed the oysters, although I am not too picky. The other's at the table seem to enjoy them as well. Cocktails - We received the wrong martini and the waiter had poor knowledge of the beer selection. When we did receive our correct order, it was a decent martini (not that it's too hard to make a gin martini). Octopus Appetizer - Would have been nice if it ever showed up. Fried Whole Haddock - 5/5 - Perfectly fried, nice and flaky and flavorful. The presentation was wonderful and the taste was exceedingly delicious. I would definitely recommend!! I only wish they had more of the other items on the dish. Side Mushrooms - 4/5 - a good variety of mushrooms, but I'm also bias because I love mushrooms. Brussel Sprouts - 3/5 - decent. Good sized portion, not a big fan of brussel sprouts in general. Our server was not knowledgeable and slow--the service really ruined the entire experience for us. The food was good.
(3)
Dina S.
Do not miss the fabulous food at the Optimist. We had a wonderful lunch at the bar. The restaurant has a fun, hip vibe, not stuffy. Our server was incredibly informative and attentive. He suggested a terrific mussel appetizer and a perfect wine pairing! The mahi fish sandwich and lobster roll were delicious. I did not love their seafood gumbo, but everything else was amazing! To top off our meal, we had a celebrity sighting!
(4)
Tiff H.
This was a great little place tucked into the corner of Howell Mill and 8th. A lot of hype for this place... So we decided to venture in, despite the $$$. Parking is valet parking only, unless you'd like to attempt street parking and walk from there. A small putt putt golf course greets you outside before you walk in. We were just about to miss our reservation so we decided not to play. We were seated at an awkward booth that faced the aisle. Our server brought us some deliciously fragrant bread and we placed our wine orders, along with our food choices. My appetizer was slightly adventurous... I ordered the Florida frog legs, which were tender and flavorful. Really does taste like chicken... The garnishes were pretty yummy, too. My entree was a swordfish steak, which paired well with my Chenin Blanc. The fish was almost like a chicken breast in texture because of it's meatiness and density. At times it got a little dry, but the sauce always sopped it up. The short rib was random but a nice touch to the dish. The server came back periodically to check up on us, even brought us extra bread at some point at our request. My tab came out to be about $55 including wine, my appetizer, and entree, which isn't all that bad for what it was. I'll definitely have to make it out here again one day to try the oysters!
(4)
Emily F.
Amazing. The server was very knowledgable on all the different types of oysters which was helpful. Their cocktails are definitely pricey, but SO GOOD. I was thoroughly impressed. Ambience was on point.
(5)
Maurice D.
My partner and I had reservations here for 6:45 on a Sunday evening. We arrived approximately 10 minutes prior to our reservation time and was able to be seated immediately. The Optimist has been on my list of restaurants to try for the past few months, so I was excited about what our evening would entail. The seating enrangements at The Optimist immediately turned me off. We were sandwiched in between two other dining couples, not even an arms length away. We could hear the conversations of both couples and I'm sure they could easily hear ours. I enjoy having private, intimate conversations with my partner, especially in such a beautiful romantic setting alluded by the restaurant, so this was unfortunate. A server brought us glasses of water and fresh bread with butter and sea salt as a starter while we glanced over the menu. Several moments later our server came to the table, introducing herself, and giving the spiel on the dinner specials for the evening. I was not interested because I knew exactly what I had came here to try and was to be persistent on getting it- The Lobster Roll. For Appetizers, my partner ordered the Simple Salad and I order the Fried Oysters. Both appetizers were standard, nothing mind-blowing. For dinner entrees I was insistent on getting The Lobster Roll, when our server said it was a lunch menu item, I asked if an exception could possibly be made. She had to check with "higher-ups" in the kitchen and they granted my request. GOOD. My partner, opted for the standard Fish & Chips. As a side to share, we ordered the hush puppies, which is one of their popular menu items. The food was standard, again nothing mind-blowing. The lobster roll was extremely salty to me. Maybe I should have been expecting that, but certainly not that salty. By the end of our meal, our server warmed up to us and began telling us her life story. Very sweet girl though. An Atlanta native. Don't meet too many of those in this town anymore. We ended up skipping desert at the restaurant and stopped by Krispy Kreme Donuts on the way home. Those indulging, succulent donuts were the best thing we had all evening.
(3)
Jennifer M.
Definitely a fan of their raw oysters. We ordered a dozen to start off with, half east and half west. Super fresh and tasted of the sea. I could eat those for days. The four stars go to the oysters. As for the entree, we had the swordfish and the halibut with hushpuppies as a side. Sadly, they were just mediocre. Too much lemon on the halibut so it tasted like nothing but lemons. It was cooked perfectly though. Swordfish seemed to be tough and not that tasty. The hushpuppies were fried for too long. Had too much of a burnt taste to them. Would certainly go back for oysters, but not sure about the rest of their menu.
(4)
Beezantine B.
You have to take your lady friend here fellas Lol She'll love it! Nice bar, great food, good service. I haven't been disappointed with the food choices I've made. The scallop entree was good and their gumbo was really nice. My girl loves their Cosmos too.
(4)
Locals O.
I feel like the place is overly hyped. I didn't expect it to be so busy on a weekday so make sure you have a reservation. Oh, and only valet. The atmosphere was nice with the mini golf course in front of the restaurant. The bread they give you was buttery and soft. We let our server be in charge of picking 2 dozen oysters for us. The crackers that came with the oysters were good haha Starters - Fried gulf oysters - the horseradish mayo really complimented the taste Charred Spanish octopus - very tender and flavorful Mussels- theses were a miss for me. Some of the shells were missing the actual mussel meat. Entree - Duck fat poached swordfish - a lot of flavor going on in one plate. George's bank scallops - had to be my favorite the asparagus gave it a little bit of a crunch. Sides - Bok Choy- very pickled!! Beets - were okay didn't really have much flavor just a lot of color Mushrooms - yummy but a bit salty For dessert we has one of everything but brown sugar cake had to be my favorite!! The cake itself was soft but had a bit of a crunch because of the brown sugar The sour cream icecream was a miss for me it was too tart for my taste.
(3)
Carter B.
Came here for lunch with a colleague. The atmosphere is nice, with a big roomy feel to it. Started with the grilled octopus. It was very good. Never had a tentacle before but it was great. Wouldn't recommend for more than two people, kind of tiny. I had the blackened fish sandwich, colleague had lobster roll. Fish sandwich was good, nothing spectacular. Lobster roll looked great and was delicious. The French fries made the entire meal, I could've eaten a plate of them. Service was okay, a little slow. Our food was cold by the time we got it and there was a LONG gap between appetizer and entree. We valet parked, and it took about twenty minutes to get our car. Not a very efficient system and not worth the $2 to valet. Valet is very rude too, kind of ruined the dreamy lunch we just had. Overall the food is great, but the parking is a nightmare and kind of ruins the experience. Would recommend ubering if you're going to try it!
(3)
Rodney A.
Bring $200 for two and you'll be covered for a full course meal and a bottle of good wine. This place is exceptional. Food is phenomenal, and ambiance is spectacular.
(5)
Mara K.
When in Atlanta - EAT HERE! I was in Atlanta for business but luckily stayed with friends during my trip. My friend suggested we go to dinner at The Optimist - it's in an up and coming neighborhood, decorated insanely cool, and the food is first class. I ordered the scallops and was very pleased with the preparation and presentation. Scallops can be dicey and unsatisfying - NOT the case at The Optimist. Delicious. I also had the beet salad - tasty with a great dressing. Good accompaniment to the scallops. My friend ordered soft-shelled crab. I had a taste and thought it was purty darn good. Great selection of draft beers and wines. Dessert sealed the deal. WOW. I had the toasted marshmallow on chocolate cake. This is the fanciest (and tastiest) marshmallow I've ever had. I had complete dessert envy over my friend's choice of salted caramel icecream. It was amazing on many levels. I love the layout and decor of The Optimist. Modern in a beachy way. Also - really cool single bathroom situation - with several to choose from. I wish every restaurant had bathrooms like this.
(5)
john w.
Went into the Optimist and came out a pessimist. I ordered halibut with the fried rice, my wife had the grouper and the asparagus. Both fish dishes were over cooked or sat at the pass too long under heat lamps. The asparagus looked like someone threw up on a plate and the fried rice was drier than the fish, which must have taken some doing. I was tempted to send everything back and I would have but the waitress was clueless and annoying, appearing at random, generally just as you had a bite of food, to yell something like "everything is delicious." I couldn't tell if it was a statement or a query, but she would run off before I had a chance to respond that no everything was not delicious, so it didn't matter anyway. There didn't appear to be a manager on duty, if there was they were completely ineffectual and blended in with the rest of the gormless staff. I made the mistake of ordering an espresso for myself and a coffee for my wife. The coffee arrived in a ridiculous giant mug and tasted like it was brewed in a gas station the day before, I watched as the guy made my espresso and it sat and sat for 12 minutes, (I timed it), while our waitress stood in the corner in full view of me, just chatting away with another staff member. The espresso was of course cold by the time I got it, but it would have been undrinkable anyway. Whoever owns this joint has a very expensive doorstop on his counter. That is the least of the problems though, avoid this place or go to witness the horror before it closes.
(1)
Drew H.
service was fair, food was mediocre, atmosphere was obnoxious. The waiter should get more training or go back to Applebee's. I expect better service at this price point. The food was a mixed bag. We were unimpressed by the oysters. I thought the scallops were lousy, but someone else in my party liked the dish. Spicy octopus was good. The mussels were delicious and the mahi mahi was to die for. The noise was ridiculously loud. I would go back only when patrons are scarce (read: better service & quieter atmosphere), and only because I know what menu items to avoid and which to indulge in.
(2)
Allison B.
I frequent The Optimist because I am lucky enough to work close by. If you like Louisiana gumbo you'll love the seafood gumbo appetizer here. The rue is dark and the flavors are all there with that hint of spice from the andouille sausage. For the entree I switch between the shrimp burger and the Maine lobster roll that both come with crispy shoestring fries. My boyfriend often gets the fish & chips that are cooked to a perfect golden brown. We like to think you can't go wrong with any choice on the menu. If you're willing to get messy definitely try the chowder fries. The bacon, clams & white cheddar make the fries melt in your mouth. And that's just for lunch!
(5)
Max C.
We come here for the oysters and wine. They had a good Gruner wine that went great with the she-crab soup and monch fish. We come here once every few months and enjoy it each time. Would recommend.
(4)
Wendi G.
Optimist - the tendency to expect the best and see the best in all things. When you arrive you are definitely going to be on a high note. The restaurant itself is beautiful and decor is top notch. They went all out on the theme and little touches around the restaurant - like the old bathhouse keys - are very cool. Our meal started with a wonderful little amuse bouche of a fresh oyster served with nothing but a celery leaf. It was so perfect I am still thinking about it today. For appetizers we had the little gem lettuce, lemon anchovy dressing, croutons, parmesan - if you like anchovies then this salad is for you! I had the halibut cheeks which were served en papillote with Jerusalem artichokes - completely divine. For entrees we had the tile fish and the mussels. To complement the meal we ordered sides, which are a la carte, roasted sweet potatoes and beets. The entrees were good but the potatoes had lots of rotten spots (see photo). The service started at a ten but ended somewhere around a two - poor - as the restaurant got busier we then became the least important table in the house. Somewhere around when the entrees were served is when the server totally forgot us. We could not get another piece of bread, more water, a drink or another utensil. In fact we even asked another server for help and they never returned. No one ever questioned us why we did not eat the rotten sweet potatoes or even ask if we wanted another beverage. Once our plates were cleared the server was too busy rushing us out the door so they could turn the table for the next seating. Too bad the meal turned out like it did and we left here feeling like pessimists.
(3)
Stephanie C.
if you like spicy get the tuna with fermented chile, seasoned so good. It's a small tasting though. If you love smoke salmon then get the cured salmon toast. One of the best smoked salmon appetizers I have ever had. I don't even eat hush puppies but i devoured the ones at Optimist. (warm, sweet and savoy) I honestly wasn't too impressed with the swordfish. It was a little bland for my taste but the appetizers and the sides stole the show. It is worth going back for sure but I would try a different entree.
(5)
Julia H.
This restaurant nails it on food, service and atmosphere! I can't see where anybody would not love this place!
(5)
Natalie J.
The food at The Optimist is excellent! I had the fried rice and Georgia shrimp tapa plates. Both options were very good and the shrimp were HUGE. This restaurant is also pet friendly; however, if you bring your pet you have to sit outside and the menu is limited to the oyster bar menu (I.e. Tapas). Customer service was ok, nothing special. I would definitely come back without my pet to just try the full menu.
(4)
Amy G.
Underwhelmed. I went with a friend and we ate at the bar on a Friday night. Granted, they were busy but if it wasn't I'd have to wonder. After more than an hour of fighting for our bartenders attention to order wine and food we started getting quite annoyed when other patrons around us were being tended to more diligently. Finally a different bartender seemed to realize that we needed more help and did a great job of leading us to more courses and matching wine. Overall I thought the food was ok but not worth the money nor the fight for service. We ended up spending $160 for the 2 of us. Maybe I'll try it on a weeknight.
(3)
Tonja F.
I have to start by saying I was very excited about trying this place as it had been highly recommended by friends. I didn't ask them what was so great about it, but was assured that I would love it. I did not. I did like it though, but not enough to go back anytime soon. The restaurant was very nice - spacious and bright with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. The decor was modern and minimalistic. It was lively - there was a singing guitar player outside (who sounded quite nice by the way) and there was music playing indoors. We sat at a table but there is also a bar for drinks and oysters. Our waiter (Topher) was awesome. He answered all of our questions, made suggestions and was very attentive. We ordered drinks, appetizers, entrees and one dessert to share. Each course was brought out in perfect time. Everything so far certainly deserves 5 stars for ambiance and customer service. The overpriced average food is another story. The mussels were extremely fresh - probably the most tender I've ever eaten, however the flavor was just "good". I was hoping for OMG! The raw oysters were good and fresh, but the condiments they were served with weren't our favorite and kind of disappointed. We're big oyster eaters and have tried them at restaurants all over Atlanta , Florida, New York and Mexico. I guess we could have asked for something else (no, not cocktail sauce) but we didn't think about it at the time. Not a big downer, but just wish it could have been better (for the price). Our entrees (Halibut and Monkfish) were small, but tasty and beautifully plated. (sorry, so excited to try the food I forgot to take pics). For the price though they really should come with a side dish - throw a few asparagus spears or slap a scoop of rice on the plate or something - DAMN! The Chocolate Tart with Toasted Coconut and Roasted Marshmellow was pretty but the texture wasn't consistent. The chocolate pie portion was cold and hard to scoop with your spoon which didn't mesh well with the warm marshmallow on top. I would've enjoyed it much more if the entire thing was warm and smooth. I flopped off my plate when I tried to get a scoop! Not good dude. On the up side was my cocktail - the Scurvy Scoundrel - it was incredibllllllle!! (I had two). I would say this is definitely a place to check out if you like seafood and enjoy spending more money than should be required to eat it. I don't have a problem spending money on good food - but when we think about other places we've eaten we can't help but compare. Would I go back, probably if someone asked me to join them, but it's not on my personal list of things to do.
(3)
Chris S.
I know they are a new hot spot, but i was really disappointed with the service here. We started out in the Oyster bar for a few cocktails before dinner and apparently they are not a full bar, if you want a cocktail they have to go to the other side, and they inform you this will add 5-10 minutes to you order. We started out with some oysters which were very fresh, Angels on Horseback which were a fried oyster with Pork belly and some Gumbo which were all very good. We ordered swordfish, grouper and fish and chips between the table that were all good, but a bit pricey. It all went downhill when we started to talk to our waitress, she made is seem like she just did not even want to be bothered with us, and she really had an attitude - this really set the mood for our entire meal. Very disappointed... at one point she mad mention that someone at our table was annoying. I also did overhear one of the other servers say they pool all the tips, so maybe that is why our server couldn't be bothered - she would still make good money for the night no matter how we tipped - which we still tipped 20%, but it really left a bad taste for me for the restaurant - all in all i think the food is 3-4 stars and the service for us was a 1. I will wait a while to go back and hopefully they will weed out the bad employees??
(2)
Christopher H.
I am not that big on seafood, so I wasn't looking forward to coming to this new restaurant in Atlanta's Westside (the best side). I was extremely pleased in every facet upon dining here though. First, the restaurant itself is beautiful on the inside. The ceilings are extremely high which gives the place a very open feeling. I can't think of another more appealing dining setting in Atlanta, perhaps Canoe outside by the river in the evening. Their soup selection, part of the reason I went in the first place, is good. I ended up getting the seafood gumbo. It's a starter, but I wasn't that hungry. The gumbo itself was delicious, my only complaint was that it could have used more seafood....but most seafood gumbos regardless of where you get it seems to be void of this key ingredient. Regardless, it was good. It was rather spicy as well. I like spicy, but the soup caught me off guard. It definitely tested my manhood in front of my date. LOL. I also had their beignet style hushpuppies. I thought the concept was intriguing, but the hushpuppies were excellent! Anyway, great place to dine.
(5)
Ashley R.
Great atmosphere, friendly service, and solid menu. While most offerings are seafood-related, pretty much everything is cooked in butter or fried. So...no heart-healthy plates here. Overall, we were pleased with the quality. The mussels were somewhat overcooked and came with only one small circle of toast for sopping the green curry broth (but the waitress happily brought us extra). Fried oysters were well-breaded and tasty served with pork belly and mushrooms. Skate wing "schnitzel" had excellent lemon-capery flavor, but was a tad on the greasy side (breaded and pan fried, then served with a butter sauce). Shoestring fries side were perfectly salted and crisp. Hushpuppy beignets with brown butter were a sweet surprise paired with the savory entries. Buttermilk cake donuts with sweet corn ice cream were so-so (pass on the bizarre hot pepper jelly accompaniment). Go for the key lime "push pop" instead!
(4)
Richard G.
Took the Optimist out for a shake-down cruise Saturday evening (6/2/12). Although our reservation was for 7:30, our table was not ready until almost 8:00. The most remarkable feature of this new restaurant is that the kitchen can turn out excellently prepared and presented food in the midst of such utter chaos. One guest's appetizer arrived after all others had been served, eaten, and the plates cleared. Wine orders, after 1 or 2 follow-up requests, eventually showed up after the course they were to accompany was served and eaten (choice: warm food without wine, or cold food with wine?). Although the food product was uniformly interesting and delicious, the quantities of some dishes were skimpy: the tuna and octopus combo appeared with one morsel of octupus, and in response to our inquiry, a runner later appeared with a saucer bearing one embarrasingly smaller piece. The grouper appeared to be a scant 4 oz. for $28.00. Maybe worth another try in a few weeks, to see if they have worked out the kinks.
(3)
Dai T.
Food was awesome. The decor is fantastic. It' has a clean and modern, beach house or farmhouse feel. Pros: Food and atmosphere. Service at the tables are great. Bar service is typical of an Atlanta hotspot. Cons: Pricey. Drinks are really high. It is way too crowded. It's the typical rush for any new spot in Atlanta. Reservations are needed, but it still takes for ever to get seated. Bar is too crowded.
(4)
Crazy E.
The Optimist- What a great name for a business especially dealing with food. I decided to see what the hype is about at this restaurant. I didn't have reservations so I sat at the oyster bar for starters. I started with a variety of oysters, which were good but not any more special than the local oyster bar. Surprisingly I ordered around 9 oysters and recieved 4 crackers. (really) The peel and eat shrimp were very sweet and juicy but unfortunately, it seemed like they dropped the shrimp in an Old Bay seasoning bucket. I love spice but that was over the top. I then had the lobster roll which was good but definately not worth the $21 price tag. I have had better or comparable lobster rolls in Atlanta for less. The star or the night for me was the grilled octopus. This had flavors bursting throughout my mouth. The drinks were very good especially the shots with the oyster.I tried the pickle juice shot and it was surprisingly very smooth. The biggest issue of the night was the staff. The bartender had the personality of a saltine cracker. She was not rude but not engaging or having a personality. I tried to engage her in conversation and all the time thinking- how did you get this job? I had to ask for water 3 or 4 times and she was right in front of me. She actually filled her own water glass a couple of times before filling mine. Go figure. The guy who was cooking was creepy and all the time staring making the stay quite uncomfortable. maybe I was looking for a different vibe based on all the reports of this place being the "IT" place to be. Maybe I will check it out on the weekends and it may be different. I might suggest giving the bartender a shot or two to loosen up a bit.
(3)
Jessica B.
Really cool place in the west side area! Everything was really good, we had the west coast oysters, mussels and shared the monkfish. Service was also on point. We had a reservation (that I made 2 weeks in advance) and they seated us right away. If my table wasn't 4 1/2 inches away from the strange couple next to me, this would've been 5 stars. Definitely worth a try!!
(4)
Ashley S.
I went with my husband and best friend last night and left not as impressed as I had expected to be! I ordered the Tuna (which is a staple on their menu) and the sauce it is with just doesn't go well with it. I wouldn't order it there again. My husband ordered the Scallops (it comes with 4 of them) and again wasn't all that great. Now my friend did get a good one, she got the Short Ribs with bone marrow. And the hush puppies side was amazing. We also ordered the Octopus appetizer, and was cooked just wonderfully but the sauce was a bit overkill, although still very good. PROS: Very cute ambiance, great Octopus appetizer, AMAZING HUSH PUPPIES, and good Short Ribs CONS: Tuna entree was not great at all (so many other places that do this better) & Scallops entree was again not anything worth going back for.
(3)
Emily B.
Great overall experience and would definitely go back. The decor and ambiance is warm and inviting, a little loud, but I prefer that over stuffy fine dining. Our group had one of just about every appetizer and were specifically fond of the she crab soup and grilled octopus with bone marrow aioli. The menu was fresh and creative, and the wine selection was great. They are a little pricy, but I think worth it. I will definitely go back.
(5)
Yane Y.
(I usually review after at least 2 visits, but I reviewed after the 1st visit so I can recall what I ordered and what my thoughts were.) Due to the rave reviews, I ordered the lobster roll. Call me asian, but when I read lobster roll review after review after review, I was thinking it was a lobster (sushi) roll! I didn't have time to look at any pics, so just went by the reviews. I was surprised to find that the lobster roll was a texas toast bun (in 1/2) with a lobster salad. The chunks of lobster were fresh - props! (By the way, did I mention that I told me entire table that the lobster rolls got rave reviews, so everyone ordered it? It was our first visit.) Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it! Personally, I just do not like "cold" dishes. Even when it comes to subs/sandwiches, I always prefer a hot sandwich over a cold ... because this was a cold sandwich, I didn't like it as much as I thought it was. However, I can recognize quality, and I tell you... it was real, quality lobster meat. It wasn't too salty nor sweet, it was fine - just cold ... (but normal!). Also ordered the she crab soup. It was delicious as others mentioned. I read in a couple people's reviews that they were disappointed that the soup did not have chunks of crab meat. It was a puree. Regardless, the soup was delicious. Very thin puree, so don't expect anything too thick. Our server told us up front that the soup did not have chunks of crab. She did good! Service was excellent ... she was at our table refilling our waters every few minutes. While she was over every few minutes to refill our waters, she didn't interrupt conversations too frequently. She just came, refilled waters, and left. Our server was excellent. The amibiance of this place is way cool. I mean, they have putt putt while you're waiting. Can it get any better? (okay, so I'm sure it can. But putt putt is pretty darn cool.....) For any seafood lovers, everything tasted real fresh, so I'd definitely bring you here!!
(3)
Jillian V.
I can't say enough about my experience at The Optimist tonight. I was meeting for a casual business related happy hour with two others. Automatically I could gauge that the venue itself is great for business dinner or a nicer date night out. We had the pleasure of sitting in AJ's section. Long story short we were there longer than expected and didn't order entrees. We stuck with two beers, glass of wine and three appetizers - octopus, halibut cheeks and the shrimp (all AJ's suggestions). I'm a huge seafood person and the quality is beyond compare to the majority of seafood places in Atlanta. AJ was spot on with knowing when to stop by and when to just let us be. The entrees were definitely something to be desired. The fact they had cobia and tilefish on the menu was a pleasant surprise to me, but all and all I'm already planning my next visit. Not only will I enjoy their amazing venue, but I will definitely be asking to sit with AJ again.
(5)
Devon O.
My new favorite restaurant in Atlanta. Deeeelish. I've only been for lunch, but posting up at the bar for a long late afternoon boozy lunch on a cold day is sublime. Get a glass of the Albarino and start with the shrimp a la plancha. They do have hot lemon-scented hand towels to clean your hands from the delicious messy sauce, ask for them if you get too greasy/gross. I also love the lobster roll, easily comparable to what you'd find in New England. Served with the crunchiest ungreasy matchstick fries in existence. Seasonal sides also never disappoint. The fried green beans, though? Yuck. Not feeling the cold dill sour cream sauce that goes with it. I love that they have for real oysters from both coasts, not the gloppy cold tongue gulf oysters that you have to chew in several bites. Ew. Service is laid-back, competent and knowledgable. Bathrooms are plentiful and stall-free, which is always nice. Looking forward to springtime when I can play putt putt on the lawn.
(5)
Liesa G.
I was here last night with some friends. None of us had ever been here but had heard great things about The Optimist. We tried two different kinds of oysters (of course with the homemade crackers and the hot sauce) - yum! They were delicious! All four of us had different entrees: the halibut (good), the salmon (good), the snapper (really good) and the fish & chips (eh .. just ok). There were a few highlights to the meal. The "scurvy scoundrel" is an awesome cocktail - refreshing but not overwhelming. The hushpuppies are probably the best we'd ever had, and the chocolate creme brulee was amazing! It is very expensive (about $350 for the 4 of us) so this isn't a place I'd go regularly, but for a special night out, it's a good place.
(4)
The Food Abides W.
If you didn't catch wind of it, Esquire Magazine named Ford Fry's latest, The Optimist, the "Best New Restaurant in America." If this is America's best, well then Amurica is facing more problematic times than the presidential debates would let on. I'm no longer standing on my chair screaming, "USA! USA!" Needless to say, my meal last night at The Optimist left me an enormous pessimist. In fact, it was the worst meal I've ever shelled out one hundred bones for. Putting my credit card down, I felt duped and knew that I could get much better meals in Atlanta for much less money. If you're reading this review, well then you have certainly heard about The Optimist. You've heard about its gorgeous dining room and inviting bar(s). You've heard about the masterfully appointed lighting and stylishly tasteful touches. And all of these things are absolutely, in the fullest sense, true - the design team for this restaurant knocked it out of the park. And perhaps you've heard about the food. And that's where I'm taking a stand - if you heard wonderful things about the food at The Optimist, you heard wrong. If I had to sum my meal up at The Optimist in one, brief phrase, if would be, "Nothing tasted like anything." The dishes overall were devoid of any flavor with the exception of a salty Monkfish entree. I adore the scope of the menu and had a hard time deciding on anything because everything sounded so interesting, refreshing or delicious. The service, I should mention, was flat - not particularly friendly and nobody ever came to check on us after we got our food. The Optimist has fresh oysters on the regular and I feel like oysters are omissible from any review. The truth is, if you have a fresh product and a good shucker, oysters are going to be good. And they were. We also ordered the $9 cup of gumbo. With ample amounts of seafood (including a crab claw), I suppose they can get away with the price. The broth was nothing special, however, and lacked thickness and depth of flavor. The accompanying "Potluck" garlic bread was absolutely unnecessary and didn't even deserve to be called garlic bread. The mains were the real let down of the evening. My monkfish entree, with a tomato broth, pickled fennel and hen of the woods mushrooms was simply not good. The monkfish was cooked appropriately but the accompanying broth tasting like nothing but salt with no tomato flavor. In fact, after a few bites, I couldn't eat any more of it. The pickled fennel kept to itself and didn't compliment the dish in any way while the the hen of the woods mushrooms were kept to a minimum - there was only one in the dish. Kins ordered the yellowtail tuna dish which was supposed to feature a charred octopus & potato salad. The yellowtail was cooked properly with a nice sear to the outside. The potato salad was even interesting - fried rather than boiled (think well cooked home fries). However, the charred octopus was much like the mushrooms in my dish - non existent except for one, measly piece. I'm sorry, but when you shell out $26 for a dish, there needs to be more than one bite of the ingredients mentioned on the menu. And like the monkfish entree, this dish didn't really have any flavor. The corn milk hushpuppies fell into the same category of everything else - no flavor. They were also entirely too dense - hushpuppies from a modest fish shack are worlds better. Nothing at the Optimist was revolting or inedible. The problem was that nothing tasted great or even good. While a modest home cook may not be able to prepare a piece of monkfish to perfection, they could surely impart more memorable (or in this case, existing) flavors. The best bite I had all evening was the complimentary bread - fluffy, buttery and topped with some quality salt, it was a nice bite to kick off what I (at the time) suspected would be a great meal. But alas, it was the only bite I fully enjoyed for the rest of the evening. I began wondering if I had burned my tongue severely on the gumbo because after that, I didn't taste much of anything. P.S. The valet parking here sucks - they have a huge lot, with tons of empty spaces, yet it took us about 10 minutes to retrieve our car. When will restaurants stop using valet?
(2)
Joanne B.
Love the atmosphere of this place..it brings the city more alive with Intown excellent places like this one! Took clients for lunch and everyone enjoyed the food. The only item I wasn't crazy about is my fish sandwich..it needed to be cooked more. I ate around it as the slaw and salad delicious but it is a seafood place after all. Regardless, I will be back as the service, scene and overall experience great.
(4)
Chris W.
This is a great place. The vibe is great. Trendy, but not pretentious. A nice modern, laid-back feel. I ate at the bar and had a great time. We mostly ordered small plates and all the food was good. I believe it was valet parking only, so that sucks. But that's the only thing I can complain about. Oh yeah - the restrooms. They're like private. Different. Definitely check out the restrooms before you leave.
(5)
Shawn R.
this place has an awesome atmosphere, the snapper with excellent, the chef personally visited the table which was an added bonus to my first experience. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone would like to experience seafood at its finest. I will be in Atlanta again in February, and this will be on my list of places to eat. Thank you very much for the excellent service Adam Evans.
(5)
JAN k.
Five stars is not enough for this exceptional seafood restaurant in a land locked town. The six star items we had were hushpuppies, halibut cheeks, swordfish, and the mushrooms. The five star items we had were mussels, steak dinner, squid salad,octupus,, scallops, gumbo and peel and eat shrimp. This was a seafood only gumbo. The mere 4 star items were the rest....collard greens, porgy , fried potatoes, and yeast rolls. The two icecreams we had ..salted caramel and burnt sugar were simply out of this world. We had a gluten free cake that we brought with us from a bakery on collier rd. Doesn't matter about the cake when the icing is chocolate fudge. Service was outstanding. So glad someone else was paying as this place is too expensive for a little old lady on a fixed income. My husband said it was the best seafood dinner he has had since he was born...71years ago. This man knows his seafood. Our reservation was 6;30 on a Friday night so we sat down and ate for at least 2 hours. Loved it.
(5)
A B.
My girlfriend and I went to the Optimist about a week ago for early dinner and oysters. We read all the great reviews, the Esquire Magazine praise, we wanted oysters real bad, so it was a no-brainer. The place wasn't busy, yet the service was lacking, The servers seemed scattered and absent minded, and it took a while to get anything. Also, they kept repeatedly bringing us dishes we never ordered, after we had already eaten...obviously meant for other tables. Ok, now the food and drinks... We ordered two cocktails and a beer...they were truly amazing (although it took forever to get them)....compliments to the bartender. We had a dozen oysters, 6 east coast and 6 west coast...they were really good and tasted fresh. However, they weren't properly shucked since we kept biting into pieces of shell. We had 3 small plates; bok choy, beets, and salad with anchovy. Bok choy was okay, beets were disappointing, salad tasted good but it would be nice to have more than one tiny piece of anchovy. They also served a couple of salted bread rolls, which were fine. And now for dessert....4-5 hours after eating at the Optimist, my girlfriend and I were both shitting our guts out. We spent the entire night on the toilet, taking turns. Since we didn't eat the same things at the same place for breakfast or lunch, it had to be from the Optimist. Sorry Esquire, Yelp, and Atlanta, but this place isn't very good. I'd give it ONE STAR, but the cocktails were great. Besides the food poisoning, nothing tasted great or unique, and the oysters, although tasty, were probably the culprit of our murdering of the toilet.
(2)
Katie C.
I came here in November and everything was superb. I would recommend anything on the menu. If you can't get a reservation that night or if you just want to come by yourself, bellying up to the oyster bar where you'll still be able to get the best The Optimist has to offer.
(5)
Roxanne C.
The Optimist was a huge disappointment. In summary: * Overpriced everything. The oysters are each approx. $1 more expensive than they should be... seriously folks? $3.50 and $3.75 a pop? At that price, I'm looking for pearls in each and every one. Also, the most affordable fish entree (aside from the fish & chips entree which is a steep $20) is $24 and not only is it a tiny portion, it comes with absolutely nothing save for some lemon juice and olive oil... i.e. nothing. * Service was extremely slow. It took forever for our drinks to arrive and our server seemed to have totally forgotten about them. We had to remind her about them well after our appetizers arrived. Then it took, no joke, approx. 30 mins for our entree to arrive after she cleared our appetizers plates. * Extremely limited oyster selection for an oyster bar. If you're going to say that you're an oyster bar, I expect a decent selection. And, no, a decent selection does not equal one East Coast option and one West Coast option which if you close your eyes while eating taste pretty much the same. Where's the variety?! * Cramped seating. For such a large building, the tables were extremely close together. Forget having a romantic dinner here, at least if you're seated at a two-top, unless by romantic you mean that the folks at the tables on either side of you can easily hear everything you're saying and could easily join your conversation without remotely having to raise their voice. * For the price, the food isn't that great. The she-crab soup was extremely salty, as was the octopus, and the $24 fish was overcooked. The hush puppies - which are intended to accompany savory entrees - were drenched in powdered sugar... really? fish and sugar?! And the beignets, which our server assured us were light and fluffy, we anything but. They were incredibly dense and soaked in an overly sweet syrup. Also, two things that probably wouldn't have bothered me if everything else was spot on... * Our server highly recommended the shrimp small plate, but did not convey just how much of a pain in the arse it was, in fact she downplayed it. We specifically mentioned that we hate peel & eat shrimp because we never find that it's worth the effort plus it tends to be ridiculously messy. Well folks, this shrimp dish is that to the nth degree. Because of the sauce it is particularly messy and for some reason it was practically impossible to remove more than three-quarters of the meat from the shell. At the price they're charging, I think it's only fair that I get everything I'm paying for. * At the end of the evening, we asked whether they offered Irish or similar coffee drinks. Our server said yes, so we ordered two. Well, their version of such coffee drinks is to bring you coffee and then a shot of the alcohol separately. I know, this is a really small thing, but at this point I had had it. I have never been anywhere that offered such drinks where I had to mix my own beverage and it didn't come all nice and frothy from either the addition of whipped cream or steamed milk. So yeah, a huge disappointment and I would not return in the future nor would I recommend it. There are other restaurants in Atlanta that offer seafood on par with or better than the Optimist and that don't hurt your pocketbook nearly as much.
(2)
Margaret K.
I went to the optimist on 3/11/15. I sat at the bar while I waited for my date to arrive. It was busy for a Wednesday night, IMO. The bartender that greeted me was all smiles and offered me a taste of two wines I was deciding between. The bartender next to him was Mr. Frowny Grumpypants. He actually entertained me all night - my date and I would watch him to see if he ever smiled. He did. Once. We were seated quickly. We ordered the octopus and the opportunity:tuna, jerusalem artichoke, black olive, chervil / 10. Both were PHENOMENAL. Really really excellent. Worth the price, although the octopus was a more substantial dish. I ordered the blackened grouper and it was easily one of the best fish dishes I've ever had. The sides we ordered were the hush puppies (SO GOOD) and the collards, which were dubiously looked on by my date but once he tried them he was very happy with my choice of vegetable. For dessert, we ordered the caramel ice cream and the "BOCA NEGRA" CHOCOLATE TART, peanut cookie, salted ganache, cream... which, without the caramel ice cream, would have left much to be desired. Overall, a fantastic dinner.
(5)
Tom P.
I'm torn. I know this is a very popular restaurant, and their food WAS very good. We had a large meal with multiple courses, and I had sort of mixed emotions regarding various aspects of the meal. The restaurant: Cramped. Too many people seated in too little space. Waiters reaching over my head the entire meal showing me their armpits. Staff could have been a little more professional. That being said, I liked the vibe of the restaurant and they had some unique little keychains that patrons were free to take as souvenirs. The food: Mixed bag. Had some grilled shrimp that were still in their impossible-to-remove shells.. Undercooked, maybe? A skirt steak was tasty, but too rare for most of our party. Collared greens were forgettable. The hush puppies were AMAZING and by far the best dish. Trout was good. Crab bisque was tasty. We came with a group and we were fed "family-style," which was a big dealbreaker for me, as the amount of food at no point in time equalled the number of people in our party, and people left upset that they literally didn't even get to try certain dishes due to the serving sizes. Drinks were good. It was an okay experience, but I was a little let down, and had indigestion all evening. I don't think I'd return unless it was with a very intimate group.
(3)
Sam T.
Yes the hype is true and the drive is worth it. Such fresh seafood, incredibly innovative and creative menu. I really enjoy the gumbo or she crab soup as starters. The mussels were pretty good but not the best I've had. The rainbow trout pouched in duck tasted 100% like duck and it was a delicious dish. By far the number one moment of the night -order a side of their hush puppies prepared "beignet style" this is a signature dish. There is no reason to come here without ordering the hush puppies (tip: get two if you have a group bc they will get stolen). Dessert: order the apple upside down with cinnamon ice cream FYI they got 4 and not 5 because they nc flounder was too salty mussels were eh and salad was eh. But the service was perfect very nice waiter and efficient customer service overall.
(4)
Gianina M.
This is a review for the shrimp toast...very expensive, low quality, no shrimp anywhere in it or on it, it's very salty. It is $3.00 for a half of piece of bread. Service was professional and fast. But the shrimp toast was horrible.
(1)
Michelle N.
Was in town for AmericasMart Atlanta, and our group wanted seafood. A friend of one of my coworkers had recommended this restaurant to us. Boy, was I impressed! We started off with the mussels, octopus, oysters and fried clams as appetizers. We loved the oysters so much that we ordered more of them right before dinner. If you like a great white mussel broth, then I highly recommend them. We asked for more bread too just to dip in the sauce when all the mussels we're gone. The octopus had a bid of a kick to it - but again, amazing! Everything was great. For dinner I had the triggerfish. It was perfect. Again, everything was amazing - including the service. For dessert, we had the salted caramel ice cream. A bit salty at times, but incredible. Overall, if I am in Atlanta again, I will definitely stop here. Amazing seafood, ambiance, and well, everything! We even talked about going back during our current trip to go to the raw bar.
(5)
Diedre R.
A $230 dinner tab with tip and four hours later I'm just about to pass out in bed to write this review. I went with the intent of attending what was being promoted as a patio party with an $18 crawfish boil. But upon arriving, realized that although its spring on the calender, the weather hasn't gotten the memo yet. So I asked to be sat inside. Maybe the hostess didn't realize that we were wanted to participate in the patio party, but she never mentioned to be by being sat in the dining room I would not be able to order from special pricing menu that was being offered for those that were attending the patio event. I asked Kia, our server for a Pimm Cup, which was being promoted on the restaurant Facebook page as one of the drinks for the patio party and she had no idea what I was talking about. She did explain that the dining room area was not a part of the patio event, and I would not be able to get the crawfish or pimm cup if I choose to continue sitting in the dining room. I inquired what other foods were available and she showed up with a menu for the patio party. After viewing it we, decided to stay in the dining room, but I did request something from the party menu called Hunch Punch, she came back about 3 minutes later with 2 Pimm Cups and stated they were out of the Hunch Punch, and that she would only be able to give me the two Pimm Cups because those drinks were not being offered in the dining room, but since I had asked three times for that drink in particular, she wanted me to have them. We began ordering from the menu, that I was told is changed daily, we started out with a dozen oysters *very small but the mignonette was great , 2 orders of the eat and peel shrimp and an order of fried oysters with a type of beef confit. I could have eaten these three things and been a happy girl, but since this was our first time here, we ordered entrees also. My mother, went with the pork chops, these were tender, but didn't have much flavor in my opinion. Who knows, maybe I'm just use to deep fried or grilled pork chops, but the wood hearth roasted pork chops were not infused with flavor, but my mother enjoyed them and if you've read my previous posts, you know she can be hard to please and swear that everything taste too salty. She also got a side order of beets. Which I have never like, but these beets. I would eat them. Something about the pistachos gave it a better flavor than when I've tried them in the past. My daughter went with the Vermillion Snapper. Kia, made sure to tell her that it was only the fish and she didn't want us to be surprised when she came back with the plate and it was only the fish, so she ordered the fingerling potatoes. Personally for $25, I thought it would have been an entire fish, but it was a 6oz filet. She ate every bit of it. I order the fish and chips, which came with crispy potatoes and an aioli. The piece of cod was tasty and three times the size of my daughters fish and $4 cheaper. The potatoes were average at best. I also order some hushpuppies and were shock when they arrived with powdered sugar on top. I didn't pay attention on the menu that the were offered "beignet style". It didn't help them taste any better, but gave them a sweet taste, which didn't interact very well with the malt vinegar I had poured over my fish. Overall, the environment is friendly and service is laid back and friendly. I'd go back again just for the oysters and the peel and eat shrimp.
(3)
Elise P.
We made a reservation at The Optimist for 4 at 12:15 in the afternoon. When we arrived to the restaurant there was a bit of a backlog in the reception area; however, we were seated within 5 minutes of our reservation. The server was very attentive. He made sure to keep our water glasses filled and our table neat and clean. The atmosphere was on of my favorite parts. They had very tall ceilings decorated with lights. They did a very good job making it a fun sophisticated place. We ordered an appetizer of the Calamari. Much to some of my fellow diners dismay, it was grilled calamari and note fried. However, i thought it was excellent. I very much enjoyed it. We got a variety of entrees at the table from a burger and fries to salads and even fish dishes. All the meals were presented very well, and everyone seemed to enjoy their meal. As long as you are a fan of seafood, I would recommend this place.
(4)
Jeremy M.
For my money, I'd go here over Canoe every time. More creative menu. Nice oysters. Fun crowd, and a gospel mission across the street (but don't worry your Range Rover will be safe in valet) It's not cheap, but few things worth having stay cheap for long...
(5)
Troy S.
Winner, winner, Swordfish dinner!! The Optimist gets the award for the best fish I have ever eaten and that is not an easy award to get from me...I eat a ton of fish and have become somewhat of a pesce connoisseur dining on the Chesapeake Bay my whole life. The swordfish is poached with duck fat (BAM, BAM!!) and paired with grilled peaches, basil, and a plummy tomato sauce...this is a total zinger and you will love it--nom, nom, crispy duck skin! Oh, and you will have to pick out a couple of side dishes to share with someone. No matter what fish you order, you need to get the basmati fried rice to go with it...the ginger and saffron undertones will tantalize you and you will feel the need to shovel down every last bite. Also totally love the heirloom tomatoes. Make sure you have a reservation or you will only find a seat at the bar. Decent wine selection which includes a lovely Viognier to go with your swordfish. Excellent staff and total eye candy everywhere. Next time, I really have to get the east vs west raw oysters and the crispy whole blackfish...I totally dig the "whole fish" experience.
(5)
Chad D.
Love to sit in the bar and eat oysters. Always the highest of quality. Dinners are nice, but a bit over priced... still a pleasure
(4)
Jacky M.
Absolutely wonderful experience from when we walked in and throughout the meal. We were greeted right away and show to a booth overlooking the restaurant. Our waitress was highly knowledgable on everything on the menu; fish to oysters to pairing the perfect cocktail or wine. Every dish we got was outstanding in taste and presentation. I would highly suggest the octopus appetizer and the scallops entree, both will knock your socks off. Happy eating!
(5)
Elaine L.
Love this restaurant. Definitely recommend it, the seafood is cooked perfectly and they are delicious. I came here for lunch and ordered: grilled calamari, she Crab soup, fish and chips, lobster roll and beets on the side plus hush puppies. The grilled calamari is cooked perfect lubut it's not my favorite (on well). The she Crab soup is thin and have nothing inside, but we were warned about it, so it's all good. Just wish it's a bit thicker, but still really delicious. I love it. For the main entree, I got lobster roll, omg, so good!lobster is not rubbery or undercooked, the seasoning is delicious. The only thing I have to say about this is that it's not the healthiest of entree. The bread is super buttery (like time to work out), but so good! Fish and chips are really good as well. All in all, it's a really good place to go and it's delicious. Want more of the beets! (Btw, hush puppies is pretty interesting dinner it's dusted with powdered sugar and with a sweet butter, still pretty good).
Tonight I went to the Optimist for the second time. The first time was subpar, but I thought it was because of my high expectations as a result of the hype surrounding the restaurant. I was wrong, this experience was worse than the last. We were seated and served drinks and oysters promptly (both good) but then it took an hour to receive our food. I got the blackened mahi, a $26 dish which in my opinion was decent but not worth the steep price tag for a relatively plain piece of fish with minimal accompaniments - no sides come with this, you'll have to pay $6.50 per side. Not to mention, our service was not good. The manager acknowledged our poor service and provided comped apps as a result, but our server never said a word. Overall, the second subpar experience at a restaurant that's deemed one of the best in Atlanta. Save the time and money - there are several better to try.
(2)
Conrad M.
It's tucked away, so you have to look for it. And don't be deceived about the outside. It's huge inside and feels brand spanking new. Great atmosphere and service. YOU MUST HAVE THE OCTOPUS. I mean, really. YOU. MUST! Great wine selection, beers, a seafood. Good for groups and would work if you're looking for a great date spot.
(4)
Jang C.
The Optimist looks like a trendy place. Not only that, it has been voted 2012's Best New Restaurant of the Year in Esquire Magazine. It's also a seafood restaurant. I love seafood. So would this be my new favorite restaurant? Not really. Don't get me wrong, the food tastes good here. I tried their hush puppies, oyster loaf, fish and chips, brussels sprouts, basmati fried rice, and beets. Their Hush Puppies was the bomb. They do it beignet style with powdered sugar all over the place. If you're not careful, you might get a bunch of powdered sugar on your clothes and look like a cocaine addict. I liked how they fried the hush puppies and loved the sweetness. The Oyster Loaf tasted good. The oysters seemed fresh. I loved how they stuffed the tiny loaf bread with oysters. They breaded and fried the Oysters well. It's a great sandwich for lunch. It is a messy sandwich because the oysters were spilling out of the bun. I tried their Fish and Chips. It tasted okay. It seemed bland to me. Their vinegar aioli didn't give much flavor. I liked the tempura batter at least. I liked the "Chips" it came with. It was hand pulled potatoes. They seemed to have grilled it somewhere since I could tasted the grilled flavor. For the sides, I tried the basmati fried rice. I wasn't a fan. I didn't like the flavors, and it didn't seem fried. I guess I was expecting a more Asian styled fried rice. The brussels sprouts tasted good. It was one of my favorite sides. It had a nice flavor and cooked well. The Beets tasted okay. I couldn't get much of the beet-y taste. Also, it had cream. The cream added a nice layer of flavor, but I couldn't enjoy it much because of my lactose intolerance. As for the service, I got annoyed at my server. She assumed too much. First, she made it a point to serve the women first. Okay, that's fine. But it was annoying when she skipped over me multiple times just to serve the women first. I think she should just go in order of seating instead of having to do the whole, chivalrous, "ladies-first" act. In fact, when we came in, she served all the women water and left my glass empty. Then she asked the women if they want anything else besides water to drink while my glass was still empty. Also, it took her a long time to get our order. I didn't know she was waiting for our last party member, who never arrived, to show up. What was she waiting for? She could've at least come and ask if we wanted to order first. If we didn't say anything, she would have never served us because our last table companion never showed up. Then at the end, she assumed me and Angela M. were together even though we specified separate checks. If we were together, I would've told her were were together. I'm laid back when it comes to service, but for some reason, this woman irked me. Besides the crappy service, the food didn't seem bad. I wasn't blown away, but I enjoyed my meal.
(4)
Tran N.
This review is solely for lunch time. I never came here for dinner, but probably will one day. I've been here for lunch twice and had the famous lobster roll both times. The lobster roll is the best I have ever had here for it to be in Georgia. The huge chunks of lobster meat is satisfying, and half of the roll leaves me full but I will always finish the whole roll. I got mines with a side of the standard fries which were nicely seasoned as well. The hushpuppies I've had my first time here were yummy also. I believe one lobster roll entree is at $18, not bad at all considering the portion is pretty generous. The ratio for the sauce mixed in makes it better to. The service is wonderful, and nothing to complain about. There is a $2 valet fee out front, pretty reasonable as you should always tip your valet regardless.
(5)
Jackie R.
I have been here twice in the last three months. Each time I have had something different (never a bad choice). First time we had the spicy shrimp app (whole GA shrimp a la plancha, "sopping' toast, arbol chile butter, lime) which was amazing! We were fighting over the bread and sauce! The roasted brussell sprouts were so yummy. My friend and I tried several of the cocktails (with names like Highway to Hell and Stairway to Heaven how could you not) She had flounder and I had Mahi mahi....we rolled/stumbled out of there!! I thought at the time it was the best meal I have ever eaten!! About two weeks later my husband and I went back for our anniversary We tried mussel for appetizer that was suggested by our waiter Topher. He was awesome by the way!! The mussels had a curry sauce that was delicious. We had the snapper and halibut for our main and sides were the confit fingerling potatoes, pork belly, chile oil, scallions and basmati "fried rice", smoked fish, curry, peanuts, cilantro, egg. The manager brought us asparagus to try. I swear this restaurants apps and sides is what make it!! The snapper had a jalapeno sauce that was just the right amount of spicy and with the fried rice side it was soooo yummo!!! I love the atmosphere her and we talked about next time sitting at the oyster bar and just doing oysters!
(5)
Beth P.
Some places live up to the hype - the Optimist is one of them! I love the putting green and live music they have outside and the huge windows and airy feel when inside the restaurant. I've sat on the patio, at the raw bar, main bar, and in the dining room. Eaten during both lunch and dinner hours. The service is consistently great. The food is fantastic and ingredients are high quality, especially the seafood which can be hit or miss in Atlanta. Also, the burger here is amazing -- in my opinion it beats a lot of the ones that were in Creative Loafing's burger smackdown!
(5)
Calvin H.
Great great restaurant! Had a wonderful time. The space is very cool, brick and high ceiling, like a warehouse. Terrific menu / lots of great fish options. I had the snapper and one of the fish opportunities of the day, both were delicious. Server was very friendly / pleasant, great experience overall, looking forward to going back.
(5)
Jonathan M.
This is my favorite place in Atlanta to go for fresh fish. Even though it always seems to be too busy to get exceptional service, the food is always outstanding. Plus, as long as I get my food and drinks in a timely manner, I don't care if the server treats me like I'm part of the royal family.
(4)
Lizzie L.
This is my new favorite restaurant in Atlanta. We went here for our anniversary dinner last weekend. We made reservations and were seated right away. We ordered a dozen oysters, she crab soup, fish chowder, shrimp a la plancha, and the scallop entree. Between the two of us, it was the perfect amount. There was a piece of fried shrimp toast that came with the she crab soup that I could probably eat 10 of if I was not in public. The oysters took a lot longer to come out than everything else. Not sure why. Even with that issue I'll still give this place 5 stars because I loved everything else. Decor, food, atmosphere. Perfect.
(5)
Angela M.
Thanks to Jang for planning the UYE lunch that finally got me here! We waited until the majority of the group arrived, and then were seated at one of the 6 seat tables with a flipped high chair for the baby bucket. We started with the beignet-style corn milk hushpuppies for the table. I'd never had hushpuppies with powdered sugar, and while I don't think I'll make it a regular thing, I do think it was tasty, especially with the subtle sweetness of the cane sugar butter. While I debated several things, I chose the lobster roll, with beet salad. The beet salad didn't seem like much at first, but I liked it more with each bite. Red and candy cane beets with buttermilk cheese and pistachios, nicely seasoned with salt and a bit of oil. The lobster roll was fresh and tasty, simply prepared with large chunks of lobster meat, celery greens, and some lemon on a fluffy bun. I'd inhaled half of it by the time the others had finished prepping their plates to be eaten... so I made myself stop for a few minutes and look around at what they had. When I saw the oyster loaf that others got, I decided to come back again to try it - an oyster poboy with large oysters piled high atop a crusty baguette... When Heidi offered up the rest of her fish and chips, I heartily dug in. I'd meant to only taste it, but then polished it off. This fish was nicely fried, and the potatoes weren't chips or fries, but nicely crisped chunks of potato. I ended up using quite a bit of the white sauce (malt vinegar aioli?) that came on the side. It's not the least expensive lunch in the area, but the quality of the seafood and the atmosphere made it worth it. I'll be back to try that oyster loaf! There's also a putting green out front, and they've got putters and golf balls at the hostess stand, I'm assuming for when there's quite a wait.
(4)
Amanda F.
We came here for my partner's birthday and were thrilled from start to finish. I made the reservation online and shared that it was his birthday when asked if it was a special occasion. When we got there, we noticed that the menus were customized with a happy birthday message for him! The food was amazing, the service was impeccable. The building itself is really interesting, open, and just nice to sit in. Would highly recommend it for anyone looking to have an amazing meal.
(5)
Sophia Y.
Wayyyyy over priced for mediocre food. The gumbo was bitter bc they over cooked the roux. I understand deep flavors bc I graduated from AIA in culinary arts but this was just gross. We had a party of 8 and ordered 2 gumbos and everyone e disliked it. I got the snapper, it was good but it looked like a pan fried piece of fish on an empty plate. There was nothing with it literally. Hush puppies were salty. Octopus was tender but salty. Server was very slow. Overrated.
(2)
Alexandra A.
I've been here twice for dinner and once for lunch. Dinners were amazing, I love the menu selection, the whole fried halibut was exceptional, though the menu changes a bit with the seasons, so it might not be available. Love the seafood here. The lunch lobster roll was ok - not a big fan.
(5)
Paul M.
Always a great time here. They know what makes people love a restaurant: responsive, friendly service that never feels pushy, a great wine/beer/cocktails list and original, REALLY well executed food that changes with the seasons. Thanks for another excellent night.
(5)
gabriel m.
While I am a fan of the place (read 4 stars) and have been sending people their way for years, this last trip wasn't the best ever. Let me qualify that of course. My dish, whole Haddock, was one of the best whole fish dishes I have had anywhere and the drinks were solid as usual that we got with our usual solid west coast oysters. Sounds like 4 or 5 stars no? Here's the thing. I got something new and suggested the core dishes to my out of town friends. The Halibut and the duck fat seared swordfish. To me, no-brainer dishes. When they came out, they were disappointments at best. Overcooked, over seasoned, and they even burned the garlic on the Halibut. Who does that at $26/plate? We also ordered some of the fried rice for the table and, while the seasoning and flavor was fresh and awesome, the core of the dish, the rice, was disgusting. No one ate it. Finally, the my desert, the Key Lime pie was neither key nor lime. It was mostly condensed milk and the crust seemed to be stale. This is why they get 3 of my 5 stars. I look forward to going back again and getting one of the "no-brainer" dishes to see if they took the criticisms to heart.
(3)
Donald L.
I finally returned to The Optimist and it was great. This time, I sat at the bar and ordered oysters and a lobster roll. The lobster roll is amazing. If you haven't been, you should visit just to get it. It is still loud but doesn't seem to matter very much if you are on the bar side. I'll try the restaurant side again soon.
(4)
Mqew W.
OMG! I tried it once and got the Lobster Roll. Swung and missed. I've definitely had better. Ok. Fine. Not a problem. So I try it for lunch yesterday. STRIKE TWO!!!! How can you mess up a simple shrimp cobb salad? I know, a hair! I had no words. Mgmt asks if I want something else. I was hesitant but hungry, so I ask for it again. How about no shrimp on it.... REALLY???!!! WTF! I'm good. BYE!
(1)
Scott M.
To be fair, I've only eaten here once, but my wife and I were NOT blown away. Service was very good but the food ... unmemorable. After all the hype we were very excited to dine there, but at the end of the meal we were puzzled. Some of the food was ok and some, I would never order again. To critique every dish we ordered would be to give each one more of my time than it deserved.
(2)
Jon L.
We recently relocated to Atlanta and The Optimist has been our go to spot for incredibly fresh and delicious food!! Everything we have tried has been excellent and has us coming back weekly for our fix. The staff is very well versed in the food and cocktail/wine programs. Thank's for making us feel so welcome!
(5)
John T.
Industrial vibe with fish focus. I liked it immediately and started with the she crap soup. This is more a bisque than a traditional chowder but good nonetheless. You must try the octopus. It is part octopus part buffalo wing. the seafood selection is also good I got the corn mill crusted red snapper and it was perfect. with a great bourbon selection, hipster chic waitstaff, nice vibe and good all-around food the Optimus is a hit with friends. Make sure you hit it when you're in Atl.
(4)
Suzanne W.
I had the most amazing experience here! It would have been plain old ordinary but thanks to out most fab server and the delicious food coming out ... The experience was extraordinary. :) I wish I remembered her name... But if I ever do... I will def update this. I ordered so many appetizers. I love this place more for a tapas kind of experience. I ordered the mussles, shrimp a la plancha (yes, def messy and def worth it), hush puppies (eh), gumbo (eh... But the bread that came with it was sooo yummy...or was it the spread?... Whatever it was... It was sooo delicious! I feel like I ordered more appetizers but I can't quite remember. As for the entrees... We had the scallops (quite small in size and not what was expected), swordfish (wanted to try something new... Never again, & a fish I can't remember (I just remember it being 30 something bucks! Lol... But well worth it). I still need to go back for lunch and the oyster bar. Can't wait!
(4)
Tomoy L.
The lobster roll is amazeballs. Fucking yum! It's light and refreshing, but filling. Not to mention the service. Staff had great eye contact and customer service. The ambience is great. New favorite. So worth the $24.
(5)
james B.
Great atmosphere good service. Super loud in the dining room but I did not mind it. I will be back soon.
(3)
Kyle D.
Great seafood options in ATL are very hard to find. The Optimist seems to have hit the mark! Not sure if I enjoyed the oyster options or the entree options more. The hush puppies are a must and the collard greens were amazing. Our waiter was very helpful but didn't hover. My only "complaint" was that the parking lot might be a little hard to find in the dark. That being said, they offer valet parking as street parking on your own might be a little hit or miss.
(5)
Richard B.
Had Valentines dinner reservations for this past weekend. All I can say it was worth the three week in advance reservation!! The hippest, casual, upscale restaurant in Atlanta. By casual I mean everyone is laid back and so friendly and knowledgeable. My girlfriend had never had oysters before and it's not because she hasn't had the chance to, I wanted to make sure her first time she had the best. So we ordered a half dozen (east and west coast) and she loved them. I honestly can say they are the best oysters in Atlanta....!!! Our dinner was amazing and the hush puppies were divine. Highly recommend this place and the waitress made it all so comfortable
(5)
Lisa N.
OMG... I have been here 3 times, ordered a ton of different dishes and I am always both surprised and delighted. My favorites .. The Mussels, the Mahi and this apple cake with cream sauce yum.
(5)
Rachael I.
I love seafood. I love lobster rolls. I came here on a mission. To try the lobster roll. I had to pull some strings to get here for lunch on a weekday, since lunch is not offered here on weekends. First of all, let me say. I do like this place. How do you dislike some place called The Optimist? The name alone counts as a star for me =) My friend and I arrived. Immediately impressed by the location and decor inside. It is absolutely beautiful. What a wide open, inviting, gorgeous space. You do feel you are almost seaside somewhere... Our server arrived, and she was very nice. We both knew we wanted to get the lobster roll, and it came out within minutes. Now, I am comparing this lobster roll to the one that I absolutely love at Legal Sea Foods in Atlanta. Side by side comparison: Portion size? Legal wins it. It is double the size of Optimist's. Price? Legal is market price. I think I might have paid 20 bucks or so last time. The Optimist's is $17. (Must have recently raised the price as some Yelpers have been saying $14.) BUT, it is half the size. Overall better value? Legal. Bread? Legal. I prefer their brioche. My one today at Optimist was burnt black on one side, and was a bit reminiscent of a hotdog bun. Lobster quality? Toss-up. You can tell both establishments use nothing but the highest quality. Lobster portion? Legal. Hands-down. Huge chunks of lobster. Whole claw meat. Made Optimist look really skimpy. Overall flavor? Legal. I prefer the lobster to shine in my lobster rolls. At Optimist, I tasted celery first, then the lobster. I did really like Optimist's tartar sauce, however. Extremely lemon-limey, a nice bright kick to enhance the lobster. Sides? Legal. Absolutely. This is personal preference, but I like hearty, thick-cut fries. That I can dip in things. Optimist's shoestring fries weren't doing it for me. Very greasy. Had to eat them with a fork. Seasoned perfectly though. Also, Legal serves an extra side with their lobster roll. So, that alone kind of pushes them ahead in the "sides" game. I always get the stone-ground grits (delish), but they've got a ton of side choices. I will say though, Optimist's service is STELLAR. I was almost entirely through with my roll and was perfectly happy finishing it as is. Our server came by to ask how everything was, and I said everything was great, but my bun was a little toasty. She asked me if I wanted a new one, and I said absolutely not, I am almost done. Fast forward 2 minutes, and a gentleman brings me a new plate with a new roll. Tells me he wants my experience to be the best it can be. So, as far as service, both Optimist and Legal are completely on par. Great job all around. Will come back to the Optimist for sure. Their dinner menu looks great. And the desserts sounded scrumptious. Will just choose Legal for my lobster roll fix, but I am super glad I tried Optimist's version.
(3)
Southern Beer Tours S.
I had heard rave reviews about this restaurant for a little while. It did not disappoint. We started with their beignet hush puppies w/ cane syrup butter. They were amazing. Then I ordered the blackened mahi mahi. It was the best cut of Mahi I had ever had. Our server was very informative and had great suggestions since it was our first time visiting. Valet parking was a breeze. We made a reservation before hand and had no wait for our seats. The place was stunning and is a whole lot bigger than it appears from the street.
(5)
Travel M.
100% next level yum. Aka ... Please sir may I have another, Oyster, that is. A crew of us drove down from Nashville to try this gem of a restuarant we first experienced a taste of from Bon Apetit's Roth & Daughter's / The Optimist night in Nashville. We had the full experience. Starting the evening with delicious well- crafted cocktails. I had both 'The Dog Days are Over' & 'The Lonley Boy', both on point. We started off tasting the lobster roll, a selection of oysters from the east coast & roasted arugula salad w/ pickled turnips and carrots. All stunning. Next round we devoured the pecan crusted flounder, duck fat poached swordfish, pork belly, butternut squash, sherry jus paired with well crafted sides. The desert was the only thing that needed some work ... The mint ice cream sandwiches I could pass on. The banana cake with buttermilk ice cream, I do again... But we're very much over shadowed by the main course. Just get the beignet Hush Puppies, they are better than what any dessert would offer. Oh and the restaurant decor, triple thumbs up. The attention to detail was excellent.
(5)
Kenneth P.
Second trip and still not impressed. Atmosphere - nice Service - good Fish and chips - dreadful. Fish has a heavy batter and the potatoes we hard Oysters - excellent Key lime pie - awful. Taste like it had been sitting in the fridge uncovered and absorbed a cardboard like smell. I think of you look part the great look and feel of the restaurant you will find the food is really average at best.
(2)
Tom S.
It took a few visits but I've started to really like this place. What took me so long to come around to it was the fact that while I'm definitely in the minority on this, there really isn't anything on the appetizer/starter menu that I liked. And in hindsight, that can supersede the good memories. Those good memories being the fresh fish, decent portions, good service, great bar and a good selection of beers too. But frothy she-crab soup? That's blasphemous. She crab soup isn't supposed to be thin and frothy. Shrimp you have to peel and eat? Ok- maybe a food truck or something. Minor, fixable irritations such as the lack of parking, and the valet that now charges in advance is what keeps this one on the "special occasions" list for now.
(4)
Chigurll K.
I was visiting at from Chicago when sister took me and another friend here for dinner. Best seafood ever. She ordered the shrimp dish from the appetizers, and I got the sword fish poached in duck fat. Her appetizer was size of an entree and amazinggggg. Order that and you will not regret it. The service was superb!!!
(4)
M' N.
Yep, I'm giving a Ford Fry restaurant five stars. The Optimist is a fun and vibrant spot with consistently delicious food and good service. I often sit and eat at the bar, where the bartenders are friendly and attentive, unlike the ones at King & Duke. The lobster roll and clam roll are where it's at. You'll never go wrong with the oysters either. One time, my friend ordered the ga shrimp a la plancha, and from the looks of his bib, it was scrumptious. For a cocktail, they make a mean salty dog with fresh squeezed grapefruit. But, there's also a drink that has a raw egg in it, which one of my Brooklyn hipster friends once ordered and drank while my redneck Atlanta friends and I gawked awkwardly. The Optimist is a winner.
(5)
Lisa S.
My husband and I went to The Optimist for dinner last night. This was our second time here and we absolutely love it. My only complaint about this place is the price of everything. The food is fantastic. My favorite thing is the Tuscan Kale salad. It is truly delicious and I'm not a big kale lover. We started with soups; I had the frothy she-crab soup. The flavor of this soup is excellent. The consistency is weird. It is like deliciously flavored hot liquid. There is not one single hint of thickness or actual crab. It was strange and I'm not a fan. My husband got the seafood gumbo and he said it was good. We shared the tuscan kale salad and then shared the swordfish. We split a bottle of pinot grigio, which was tasty and expensive ($40). We sat at the bar and our bartender was terrific. He was personable, funny, and we really liked him. I can't remember his name, unfortunately. According to my receipt, his name is PM Bar.....
(4)
Evelyn S.
Excellent seafood. Menu is a little narrow.
(4)
Troy D.
Had an amazing meal. We had a ton of small plates. Damn it was delicious. The shrimp la pancha was crazy good. The fish chowder was incredible. Michael Dobbins our server was a rock star. His recommendations made the meal. Thanks!
(5)
Karly G.
i love the bright and openness of this place. it's very rustic. i didn't care for the food so much. i didn't mind the price but everything i ordered today was really salty. i had the peal & eat shrimps, $12 for 6 large shrimps and the cajun seasoning was too generous. i didn't like the tartar sauce that came with it and opted to eat with the lemon wedges. it helped with the saltiness a little bit. the shrimps were considerably huge and very fresh though. i had the lobster roll and subbed for the Brussels sprouts. i was more than elated when i got it but was disappointed because it was just too salty. the flavor were extremely delicious if it wasn't overly seasoned with salt. my lobster roll was a little bit salty, but bearable because the roll sort of soaked in some of that. the lobster tail was fresh and yes, there were chunks of lobster topped on a grilled roll - i can't tell if it was brioche, but i don't think so. it tasted alright, it wasn't something i would come back for second. they forgot my sweet tea... luckily it wasn't on the check... it wasn't a big deal but i have to admit that the food came out really fast. which was a plus because we were short on time. all in all, it's a decent place for seafood but i can't say that i'll make my way out here again.
(3)
Santo P.
Another hipster joint. Where are the mason jars? Three of us came here because they had a decent Zagat rating but we found the restaurant itself is overrated. For those who say this is the best restaurant they have ever been to I would recommend you get out more often! While the food did not suck it was not excellent either, the service was slow. I am from Los Angeles so forgive me if this is below my standards but it is and we will not be going back. At least I gave them two stars, it could be worse.
(2)
Aun' S.
I went here with a group of foodie friends a few weeks ago. I really liked the ambiance and how they have lots and lots of tables. We didn't have a reservation. It was Friday night around 8pm and we were seated promptly to my surprise. We didn't even have to go to the bar and have a drink until our table was ready like most Atl restaurants on the weekend. I had the scallops and they were cooked perfectly!! We each ordered a side dish and were able to share them between the four of us. I had the sweet potatoes and they were amazing!!! I also enjoyed the fried basmati rice and brussels spouts. My friend did order oysters and enjoyed the variety available there. She said she liked that the oyster selections were different than other oyster bars in the area. Service was great and valet was quick on a rainy night! The only thing that I didn't like was the chairs were a bit hard but who cares when you have great food.
(4)
LeRue C.
The optimist is definitely optimistic! Reasonably priced seafood in Atlanta, not so easy to find. The optimist is not the exception. The restaurant is really cute and summery and reminds you of a seaside restaurant on one side and a fine dining open air restaurant on the other side. Me and a foodie friend popped in without a reservation so we ended up eating outside and could only order off the bar menu. We ordered the crab, crab cakes, octopus, and the mussels. The crab was 12 bucks if I am correct and it was just two small crab legs. The crab cakes while really good were similarly priced and they were maybe a tad larger than a quarter. The octopus and mussels were well prepared. The opitmis also makes fresh watermelon and strawberry cocktail that was really refreshing and delicious. Total tab about 70 bucks after tip. We were both satisfied but not full. I really wanted to try the soft shelled crab I had heard about but we were told they were out when we arrived at 6:30pm. I hate when that happens. Soooo... I will have to go back one day with a reservation or at least earlier than 6:30p. The soft shelled crab has been calling my name. If you're on a budget, and are looking for large portions, the Optimist is not for you. I am basing my review on the bar menu but the portion sizes and the prices do not commensurate at all.
(3)
Vanessa R.
4th time here but again another atlanta chef takes a perfectly good basic and tries to hipsterize it. Please leave my shoestring fries on my fish and chips alone!!!!! Why mess around with a standard FRENCH FRIES. Did a child make these fries. "Well the chef wanted to add texture to the dish so now we have hand torn potatoes" ...wtf.....what did you say. Did you say that with a French accent. Atlanta you do basics well...stop fighting it. It's fish and chips.. So these hand torn potatoes came ot with the crust the texture of oyster skins. Either have a basic and make it pwefecrly or just take it off the menu. Let me tell you no one wants to be served potatoes ripped to shreds by a child and then deep fried....no fair optimist.
One of my favorites in the city! Wonderful service, beautiful restaurant, and delicious food. Great for a special occasion!
(5)
Rach D.
My husband and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at The Optimist. Clean restaurant with a gorgeous interior. The staff were professional, knowledgeable and friendly and the food was delicious. The grouper, flounder, gumbo and mussels were very tasty. We will definitely be back!
(4)
Rick M.
Pricey but worth every penny!!! Atmosphere is great. First timers must do the lobster roll! I bring a lot of friends and clients to The Optimist and have never had a bad experience. The bar is more than well stocked. See you there soon.
(5)
Cary L.
Really delicious food. We are originally from NY and was on a roadtrip down South so we stopped in Atlanta for a night. Arrived around 8:20PM for a 8:45PM reservation but they wouldn't seat us until 845. I was a little annoyed because we were on the road for 8 hours and there were plenty of available tables. I was eyeing one table for the whole time that they said it was reserved. It ended up that were were seated at that table! Quite frankly, it pissed me off. Our waitress was a complete doll. I forget her name but she had shirt brunette hair and a big smile. Maybe Heather is the name? The ambiance is fantastic. Not too loud but also not quiet at all. I just love it. My husband and I ordered the shrimp cocktail and octopus to start- Both were fantastic! I love the shrimpcocktail because it was tossed in Old Bay. He then ordered the steak and I ordered the sword fish. Both were absolutely delicious. The sauce and complements that came along with the steak was absolutely delicious! We finished off with a banana cake which was just ok... I have to say- the bread is so yummy!! So buttery and fluffy. The only downside of the food is that it's a bit salty... Too salty for me but it was fine for my husband.
(4)
Laurel B.
Excellent service, great vibe. Hush puppies were awesome, lobster roll was excellent. Everyone's meal was superb, except for my husbands fish-n-chips. The fish was definitely old, and very "fishy" tasting. We sent it back, and we're told "all the fish was fine". Not good. Otherwise a positive experience.
(4)
Tanya C.
I've eaten at the Oyster Bar a few times but never had a chance to check out the main dining room at The Optimist. I was finally able to make it out a few weeks ago and had a wonderful meal. Since I'm a carb whore, I'll start out with the rolls. These rolls are divine. Crusty and soft at the same time and topped with salt. I could just have those rolls and be a very happy camper. We started off with a few shared appetizers: East Coast and West Coast Oysters Frothy She-Crab Soup Charred Spanish Octopus I don't eat raw oysters so I can't comment on them. The others at the table really seemed to enjoy them. The she-crab soup is not your usual she-crab soup. It's frothy and very smooth. You will not find chunks of crab in the soup, but you still get the same great crab taste. It's served with shrimp toast that really complements the soup nicely. Everyone at the table liked the charred octopus the best. We actually got an extra order of this after we devoured the first one so quickly. I really like the lobster roll at the Oyster Bar and asked our server if if would be possible to get one in the main dining room for dinner. She said she'd see what she could do. I told her that I would get the wild Alaskan halibut if she wasn't able to get one of the lobster rolls for you. She didn't stop by and let me know the outcome so my entree was a surprise. I ended up with the halibut. I was disappointed at first, but quickly realized that I should try other things on the menu and not stick to the same items I always order. The halibut is very simple and only comes with lemon and olive oil. Sometimes simple is best. The fish was cooked perfectly and I really loved it. My friends will tell you that I am not a fish person. In fact, I go out of my way to avoid eating fish when dining out. The fact that I am raving about a piece of fish is a big deal. The others in my party had the halibut, duck fat poached swordfish, seared yellowfin tuna, and roasted chicken. The only person less than completely satisfied with their entree was the chicken person. She does not eat any kind of seafood so her options were slightly limited. I'd say stick to the seafood here. We also ordered a few sides to share: shoestring fries served with malt vinegar aoli, hushpuppies, and basmati fried rice. I liked the fried rice the best. Make sure you get some. Beware that the hushpuppies are served with powdered sugar and cane sugar butter. They are not your usual hushpuppies. The highlight of the meal was dessert. We got a few orders of beignets. Not as good as what you would get in New Orleans, but very, very good. A few people also took some orders home in a bag and said that they were still good the next day. I ordered the ice cream flavor of the day. It was a cookie dough - I think it was oatmeal cookie, but I can't remember exactly. All I remember is that it was so freaking good. You'd think that I would remember the actual type because it was so good, but I think that I went into a food coma from all of the delicious food. Service was outstanding. Completely unobtrusive. We never had to ask for anything.
(5)
Eve A.
Absolutely wonderful! I enjoyed every moment every bite and worth every penny spent . I cant begin to express how hapoy a am with tjis dining experience . Go take your honey ...great atmosphere great service you will be pleased!
(5)
S L.
How could anyone give this place anything but 5 stars?! I live in Chicago and I've dined at Alinea and I enjoyed this more. It was a flavor journey.
(5)
Lydia L.
Thought I would give this new Ford Fry restaurant a try, and we were not disappointed. The restaurant is situated just south of 10th and Howell, easy valet parking, some outdoor seating, a bar area separate from the main dining area near the hostess stand, and ample seating in the main restaurant. I would describe the decor as contemporary meets beach bungalow. Large space, not too loud like JCT Kitchen, and an open kitchen. Our waitress Sara really knew her stuff. She went over all aspects of the menu quickly and highlighted favorites. Bread is brought to the table- appears to be a wheat roll with coarse salt on top. not bad. Appetizer: Clams and Pork belly. I mean, it's impossible to be disappointed when there's pork belly and good broth, right? Good portion for two to share. Entrees: Halibut- "the chef's favorite" and waitress's recommendation. The halibut was cooked perfectly, nice crispy sear. It's weird for me to say this, but the star of the dish was the mushroom accompaniment. The hen of the wood mushrooms were divine. I need to find them... Approx 5oz portion for the fish. Grouper- Ah, the grouper. The waitress seemed a bit hesitant to recommend this, probably the because the portion is also approx 5oz, but it comes simply with some vidalia onion and a horseradish broth. It felt skimpy. The fish was actually undercooked in the center, but when the waitress was notified of this, she and management staff very quickly offered to replace it, which wasn't necessary. The well-cooked portion of the fish was much enjoyed. Side: Gnocchi with lobster butter- This side literally melts in your mouth. Good portion for sharing, and honestly filling enough to be an entree. If you are ordering either of the fish listed above, you'll probably want to share a side to make it feel like a complete meal. Dessert: Key Lime PUSH-POP. Oh, such nostalgia. These were delicious. We kind of wished the graham cracker crust was layered instead of trapped at the bottom of the push-pop, but it was a very good dessert. I think this restaurant will be quite successful. Obviously this is the first week that it has been open, and I always expect some hiccups along the way. The wait staff seemed well organized, things appeared to move smoothly in the restaurant. The prices of some of the dishes could stand to come down a little bit, or a side of vegetables/grain could be added to the fish to make the price seem more reasonable. Good meal, would return!
(4)
Franki J.
Started our vacation with lunch at the Optimist - talk about setting the bar high! Our waitress was extremely informative on the menu and the drinks. She kept watch on our table to ensure we always had enough napkins, water, etc. As for the food - amazing! The shrimp appetizer was delicious and the sauce on it is life changing. The hush puppies are unique but tasty. The shrimp salad was light yet made you full. Finally, the atmosphere is open and light hearted. I would recommend anyone try this restaurant.
(5)
Mike B.
Celebrating my girl B day and this spot had been on her radar for a min. The spot is beautiful on the inside. All the lights are dim making it a perfect date spot. On to the food we started with a half a dozen of west coast and east oysters. The west are bigger but the east taste better. The two fish dishes we had halibut and swordfish and better were made to perfection. The a Cornbread beignet mix that were outstanding.
(4)
Chandler J.
Great experience and loved our bartender. We actually had a regular dining room reservation but spent the whole night at the bar for dinner instead of getting a table. The main room seating wasn't exactly plush-looking anyway, so the bar was likely more comfortable. Every suggestion the bartender made was spot on... from the spicy jalapeño scotch drink with pineapple - which sounded God awful on paper, but was actually tasty as all hell - to the amazing malbec, to the hush puppy appetizer. I actually had her surprise e with me dinner and wound up with swordfish on my plate. The swordfish was so tender it ate like a sea bass. Incredible. And the raw bar was impressive as well. Just stay away from anything XL... you shouldn't have to spend 30 seconds chewing an oyster because it was so big. The only complaint was that some oysters were poorly paired by size. We ordered two of each oyster from every region they offered (3-4 dollars each). Often times one would be regular sized and one would be dwarfed. Almost insultingly so. We were told this is because they are "living creatures" and vary by size. Well, so is a cow. And if I'm paying for a 20 oz porterhouse and am served a petit filet, there's gonna be an issue. We were a bit perturbed they made no offer to rectify this, especially considering the bill was 150, but alas, what are you gonna do... But other than that everything was great. Take the servers suggestions and you'll be fine!
(4)
Kate F.
This is more of a 3.5 star review and I'm grading a bit harshly because The Optimist is pricey and hard to get a reservation so I expect more. We came here to celebrate a birthday and made a reservation for two at the first available time on a Sunday, which ended up being something like 9pm. We did get a nice table for two and there was a decent amount of space in the restaurant at that time (so if you lack reservations, try for a late seating). It's a nice space, one of more sophisticated (but not fussy) restaurants I've seen in Atlanta. Added bonus: spotted Aaron Paul dining here. The food was really good, if not quite as incredible as some of the 5-star reviews suggest. Still, very, very solid. The reason why this is a 3 star review is that they were OUT of almost everything we wanted to order and it really limited our main course options. Since this was a special occasion for us, it just put a bit of a damper on the meal. I'd definitely come again, but I'd probably sit in the bar area, have some cocktails, and keep it a bit more casual.
(3)
Stacey B.
I'm from out of town and came here based on Yelp's recommendation. All of our food was excellent! We started with some salads, including the kale salad. OMG soooo good! I had the Lane Snapper and it was my favorite of all our dishes. The beets and mushroom sides were also great. The ambience of this place was very hip. I definitely recommend The Optimist!
(5)
Art R.
This place is amazing! Had the lobster roll, seafood chowder and fried Oysters. All were great!! Best to make a reservation, place is packed even during the week. A must if you in the mid town area
(5)
Kelsey F.
It was love at first sight. The Optimist is one of the most charming places I have been in Atlanta. We were greeted by two little boys in matching plaid playing putt putt on there front greens. The outside courtyard is so intriguing that I almost wish we had to wait so we could have enjoyed it. You walk in at the oyster bar where punch is flowing, the fire is burning, and people are enjoying lots of small plates. If you order a beer, you get an Optimist koozie! So wonderful. We were quickly seated though as we had called ahead to make a reservation. The large dining room is exactly what I want out of restaurants. It was large, crisply clean, cozy, comfortable, elegant, and slightly nautical. On our table we found two black napkins and two white ones. It turns out they give guests wearing black the black napkins so the white ones don't shed on their clothes- Such a simple and clever way to make guests happy. They also quickly brought us water, drinks, and manna from heaven. Actually they were buttered rolls, but I'm fairly sure they were what manna from heaven would taste like. After being overwhelmed and wanting literally everything on the menu, I decided on a cup of she crab soup, oysters, and a side of beets. I'm pretty sure the frothy and rich she crab soup was made by the hands of Poseidon himself. It came with something called "shrimp toast". I really wanted like three shrimp toasts to dip in my soup. It was scrumdiddlyumpscious. Entrees come a la carte and it is recommended that you order a side, appetizer, or oysters to go with them. I prefer small plates because you get to try more different things. I had a mix of sweet East coast and deep set, briny West coast oysters. They came over ice with herb mignonette, lemon, and fresh horseradish. Typically I prefer the salty more mineral oysters, but these sweet East coast oysters were amazing. I strongly recommend getting some oysters to share with your table. My beets were just the icing on my cake. They came in a large portion with cheese, herbs, and peppers. Their spiciness was a great compliment to my sweet and rich oysters and soup. The service was spot on. Our lovable waiter made sure we had everything we needed. He kept our waters full, poured our wine, laughed with us, and didn't miss a beat. I can not wait to get back to The Optimist. I'm dying to give the actual oyster bar and the house fish punch a try. Super great wonderful delightful meal.
(5)
Nichole K.
Out of the bar bites the Octopus is my least favorite. Lobster roll, GA shrimp, and oysters are always the way to go.
(5)
Allison S.
Unlike others, my experience at The Optimist was a little disappointing. I didn't enjoy my food, but I am planning to go back for another try. Maybe it was just me. The reviews from everyone else seem pretty consistent. I will give it another try.
(2)
Andi' M.
This place is wonderful! I went yesterday, for lunch, and ordered the seafood gumbo and east and west coast oysters. It was heavenly. The gumbo was warm, fresh, perfect blend of savory spices. The oysters were chilled, you can't really go wrong with oysters. The staff was polite and friendly. The bartender was very helpful, prompt, efficient, made recommendations to accommodate my dietary restrictions. I will be returning with friends! I have a new favorite lunch spot!
(5)
Asma A.
I really wanted to love this place, but unfortunately, my experience was bad. We ordered the oysters (half east half west) and they were super salty and probably the worst oysters I have ever had. For appetizers I ordered the a la planche And that was great! Loved it! The only thing I really enjoyed there! Definitely a must try! Shrimp chowder --- that was also good. Lobster roll--- ???? When I saw this on the menu online I was super excited to come here and try this... The one thing I really wanted from here! But it did not meet my expectations at all... I have had lobster rolls before and this definitely did not make the cut, plus the bread (hoggie it was on) was super greasy (it was grilled but tasted like it was drenched in oil). As my side I did order the fish curry rice and that was surprisingly good. To top it off my glass smelled so bad! Obviously had some detergent deposit or something still left in the glass... And no it's not that only I smelled it, my friend with me also smelled it and as I was leaving I asked the server to also smell it and he agreed (but nothing was done). Even though the service was good the food was alright--- at least for lunch that is. I really wanted to love this place, but I couldn't :-/ I will be going back to try their dinner menu... lets hope its better... I really want to give this place a better rating
(2)
Samantha M.
Finally got a chance to check this place out 2 weekends ago. Saw on here that someone mentioned live music in the courtyard, which sounded perfect for a saturday evening. Finding seats for 5 on the patio was no problem even though the place was really busy. They have a different menu for the oyster bar & outside, tons of tasty options, but only small plates. The music and drinks were great, very fun atmosphere. When we decided we wanted to a table inside to eat (last minute decision), we were told it would be a 2-3 hr wait (ouch!). We opted to just hang on the patio and eat some small plates & oysters, all delicious. Would love to go back and try items off the full menu. Beware, the servers said weekend nights are always slammed, suggested we make reservations at least a few days out for peak times. Fair enough, I like a place that has good enough food for that high of a demand! Definitely go a little early to enjoy the live music & a cocktail in the courtyard before your reservation :)
(5)
DL T.
I celebrated my 56th birthday here. We started in the cocktail area and tried the lobster roll, mussels and oysters which were excellent. We did not have a reservation, but moved to the bar to order the cajun shrimp appetizer which was amazingly delicious!
(5)
Andy S.
Went here for a birthday dinner with a group of 6 and everyone left a happy diner. I have to reccomend the warm kale salad with a fried egg on top if it is still on the menu...it was delicious! The staff was not as good as the food though. We all had drinks but when it came to just keeping the water glasses full we ended up having to grab a glass jug and just bring it to our table since the waitress was not very attentive. Still, the food overshadowed the service and I would absolutely return to try something on the menu that seems to change every season.
(4)
Nick A.
Dinner Sunday night 11/10. The Optimist is a converted warehouse-one large open room with with high ceilings. The noise is at a high level but we sat against the street facing wall so it was not so bad. For starters we all had the waitresses' "personal favorite" she-crab soup. It was a crab tasting broth with no crab. No she at all. It would have been better with something in the broth. Perhaps one small shrimp? The main for me was pecan crusted flounder. The crust"ing" was so salty I could not finish the fish. I am not certain if the extra salt was to take away the taste from "day old fish" or that's just the way the Chef decided to enhance the flavor. The menu did not identify any salt free entrees, so it is a matter of luck to determine which foods taste natural or which are enhanced. (When I eat at Chinese restaurants I request that no MSG be used to enhance. Lat night I should have ordered Chinese take out and stayed home.) I spent the night getting up and drinking water to wash the salt from my body. Summary: The optimist is the latest rage, but it is over priced and the Chef seems to be out of control of his/her spices.
(1)
Leo A.
The Optimist was such a pleasant surprise. We had a 9:15 pm reservation, arrived early but were seated right away. We had two dozen oysters which came out with amazing homemade saltine crackers, cocktail sauce, freshly grated horseradish, and onion vinaigrette. They tasted so fresh we could have been fooled we were on a port. Next came the clam roll (a little too fried for my taste), seafood gumbo (fairly tasty) and green curry mussels (delicious!!). The service was very courteous and friendly. The location seems a little inconvenient, but in ATL everything is! Definitely would recommend if you are craving seafood.
(5)
Sal D.
After watching Atlanta Eats, I knew I wanted to return here for my birthday for the lobster roll. Unfortunately, it's only available during lunch and at bar during dinner (birthday plea didn't work). I got the highly recommended shrimp a la plancha instead and the reliable mussels while my date got fish and chips and side of mushrooms. He was impressed with the portion size and practically drank the mussel's green curry broth. The shrimp had nice kick to it and was messy to eat (server brings hot towels with lemon afterwards), but it's well worth it. Although fried to perfection, we'll probably skip the fish and chips next time and get 3 starters with a side for dinner. Service was prompt with 5:45 p.m. reservation, and hosts and servers were attentive. We finished our meal by 7 p.m. Looking forward to return for lunch or bar service.
(5)
Jane S.
My sister and I went for dinner on Wednesday. The oysters were great, but I would suggest the oyster happy hours. The entrees were also great, we got the scallops and swordfish in duck fat. The portions were pretty small so we got the basati fried rice as a side which seemed to be a little too salty. The dessert, smores cookie sandwich was good, but not great. I was expecting something to blow my mind. Our waiter Christian was so nice and hospitable. Enjoyed my experience here.
Fantastic! Split three starters: octopus, mussels, and shrimp la plancha. All delicious and big enough to share. I had the swordfish which was delicious and very meaty. Paired well with the onions, pork belly and strawberries. Large portion. My companions had the crispy whole fish and the scallops. We split the hush puppies and shisito pepper sides. Hush puppies were very salty but also had powdered sugar on them. Very interesting. The peppers were good, not too spicy. While the sides were good I didn't really see anything that I thought paired well with the fish. We then split key lime pie and chocolate desserts, which were tasty and big enough to share. Very nice dining experience. Favorites were the starters. All the entree fish were cooked perfectly and were extremely fresh. We all had craft cocktails as well which were tasty but did not seem overly strong. Dinner rolls warm and soft. $2 valet parking. Extensive oyster menu.
(5)
Kim N.
This review is based on lunch service only. I'll update my review after I return for dinner service. Our server was very friendly and helpful. I love the the simple decor & the huge glass windows of the Optimist. ~ Lobster roll - absolutely amazing! fresh lobster; I ordered the lobster roll & gumbo combo instead of the lobster roll & fries combo listed on the menu ($5 upcharge) gumbo doesn't taste like your typical gumbo; however, it was very yummy & full of fresh shrimp, oysters, tiny crab claws, and sausages. ~ Butter burger - much better than Bocado and/or Holeman & Finch burger imo ~ Hush puppies beignets style - amazing amazing amazing! the hush puppies and cane sugar butter make a perfect combination & perfect dessert even though this is listed as a side item. Private lot during lunch & dinner Mon - Wed. Valet only Thurs - Sun.
(4)
Travis B.
this place reminds me of where top chef contestants go for a cooking challenge. i could just envision tom, padma, and gail sitting next to us glorifying the food! we had a reservation for 8:45. the plane was late and didn't land till 8am. baggage, shuttle, car....we would miss it! but when i called the restaurant, the hostess says "oh no problem...as long as you get here before 11pm, you'll be fine"....YAY! the decor reminds me of a mix between the herb box and culinary dropout in scottsdale. high ceilings, contemporary yet farm-to-table-ish. warm and cozy without being too cluttery. there is an oyster bar upon entry, but we didn't partake even though the server in the oyster bar tried his most charming to bring us a drink! the lady who took us to our table was full of southern charm and our server was beyond pleasant and helpful. the menu is, for lack of a more articulate description, fancy american comfort food with lots of meat. even on their fish. both of our dishes were ridiculously rich and buttery....something we can't do everyday, but delicious for a special dinner. i had the red snapper-2 appearingly small fillets but surprisingly filling. the skin is crisp and the fillet was moist. we ordered the sweet potato, mushroom, and turnip side dishes at 6.5bucks each. my favorites were the turnips with almonds, the mushrooms, and the sweet potato wedges, in that order. the skins on the heirloom sweet potatoes were a bit too chewy and/or hard to bite, but it's not that hard to scrape out the filling. my wife ordered a delicious piece of mahi, only to be served the mahi wrapped in a pork product....which it described on the menu, however, we didn't know what that description was. in any case, our server was super accommodating and sent out a new dish of sea bass in a matter of minutes. it too was delicious, rich, and buttery. i haven't been to downtown atlanta and years, but i remember this area when i was a kid as being quite...."in the hood?". but tonight driving around, there were all sorts of cool looking restaurants, bars, shops, etc. and people walking around enjoying the warm december weather. good find and if you have a chance, you will be well pleased at your choice!
(5)
Shon I.
I love this place. The food was good. The ambience is nice. Is it expensive? As hell. Is it the most expensive place in the city? Not at all. What is the problem is that almost everything comes A LA CARTE.. yay for paying $25 for some fish and $6 for a side. It is really hard to get a seat in the place if you don't RSVP. But it is worth it. I will go back. For hubby and I (and unborn son) it was only about $112. The included A (as in one tentacle) charred octopus ($12), halibut ($25), side of mushrooms ($6), scallops/short ribs ($28), side of basmati fried rice ($6),3 beers for hubby ($15 total), a virgin cocktail for me ($6) and a mascarpone cheesecakes ($8).
(4)
Courtney R.
The food was delicious and the server was amazing. I had the calamari, fish and bok chuy. I was delicious. The wine was also delicioso. I will return to this restaurant. I loved the atmosphere as well.
(5)
Lohr B.
Amazing food and service! The best waitress I have ever had! I wish I remembered her name so I could tell her manager how fabulous she was.. She has red hair and is from Austin TX and she could not have made the night a better experience
(5)
Christy P.
This restaurant was recommended to us by my boyfriend's boss and I must say, we were not disappointed! We made it for the end of the lunch hour so it wasn't very busy. Everything from the atmosphere to the service to the food was stupendous. The restaurant has a rustic nautical look to it with a very open dining area and an oyster bar. We got great service from our waitress Christin who was very helpful in answering our questions about the food. Everything we tried was good but my two favorite dishes were the mussels in a thai coconut curry sauce and the fries with chowder and bacon. Who knew potatoes and chowder went so well together (being from the west coast I could be missing something big here). And the coconut curry sauce was one of the best I've ever had. Definitely will recommend this place to anyone living in or visiting Atlanta.
(4)
Ivan S.
This place is probably actually 5 stars but since I've been really stingy with my 5 stars lately AND I've only been here once AND it was only during lunch time AND it was after a massage AND I wasn't that hungry AND I had the day off which put me in a really good mood, the contextualist in me is sticking with four stars. But oh what a four stars. The space was roomy and bright (during the day, at least). The putting green is a nice touch (if even a slight bit douchey, considering my highly personal opinion of those who would love to idle away their time on a putting green.) The service was personable and spot on. The food, while I didn't order much, was delicious. They even let me order a single raw oyster, plating it beautifully enough that it took away the sting of feeling stupid for ordering a single raw oyster. The she-crab soup had me wanting more. The La Plancha, while tasty, wasn't as exotic as it's hyped to be, though. Sure, head-on, shell-on shrimp seems exotic to most, but to an Asian that's called "a Tuesday afternoon." But tasty, though, as I said. I also ordered a Fog Cutter which I enjoyed, but Trader Vic's is still my gold standard for foolish, fruity booze-laden drinks. The wife loved her arugula salad and whatever else she ordered (it escapes me) as well as the "Winter in Cape Cod" cocktail she had. Sure, it's kinda spendy and it's across the street from the Alliance for the Homeless. Ignore all that. Succumb to the beautiful wood-roasted smells of their oven, the clean, brininess of their oysters, the richness of that she-crab soup....that's it....yep, quite a late lunch capper on my day off. Four stars for now.
(4)
David L.
I would pass on this place for a premier seafood restaurant in Atlanta. The dish that I had was dry and not flavorful. The ambiance was like an upscale cafeteria feel. For fresh seafood, I would still stick with the ATL Fish market, or just go get some fresh fish from wholefoods and make it your self. Def beats the prices here for sure.
(2)
Malcolm M.
Best restaurant I've been to in years! The decor is amazing. Chic and sophisticated yet understated. The food is so amazing.
(5)
Marcus Z.
Atlanta has a new culinary knight in shining armor in the form of a seafood restaurant. I had read many great things about this place, especially from eater.com But I was surprised that none of my foodie friends had ever frequented this establishment. So my husband and I decided to give it a try one Thursday evening. We arrived around 19:00 to a lovely valet service. Perfect! I hate looking for parking. Complimentary? Even better. We announced our presence to the hostess who informed us that it would be about an hour wait. Not a problem though because they had a lovely oyster bar area to wait in. We sat at a small table while we waited for a regular table in the main dining room. I gazed around and realized that this place was very cute. It had a "Florida meets the Hamptons" look. We were greeted by a bar waiter and we ordered a few cocktails. I don't remember the names but I remember loving them. I also ordered one of each oyster that they offered. It was the most informative and exciting oyster eating experience I had ever had. My husband's smoked fish chowder was on point. Perfect blend of cream and veggies and fish. Lots of yum factor. The service was also phenomenal. Once in the main dining room, I ordered a delicious cocktail that had Pisco, passion fruit juice, egg whites and paprika. Talk about an explosion of flavor. It was called the Mermaid something. I can't quite remember. Our server brought us these butter and sea salt covered dinner rolls that were delicious. As an entree I ordered 2 appetizers...the grilled octopus and the Georgia white shrimp. Whoa! Talk about an overdose of scrumptiousness. The octopus was tender and had a wonderful smoky char to it. The shrimp were left with the heads on with lead to a wonderful flavor experience. It was quite messy trying to eat them but that was part of the fun. We also ordered the fried rice and the hush puppies. Definitely an A+! Honestly, we ordered way more than we could eat. But the experience was well worth it. Yes this place is pricey but its quality. I cannot wait to eat at The Optimist again!
(5)
Mansi R.
The Optimist has been on my list for a while. I went there to grab dinner on a Monday night with a girlfriend. Loved the open concept of the restaurant with delicious cocktails. A perfect time to be able to catch up. We ended up sharing the hushpuppies and oysters. The oysters were so fresh and I liked both the sauces with it. The hushpuppies were a little sweeter than what I am used to since they were "beignets" but they were still pretty good. I also got the asparagus/radish salad and the fried rice (which was amazing). Both had really good taste. I loved the lemony bottom on my egg that came with my salad. Glad I finally tried the place!
(4)
Carlos M.
Just came back from dinner there.....Place is great, open and very well decorated. I wish I could say the same about the food. If I return I may try the oyster bar because I won't be returning for the food. Went there with Out of Town people, they liked it. I was very bleh about it. The food was ok, nothing worth writing home about and definitely over priced.
(3)
Jihan D.
It definitely is not easy to just grab a table so I do recommend making a reservation. Their food is delicious. I had the mussles for an appetizer and the scallops for a main dish as dessert I had their Tawny Port (wine). The service and atmosphere was impeccable.
(5)
Stephanie P.
My husband chose this Atlanta restaurant for an early birthday dinner as we were in Georgia for the holidays. The menu looked fantastic online and I was really excited to try it out. Reservations were tricky to get, and I was panicky because my flight in was horribly delayed and we missed our 8:45 time. My husband called and explained, and they were very nice, indicating it was no problem as long as we arrived within the next two hours. The entrance is a smaller oyster bar area, which is more casual and looks like it might be nice during the summer-no one was in there this Saturday evening. The main dining room is fantastic. I love when design elements create a feeling of warmth-the flooring, the lighting, the huge bar area....I just loved it. We were seated around behind the bar near a huge window of a wall. We ordered a couple drinks, about 3 sides as everything is a la carte, and two seafood dishes. I didn't realized the mahi was prepared wrapped in pork-oops!-but our server was very nice and accommodating and pointed out another seafood dish that was prepared sans meat. Both the red snapper and black bass we ordered were delicious. The black bass especially was phenomenal with its buttery, crispy skin, and the snapper was so lovely and simple with lemon, salt and pepper. The mushrooms were a hearty side, as well as the turnips with marcona almonds. The combination of the almond crunch with the turnips was unexpectedly good! The sweet potatoes could've been skipped. They were over-cooked and somewhat dry. We did splurge on a dessert too and got the mascarpone cheesecake. It was a wonderful experience: great food, great service, and the best company.
(5)
DineWithDani D.
And may I say that it BLEW MY MIND! I tried the she crab soup with shrimp toast (OMG!) and the octopus salad (again OMG!). dinewithdani.com/?p=1004
(5)
Lorenzo D.
The Mussels were great. Spanish Octopus really good. Atmosphere, very cool. The hush puppies outstanding! The red snapper was a bit dry and not anything more than average. Overall, it was a nice evening, but the main course was just so-so. I'd definitely go again, as more outstandings than the one average plate. Staff was nice and fairly quick too.
(4)
Amit And Fritzi G.
The main dishes have large portions. Fish and chips are amazing. They must have a very large deep fryer for this filet. The "chips" are not like normal fries, they are roughly cut up potatoes and deep fried to yummy/crispy goodness! We were disappointed in the gumbo. We've had it in New Orleans and so it doesn't compare. It could be the person who poured it in the bowl, but I barely got any rice and it was watery. Wasn't very well seasoned or spicy. Would definitely recommend this place for seafood lovers though!
(4)
John H.
Went for dinner. Sat at the bar. Never left the bar because we kept eating their amazing apps and sipping delicious cocktails! Wow! What a treat! The octopus was fork tender and the fresh oysters were excellent. Also recommend the fritters. Check it out if you are in Atlanta. Can't go wrong. May even see a celebrity while you're there. Enjoy! PS Valet only. $$$$ but worth it!
(5)
Pourina R.
I'm not going to go off on a rant and rave about how magnificent the food was. Truth be told, I'm really not much of a fish guy. But I came in with an open mind and attempted it - again. I've tried almost everything; Sea bass, grouper, salmon, trout, crappie, tuna and many other fish that escape my memory. Most recently I tried the monkfish and swordfish. Another $240 meal later and I think it's about time I stop living in denial. I must admit defeat. The fish was great (I think)...don't get me wrong...I'm just the wrong person to ask. YOLO! If it isn't fried or raw - just say NO. The decor is somewhat of a reclaimed industrial farm warehouse in what appears to be some kinda gentrified neighborhood. The waiters are extremely nice. Our waitress was funny, personable and a little flirty (bomchickybombom). Oysters were fab, just fab. I'm not going to claim to be a connoisseur, but I've had my fill of these mouthwatering mollusks. Enough to formulate my own perception. Briney, salty with lots of umami. Say it with me, "ooooooooooooooooooh-maaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhmeeeeeeeeÂe". Semi-pro tip: skip the champagne mignonette thingy. It covers up too much natural flavor. Eat them straight up or with just a drip of lemon & homemade hot sauce. My favorite thing on the menu? The cocktails and octopus. That octopus was OMFG amazing. Seriously. What I really gained out of this dinner was an experience. And hopefully a money saving life-lesson. Sometimes it's the little things that accompany the dish. Sometimes it's the prep, man hours and love that's instilled into the food. I might not have enjoyed my entree which is no fault of The Optimist, but I did enjoy the experience and epiphany I left with.
(4)
Nancy N.
Food was pretty awesome. Service. .. not so much. Bday celebration. Would have been nice gesture for a candle and dessert with almost $250 check for 3. Waitress never introduced herself. Many great restaurants in Atlanta and love to try when in town on business but may try others before coming back.
(4)
Lauren P.
Way to go, Ford Fry! I loved JCT so much I got married there. and when my dad heard there's a putting green at The Optimist, he was ready to play! On a Saturday night, it was my parents + the hubby. Although we had a reservation for 7 p.m., we had to wait at the bar for a few minutes. So we started with a round of cocktails. The Fish House Punch does indeed pack a punch. It was a great way to kickstart the night. As soon as we sat down at our table we ordered a round of oysters (6 East Coast & 6 West Coast) and these are the only reason I can't give The Optimist five stars because the oysters were a bit of a letdown. I've never paid $3.50 an oyster before coming to The Optimist, and I wanted them to be great. But they were teeny little things, and albeit the housemade cocktail sauce was the quintessential topping, the oysters weren't worth the $40 a dozen. Granted they're outta season...so I'll have to give 'em another try when it's a month ending in "r". So onto the rest of the meal! Appetizers: Octopus - Mama raved! Mussels - we all loved the green curry She Crab Soup - it was amazing but I would have liked just a tiny topping of crab meat Entrees Fish N Chips - the biggest piece of fish I've ever seen, and perfectly fried Grouper - Dad cleaned his plate Scallops - perhaps only the Rocket Farm would've thought to served these with braised oxtail as a new take on surf 'n turf. I loved 'em. Dessert Way to go, Tiara, the chocolate mousse is outta this world Make a reservation, whether its for lunch or dinner. I'll be back again when oysters are in season.
(4)
Art V.
Just left the restaurant. Hosted 1 business guest. We had a really chatty Asian waiter (english accent). He disappeared after each course was served (by a food runner). Never followed up to check if all was ok. We shared an order of fries with clam chowder served atop. The chowder made the fries instantly soggy. I had a piece of fish. It was served with, honestly, 2 tablespoons of sliced garlic perched on top. It reeked of garlic. It so overpowered the fish. Despite shoving that rank pile of garlic to the side of the plate, it's all I taste now, an hour later. Small wonder. Had Chatty Kathy materialized I would have sent the dish away. My guest ordered an espresso for dessert. 10 minutes later, no espresso. We flagged down a hostess to find Kathy. A minute later a manager served a cold cup of espresso. Kathy finally appeared to deliver the check and also asked "How was everything?". We told him about the cold coffee which he replaced. I also told him about the noxious garlic served atop my fish. He replied that that entree is new and that they are still "tweaking" it. Great. Happy to be your Guinea pig. I'll be sure to bring a bottle of mouthwash should I visit the Optimist again.
(1)
Sarah S.
My absolute favorite restaurant in Atlanta. Every time I return to Atlanta this is where I want to visit. The service is flawless, without feeling stuffy or uncomfortable if you get honey butter on the table. I personally find it hard to find good seafood in Atlanta, but the optimist makes if feel like you're at an ocean side restaurant with the freshest fish around. It has been awhile since I've visited now, but last time I had homemade poptarts for dessert that were absolutely amazing. Being in the Westside also puts The Optimist is a great location to explore a unique area of Atlanta as well.
(5)
Lindsay J.
Hands down- the best restaurant in Atlanta. I've been here a few times and sat outside near the putt-putt lawn (get the lobster roll) and inside at a table and at the bar (get the scallops). Each time the service/food has been impeccable. One time our waiter was a few minutes late greeting us (literally- maybe 3 minutes after we sat down), and quickly apologized and brought us Chocolate Sea Salt ice cream for desert. Little shows of appreciation always make me want to go back. MUST try when in Atlanta.
(5)
Henrik C.
Went here for date night. We have talk about for a while going to the Optimist. The ambiance is open, inviting. The acoustics is also excellent. We have a great waiter that gave us just the right level of attention Had the apple & arugula salad for appetizers. It was really tasty. Had the redfish with brussels sprouts and bacon as the main dish. Finally had chocolate mousse for desert. My better half had maine lobster roll, the george's bay scallops, oxtail marmalade, brown butter-chicken jus for main course and the apple buckle for desert. All dishes were very well prepared, great presentation and very tasty. Had the vouvray (chenin blanc), chateau moncontour, loire valley 2010 with the meal. Overall a very nice dinner experience we are certainly going back.
(4)
Paige N.
I have an awesome boyfriend. And yes, his awesomeness does relate to this review (although I would say it even if it didn't apply). Last night was the 11 month anniversary of our first date (roll your eyes all you want, you're just jealous), and we'd been talking about trying The Optimist sometime soon, so this seemed like a perfect opportunity. Except we had no reservation. This is where he becomes my knight in shining armor: he called the restaurant after they reopened for dinner after 5 PM, after ascertaining there were no reservations available at 7:30, launched into a story about how "it was our anniversary" (the actual number was unimportant), we both wanted to try it so much, could they possibly squeeze us in? And lo and behold a reservation at 7:30 PM for that very evening materialized! How great is he? Super great!! So this was going to be a 5 star meal no matter what just because of him. We arrived right on time and as promised, the table was ready. The restaurant is very cool - the main dining room is one large, airy room with an upscale 'warehouse feel' due to the exposed industrial ceiling (it's trendy and the kind of thing you'd expect in the Fourth Ward or West Midtown, for sure). A giant bar occupies one end of the room, and the semi-open kitchen takes up the other end with tables, booths and banquettes scattered throughout the middle. As soon as you enter (next to the putting green outside - where I've heard putters are available by request), there is another bar near the hostess stand for people waiting for a table, or those who are looking for a quick drink or appetizer. We were seated and quickly our waitress came over to wish us a happy anniversary, and give us a little history about The Optimist. The deal is that all the fish is fresh daily, wild caught and what happens to be in season, consequently, the menu changes on an almost daily basis. Good deal. Service was excellent all night, from the moment we sat down until we got back into the car handed over by the valet. Everyone was friendly, warm and attentive. After we'd had a chance to look at the menu, I had a Sparkly Motion cocktail (a mix of Cava, pomegranate grenadine and pomegranate seeds - bubbly and yum!), and my boyfriend had the Winter on Cape Cod (vodka, cranberry juice, cranberries and spices - also yum!). Then, we got down to business: I knew we had to order the shrimp a la plancha with sopping toast (even though it was messy, so many reviews said to get it), and for main dishes: the duck fat poached swordfish and glazed short rib (we shared these two), with a side of bok choy. Before the shrimp arrived, we also were treated to some of the best yeast rolls I've had in recent memory - I don't know what kind of crack cocaine was in these, but boy, were they good! And the shrimp were indeed messy, spicy and absolutely worth it. The 'sopping' toast was covered in all of the sauce and spices the shrimp were sauteed in and it was delicious too. Apparently, everyone gets equally messy attempting to eat this because our waitress brought around a plate of hot towels with lemon for us to wipe our hands off with afterwards (I, naturally, nearly gave my fingers third degree burns trying to unfurl the steaming hot towel too soon, but it worked very well once it had cooled to a handle-able temperature). Our entrees were equally fantastic - the swordfish (which is a very firm fish) was artfully presented on a bed of celery root puree and a garlic chili relish - it was great. The chili sauce was a perfect touch of spice to the mildness of the fish and celery root. And the glazed short rib was tender, juicy and rich with perfectly roasted pearl onions accenting it. Even the bok choy, which both of us are a fan of already, was uniquely prepared. Only tiny baby bok choy were employed and prepared in such a way that they were flavored with chilis and ginger. So tasty. We were both quite full by the time we were done but then the dessert menu was revealed. Damn. You only have an 11 month anniversary once, right? The apple buckle won out, and when it was presented to us it came complete with a candle. So sweet! And the dessert was top of the line: a little dish of apples, cinammon and cake was layered and covered with a streusel crust that included a hint of sharp cheddar cheese (great combination of sweet and tart) and baked until piping hot, then a scoop of sweet cream ice cream was added to finish it off. Fan-freaking-tastic!! Everything last night could not have been better. It really was perfect. Great job The Optimist, and a big thank-you to my boyfriend for making it happen.
(5)
Whitney M.
Wow! This place is uh-mazing. We went for lunch and ordered a couple if sandwiches. The lobster roll was sweet, buttery and tinder. The fries were crispy, crunchy and salty. The dish was perfectly portioned, though I could have eaten a dozen rolls before the food coma kicked in. The fish sandwich was just as good in its own way. The bread was soft and chewy, and the fish was dripping (literally) with flavor. Fries also came with this sandwich. We were too stuffed to order a big (tasty) dessert, so we opted for a lighter option- coconut sorbet. The presentation was cute. The sorbet came in a tiny paper cup with a tiny paper lid. Who doesn't love tiny food stuffs?! The actual sorbet was very refreshing. Service was excellent. Out waitress was very friendly and did not steer us wrong with dish recommendations! We would have love to have tried the burger, but I guess that's our excuse to go back. Food, service, atmosphere = 3/3!
(5)
Brett B.
Possibly the best casual restaurant in Atlanta. I mean casual in that it's new and hip and upscale and had great food and you don't have to wear church clothes to get past the hostess. It even got the honest thumbs up from my brother-in-law chef from Brooklyn. And those bastards are a picky lot. See? Atlanta has good food, too. That's why they call it Foodlanta.
(5)
Abraham K.
had a great experience at their oyster bar. expensive but the place has great oysters. was still hungry after a dozen oysters and a plate of mussels so my fiancee and i decided to go to the main restaurant. wtf? why so salty? do you call this food? it felt as if i had swallowed a gallon of saltwater. we didn't return either dish as we were starving. but i spent way too much money to get such poorly seasoned dishes. it's as if they unloaded an entire box of salt on each fish. is this because the fish were going bad? BAH! whoever is responsible for the seasoning needs to be fired and then hanged. ok maybe not hanged but at least tortured. i'll give it 2 stars based on their oyster bar. nice place for a date and some drinks.
(2)
Pam C.
Ok, I've given another star...because my meal was so much better this time. We arrived early and had a cocktail in the Oyster Bar...the Cilantro Crush....AWESOME! For starters this time we had the fried oysters again...OMG they were so much better this time...and plumper! We had the mussels and they were delicous. For my entree this time, I had the Confit duck leg, poached egg frisee and duck ham...OMG it was so good!!! Hubby had the swordfish and liked it but thought it was a little dry...but swordfish tends to do that...but great flavor. I was much happier with our sides this time. Had the roasted beets w/ pine nuts and blue cheese. The carrots with a herbed ricotta. And the roasted vidalia onions with sherry a jus...they were what you would expect.
(4)
Gregory D.
Some of the best scallops I've ever had. Bread was like crack cocaine I couldn't stop eating it. Even the veggie sides were incredible, try the Bok Choi. One of the best restaurants I've been to in Atlanta.
(5)
Staci W.
Will go here for lunch anytime because the chopped salad was AMAZING perfection. When I took my husband back for our anniversary dinner, that's all I wanted, but alas, they do not serve it for dinner. I had fish which was excellent, but listen, they listed artichoke as the side. OK, not artichoke hearts, so to be fair, I got what I ordered. But really? Half an artichoke broiled or grilled or whatever it was? It looked good; however, it was impossible to eat, and I hope they remove it from the menu. My husband's fish and side was excellent. The atmosphere is superb -- a mix of artsy industrial with coziness (the bar? the putting green outside?), somehow. The staff at the door couldn't have cared less whether we came or went. But hey, go for lunch, definitely!
(3)
Sara E.
Service: Patient, attentive, helpful. When our cab was late, they gave us free drinks and real Southern hospitality! Atmosphere: Beautiful and open. White tile, steel, wood a nice fire to keep it from feeling too sterile. Food: Delicious. The oysters (5 East Coast, 5 West Coast) were lovely and fresh. The octopus was well seasoned and fried to perfection. The aioli was great. Green curry mussels - the most succulent mussels ever and extremely well flavored. The basil, garlic and onions were plentiful. Scallops: Extremely well cooked. Cornbread hushpuppies: the perfect mix of savory and sweet - fried like a donut with powdered sugar. Brussels sprouts: How can I cook mine like this?! Eat here often!
(5)
Jennifer B.
Fantastic "small plates" at the Optimist Oyster Bar last night. My riend and I strolled in at about 9 on a Friday night & scored 2 seats at the Oyster Bar (first come). We had some nice wine - I enjoyed VERY much a plate of grilled vegetables - cauliflower, broccoli, green pepper, chilis, etc. Spicy, with a bit of cheese on top. So delicious. I also had the whole (head too) georgia white shrimp with garlic, lime and chile. Wonderful sauce and a nice big piece of bread to soak up all the yumminess. Messy eating but oh so good. My friend had the mussels - very fresh and delicious - great sauce. We finished up with the Savannah Style Beignets - my friend LOVED it but for me it was just a big pile of sweet dough - I took a little taste and not for me. But I'm not a big sweets person. I love the way this restaurant has 2 concepts in one - the Oyster Bar, more casual setting and small plates menu - very high energy! Kick back with a beer and some great oysters or seafood dishes.The main dining room is a bit more sleek and elegant - gorgeous bar, dinner menu. I'd like to dress up and have a martini there.
(5)
Brian K.
The few times I've been here, the service has been nothing but excellent. The staff is always happy to accommodate your needs if it's within their ability. The decor is very rustic and open. The atmosphere is lively and enjoyable. The food was amazing and fresh. I would highly suggest getting the Spanish Octopus and Shrimp a la Pancha as your appetizers. Would come back here again.
(4)
David Y.
Perhaps we hit it on an off night. First, we waited about thirty minutes past our reservation to be seated (note: this was on a Wednesday night, so it is not as if it was a packed Friday or Saturday). That was not much of an issue as we enjoyed the bar area. However, when they did seat us, they put us (5 people) at a table for 4 giving the 5th person a seat that was shorter than everyone else. Mind you, we had a reservation for 5 for a couple of weeks. Plus the table was as close to the kitchen and wait area as possible. They did move us to an appropriate table after complaining. All was well up until the food began arriving. The apps were great, but there was probably 20 plus minutes between finishing the apps and being served the entrees. When they began serving the entrees, the dishes arrived to our party over the course of about 5 minutes ... very poor timing. Additionally, shortly after finishing our apps, we ordered another bottle of wine. That did not arrive until midway through our entrees. To top it all off, my dish (monkfish entree) was warm at best. Obviously, the kitchen got incredibly backed up, but the poor part of it all was the lack of acknowledgement about it. Just a bad showing all around.
(2)
Anneshia J.
Gave two because the oysters were absolutely delicious and the ambiance was beautiful. The restaurant reminded me of being home in San Franciso, however our server was uninterested in us and when he visited our table he rushed us and only came back when it was time to pay. We asked for recommendations on cocktails, but the drink was not good. I think it was some type of cognac and peach. I can't remember the exact fish item I ordered, but it was crusted and had some type of pickled lime okra with it that was delicious. The only downside to the entree was the plating; it was less than horrible and very sloppy. I went Thursday and it wasn't terribly hot but the restaurant was extremely cold and the table next to me was mentioning it as well, but no adjustments were made. The valet staff was really nice as well and we were asked if we enjoyed our visit. I will definitely be back, but only to the Oyster bar.
(2)
Jennifer P.
I love this restaurant. Great service and delicious seafood. I order oysters everywhere I go but so far this is the place that has good and fresh oysters in Atlanta. Not to mention, their grilled octopus is pretty yummy too.
(4)
Mychael W.
My team at work had a company dinner here a couple of weeks ago and I've got nothing but good things to say about it. I had heard of the Optimist and always wanted to try it, and I'm so glad this is where the boss decided to go! Everything from the decor, the service, to the food was amazing. Here's the rundown on a 1-5 scale: pre-dinner rolls - 5 Appetizer - Maine Mussels - 3.5 Entree - Duck Fat Poached Swordfish - 5 Side dish - Corn Milk Hushpuppies - 4 Side dish - Spanish Roasted Fingerling Potatoes - 4 Dessert - Peppermint Push Pop - 4.5 The pricing isn't terrible either. My meal came up to $44 before tax and tip, which is pretty good for the quality and the amount of food you receive. I highly recommend the Optimist for any special occasion, date night, or corporate event. I know I'll be taking the wife soon!
(5)
Ashley O.
This is, by FAR, mine and my husbands favorite restaurant in Atlanta! We have probably made the 35 minute commute to eat at here at least four times in the past six months. Every time we've visited my husband has ordered the shrimp a la plancha and licks every ounce of the sauce off of his fingers and I have always gotten the amazing beignet style hush puppies (O.M.G). Wehave never eaten a bad or even "average" meal here! Drinks from the bar are always made to perfection, and my husband loves the complementary coozies that come with the bottled beers. I love the warehouse style atmosphere and the fact that you never feel too dressed up, or to dress down, no matter what you're wearing!
(5)
M N.
This place is seriously spectacular. Ford Fry does great food in atlanta and the optimist might just be one of my favorites. We went on a Saturday night and were seated promptly. Service to the table was very good. Knowledgable about the menu, helpful with pairing sides (the mushrooms were perfect with the scallops). The wine list isn't huge but you can tell each has been carefully thought out and has a reason for being on the menu. The shrimp a la plancha appetizer is a lot of hands on work and can get messy, but it is amazing. Also, the oysters were shucked very well and the accompaniments really made the oysters pop. Can't wait to pay this place a visit again.
(5)
Gigi R.
Fresh divine oysters and fun cocktails. Great place for a date or night out with friends. Must order the lobster rolls.
(4)
Han L.
Esquire heralded it as the "Restaurant of the Year" and I have heard many praises about this place from friends. I was so giddy to finally secure a reservation after 2 failed attempts. The restaurant has a miniature golf course and comfortable lounge area outdoor. The mixture of the miniature palm tree, blue details, and linens gave the Optimist a pseudo-rustic-seaside appeal. It provides a nice dichotomy from the city-feel of the surrounding area. The place feels especially lively because you're dining in a wide open space. I appreciate the multiple private bathroom stalls. Let it be known, I came here with 3 other individuals on the day Paul Ryan was in A-town and traffic was more nightmar-ish than uszh. Dang politics! I recommend saving yourself the trouble of trying to find parking in the neighborhood and getting complementary valet. This place is too popping to try to find street parking. Despite being late, we were promptly seated shortly afterwards, albeit an uncomfortably large booth meant to seat twice the amount of people in our group. I have to say, despite it being a very busy Wednesday evening, the employees were on top of things and very conscientious. They checked up on us and apologized for the delay on our orders. We were given four wheat rolls. They were slightly hard and dry. Christine K.jokingly commented on it being an omen, but I was being an Optimist (har har har). We had the following dishes between the 4 of us: Appetizers: 1. East Coast Oysters 2. West Coast Oysters 3. Fried Oysters --- slightly too heavy on the batter. I couldn't enjoy the oysters. I prefer the fried oysters from Serpas. 4. Spicy Glazed Octopus --- was a recommendation. It sounded appealing...crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It did not taste crispy but too charred. Burnt. taste. in my. mouth. The inside was soft though! Which is nice, bc octopus is usually more chewy. Main Course: The various fish selection was pretty cool. I don't often see restaurants serve larger fishes. They had fishes I have never heard of also. The portions were smaller than anticipated. This isn't a complaint, just an observation. Ok, it's kind of a complaint, but whatevs. 1. Monkfish --- The fish was covered in a sea of chunky tomato sauce. 2. Seared Tuna --- Good dish. It was also served with octopus and mustard seeds 3. Tautog --- Supposedly has the consistency and taste of lobster. It's supposedly going to be out of season and off the menu soon. It was a very simple and clean dish. In diplomatic terms, it was very 'neutral." 4. Whole "swimming" Bass --- I shied away from ordering this dish myself because it sounded too similar to an Asian dish. Lo and behold, it tasted very much like a Vietnamese dish...fried fish w fish sauce... ...and for side dishes, we helped ourselves to beignet style Hush Puppies and potatoes. Though we were told it's family style, the portions are more fair for 2 people. The hush puppies were very good. They had bits of corn in them and were served w powdered sugar, hence the "beignet" style. The potatoes were served wedged with creamy sauce. Needless to say, most of us were disappointed in our dishes, which we had to wait quite some time for. Ingredients were either excessive or lacking. I'm going to attribute it to being a busy night. We were good sports about it, but our sweet server and manager must have gotten a clue. The manager offered a complementary dish for us, but Isaac S. insisted it wasn't a bother. Nonetheless, we were offered complementary desserts, to which I ( and Christine K.) happily obliged! Desserts (ding ding ding! WINNER): 1. Apple Strudel ---- kinda, sorta made up for some of the bland entrees. This is a very good dish. You can taste the cheese. It's served warm with a scoop of ice cream. 2. Pudding w Bananas Foster and Coconut Tuile---Also very good. Pudding comes w a round waffer. The highlight of the evening for our group was the complementary desserts. I really do appreciate the workers for their efforts in trying to make our dining experience better. At least the evening ended well.
(3)
LaShawna F.
What a great place. Just recently had dinner there for a friend's birthday. The food was great and so were the cocktails. The staff was very friendly and our waiter gave us some great suggestions. Definitely worth the price.
(4)
William H.
Excellent. We had a group of 4 to dine on a Monday night. If you would rather eat and share a bunch of small plates, I would suggest eating at the bar or tables outside. It a different menu than the main restaurant with smaller portions and price for more variety. The wood fired oysters were excellent. I would also suggest the mussels. The broth was outstanding in flavor. The lobster roll, while pricey, was popular at our table. I would definitely recommend.
(5)
Gabriel B.
Cool location for the trendy downtown foodies. Grouper is definitely the winner, superbly cooked. Wine seemed a bit over priced though.
(3)
Angel S.
I am pleased to update this review. After the GM heard about my unpleasant experience with the pooh at The Optimist a couple days ago, they got my number and called me to apologize and comp our entire meal. Which is extremely generous. They were very apologetic for the entire ordeal and embarrassed about how the incident was handled that evening. After this call, I would give The Optimist another chance if I was to visit Atlanta again. I think they'd be ready to react differently if the shit hits the ground.....again.
(4)
Kirk L.
I enjoyed the Optimist, but it didn't live up to the hype...at least, not after one visit. It's pushing 4 stars, and I could see it jumping up to a 5 star, but that wasn't my experience this visit. We started with a drink at the Oyster bar while we waited for the table - both the Green Tea Whiskey and the Fish House Punch were excellent - not very sweet, which gets a thumbs up from me! On to dinner...here's what we had: -Fried Oysters - Probably the best I've ever had, but really, that doesn't mean much because I usually only get them at lower end places. But they were very "light and fluffy"...that's right, "light and fluffy." The "smoked paprika mayo" that came with it was bizarrely bland and frankly, I would never have guessed what it was based on the flavor (actually seemed like a honey-mustard type base) -Spanish Octopus - first off, this dish is hot. Too hot for my fiance to eat, but she has no tolerance for heat in a dish. The "glaze" is along the lines of a Thai chili sauce. For someone who likes spicy, it's a great flavor overall, but not the type of dish that would make me go, "You have to try this!" -Duck fat poached swordfish - the flavor of the fish was good, but it was overcooked and rather dry. Beautifully presented, though (as were all the dishes), and the peanuts were a nice touch. -George's Bank Scallops - this was really a disappointing dish. The scallops were cooked fine, but didn't quite test fresh...the little lady commented that she liked my scallops better (and that's not a euphemism! =). The oxtail marmalade was similar to pulled pork in bbq sauce, and was quite tasty by itself, but for me, it just didn't work with the scallops. Otherwise, the service was great. I really liked the decor and design of the place, however they do use "European style" side by side table seating, which I despise (on the plus side, they space the tables a bit more than most places that do this). And it's quite loud - for someone like me that doesn't hear so well, it was extremely difficult to carry on a conversation. PS - the bread they served was excellent (the little lady commented that it was the best thing she had...which probably isn't a good thing!).
(3)
Shannon H.
Very delicious Lunch! The App makes it look like they don't serve lunch. But they do. I had the tuna burger - subbed in the brussel sprouts which was a little too much salt. Should have kept the salad. Other folks I was with had the lobster roll and gave it rave reviews. The Lobster Cobb looked pretty amazing as well. Don't bother with the fries though - tiny shoe-string crap. Sub in something else! The Shrimp a la plancha is messy but delicious!
(4)
Lyndsey G.
The Optimist was perfect. The atmosphere is amazing the space is beautiful. The oysters wowed us. The starter sweet buns were a great little bite and the server was knowledgeable about the wine list. We ordered the octopus, the shi crab soup, the scallops, and the shrimp a la plancha. The whole experience was on point. Thank you Optimist team for making a night in ATL great!
(5)
Keith H.
It had a nice feel to the insides. Waitress was polite and on her game. Appetizers were tasty and the right amount and wanting more. Main course was over the top. Had the sea scallops with beans and ham bits. The scallops were great, not a bit of grit in any bite. Long fingerling potatoes with honey glazed pork belly bits dusted with crushed red peppers. Great flavor. Wife is not a seafood lover and she ate every bite of her cobia fish. I think she might enjoy seafood now. On to desserts. WOW, cranberry sorbet with a dusting of cinnamon. Sounds strange but tastes awesome, cinnamon was light enough and just the right amount to not over power the cranberry taste. The s'more cookie my wife had was out of this world. I tasted the vanilla ice cream that they had folded toasted marshmallow into and rimmed the side with honey covered graham cracker crumbs. If you want great food and good service, this is a place to go!
(5)
Lori F.
Good oysters, decent beer selection, and yummy chowder fries. Service is much better than before (hostesses, however, are always a bit off putting - wth?)
(3)
Erica J.
came on date night without a reservation hoping to snag 2 seats at the bar but it was packed. so we decided to sit in the oyster bar tapas section for their lighter menu. we ordered a dozen oysters, clams with pancetta, raw himachi, and cooked halibut (not my favorite dish that night, thick and tough). everything else was DELICIOUS! oysters were so cold, fresh, and melted in my mouth. can't wait to come dine here in their restaurant and order more food!
(5)
Kathleen M.
Yep, still wholeheartedly in love. The lobster roll (always on the menu at lunch, sometimes at dinner) might be the best $14 you can spend on food in Atlanta. The fish house punch, only available at the oyster bar, is the one and only punch I've ever fallen head over heels in love with. The staff is all warm, helpful and kind. If something gets messed up, they take care of it, no questions asked. The desserts are now made by Sugar Coated Radical's Taria, so you won't regret pushing your stomach beyond comfort to wedge one in. The napkins are heinously linty. Don't wear black.
(5)
Gina N.
My boyfriend took me here on my birthday because we are fans of the show Atlanta Eats and since they were featured on there we thought we would give it a shot and I am so glad we did. Their seafood is fresh and their flavors are delicious! He had the scallops with mushrooms and Brussels.I had the lobster roll with hush puppies. Let me tell you about those hush puppies...I am not really a fan of them, but our server recommended them so I tried them and I would say they are the best hush puppies I have ever had! The lobster roll was made with lobster claw meat mixed with some celery and their seasonings on a toasted sweet roll. I was in a food coma. I will definitely be back!
Excellent food. The staff is very accommodating and very knowledgeable on the menu. The atmosphere is very nice. I highly recommend this place. You're missing out if you don't come here. Valet parking only so come prepared or get dropped off.
(5)
Marina M.
The Optimist was good, but... That's the problem, there are a few flaws that keep me from giving it 4 stars. Although the restaurant said they would work with my severe dairy intolerance (I can't even have butter), but that is apparently a tall order in the South. The waiter tried really hard, but many of the appetizers were not alterable. The bread itself is made with butter, though it looked delicious. I ended up trying the lobster roll, sans bread. Although all of the excellent reviews made me want to try it, it was just okay and overpriced at $21. I had the grouper entree, which didn't need to be altered since it is pan seared in olive oil. It was tasty, but with very sparse accompaniments and slightly over seared. I ordered the beet, farro, mizzuna side to supplement, and it was tasty, but over salted and the yellow beets were very starchy. I had the cranberry sorbet for dessert, which was tasty but was overly generously seasoned with mulling spices. Nice idea because there isn't much you can do with cranberries, but it was over powering. For a $90+ dinner for one (solo business traveler), I was underwhelmed and frustrated that I overpaid for what I got. (White Oak was better the following night and didn't involve a cab fare.)
(3)
Mariel J.
I really enjoyed dinner at the Optimist. It was difficult to get reservations (though I think you may have better luck if you just grab a spot at the bar), but it was worth the wait. We had some oysters to start - a bit expensive, but definitely very fresh and tasty, and their homemade sauce was very good. From there, we had the mussels and charred octopus. The mussels were good, but didn't have the punch I expected from green curry and chiles. The octopus was some of the best I've had - very tender. At about this point in our meal is where we ran into a bit of a bump - we'd finished all of the starters, and had been chatting away. Our waiter stopped by at one point to refresh drinks and said he was working to get our main courses out soon. It was only when we looked at the clock that we realized it'd been about 45 minutes since we finished the starters. The atmosphere was great, so we were happy to have a long dinner, except that we were planning to see a concert that night (we'd planned about 2 hours for dinner, but it was getting tight). We mentioned it to the waiter, and he explained that there was a back-up in the kitchen, but that he would do everything he could. The manager also stopped by to say he understood we were on a schedule, and that he'd work on it and comp part of our meal for the inconvenience. I was really impressed at just how attentive they were and how seriously they took our desire to get to the concert, even though we hadn't mentioned it in advance (when we first sat down). Shortly after, our main course came - halibut, which was very good, along with a side of mushrooms and the basmati fried rice. All of these were tasty, but the standout dish of the whole meal for me was the fried rice - it has smoked fish, curry, crushed peanuts, and egg, and was unlike anything I'd had before - it was sooooo good! Overall, great restaurant, and definitely a place we'll be back to!
(5)
Ali S.
the oysters were fresh and delicious, didn't have a fishy taste or smell about them at all. the garnishes were well prepared. i did expect more than a selection of 2 oysters though from a seafood restaurant the cheesecake's crust was a little too buttery, especially with the mascarpone and whip cream. it was still good though. it's have that hard, refrigerated feel to it. the whip cream was thick and freshly whipped, not out of a can the decor was gorgeous, atmosphere peaceful they should put a sign directing you to self-parking so you don't have to valet
(4)
ester k.
great atmosphere and decor. good drinks. service was pretty good. the food was good but I'm not sure it's worth the money. it's very expensive, and i thought the food was not as good as it costs. I would try it if you have the money to spend, but don't feel like you're missing out on anything spectacular if you don't go.
(3)
Loren B.
If a man were to propose, he would need to do it at the Optimist for me to say yes. I absolutely love this place. Upscale, classy, with personal touches that makes it feel very welcoming. Definitely a high roller type of place to eat and who doesn't love their mini golf course in the front. The food is absolutely amazing. Best gumbo of my life and the crab cakes were sooooo GOOD.. Definitely looking forward to come back again. The servers were friendly and the service was top notch.
(5)
Ryan V.
Really good seafood. I took my my wife here for an "all-out" birthday dinner and we were not disappointed. We started with the razor clams which were chopped up with potatoes in sort of an au-graten hash. We also had what the menu called an "opportunity" which was a black bass crudo. Both were outstanding. My wife had the Monkfish with octopus in a tomato broth. Fish was great, octopus was beyond tender. I had the duck fat poached swordfish served with butternut squash and pork belly. The swordfish was surprisingly dry but still very good and it actually worked with the super fatty pork belly to balance it out. The brussels sprouts are amazing. Not to be missed. We also had the collard greens which were quite tasty but I honestly could have eaten another side of brussels instead. We also had a "s'mores" ice cream sandwich for dessert. It came with two whole ice cream sandwiches which is great for sharing but that wasn't explicit on the menu. They were quite good. Overall I would definitely eat there again and recommend it to anyone for a nice romantic or power business dinner. I would have given 4.5 stars because there were a few spots of waiting on our waiter and also their valet system is ridiculous. It was in the low 40s and the heater wasn't turned on while waiting 5+ minutes for them to fetch the car from god knows where. Also the cocktails could have been a little boozier but they were pretty interesting. All of those are minor complaints greatly overshadowed by the amazing food.
(5)
Dean O.
Was able to get in for lunch on my birthday without a reservation which was comforting since they are packed to the gills for dinner... See what I did there? Anyway I started with the she crab soup which was good but just too rich for me. I don't think I could get it again. However the shrimp toast that came with it was awesome. I got the lobster roll and fries for lunch. How can something so simple be so divine? Seemed like a whole lobster was on that bun. That being said I'll pass on the fries next time. You know when fries get so thin they're difficult to eat? Also server was a little strange... Every time we ordered something it was her most favorite thing on the menu.
(4)
Laura R.
Great ambiance. Good food. Amazing drinks. The hush puppies were delicious and everything was really fresh. I thought it was kinda overpriced and that the entrees should have come with at least a tiny side. Only other complaint was we were at a two top shoved between two other couples. For a space that large I wouldn't mind some more room to talk!
(4)
Lottie A.
Had dinner at the bar. We tried the octopus, flounder, snapper and oysters. Everything was perfectly prepared and expertly plated. The service at the bar was efficient if not overly friendly. Expensive, but worth it for a night out. May be the best "fish house" in Atlanta.
Hit and miss this time This was our second time here after an excellent first experience several months ago. This one was hit and miss. Promptly seated at a nice table by friendly staff. Server was very knowledgeable but not especially attentive. Delicious cocktail (Jolly Roger) Of the 4 types of oysters, he liked 3--said the fourth was fishy. Excellent gumbo. Very good tuna 'opportunity' though a bit pricey. Verrry long wait between appetizer and entree with zero updates from our server on the delay. Beware: The a la carte approach makes this a pretty expensive outing ($24-25 for a piece of fish alone on a plate). King salmon fine but not amazing. Monkfish very moist and flavorful. Odd and disappointing the only starch options were hushpuppies and a fried rice with smoked fish (sounds gross). My kingdom for a potato. Overall it was a fine meal, but for a $200+ dinner for two I want to be thrilled, and I wasn't. For the money, the Atlanta Fish Market is a much better experience.
(3)
Chris B.
Excellent sea food. Loved the atmosphere. Hip cool place. Ordered oysters, grilled grouper and brussels sprouts. All excellent and tasty. Service was a bit slow and we felt like we had to wait for ages to get our drinks and appetizers. That said everything was very well done and we will definitely be back.
(4)
John C.
Outstanding food and service! We had a large party (12) on a Wed night, but were seated on time and the service was great from begging to end. Everyone enjoyed the appetizers and seafood dishes. Being skeptical or seafood places I don't know, I opted for the skirt steak, which was delicious and perfectly cooked. The Tuscan kale salad was unique and particularly terrific. Wine list was balanced with some good choices. Only negative was the parking, but they managed the valet well enough.
(5)
Karen A.
Ok let's get to it. Right off the bat, valet is a flat rate of $2. Pretty good if they hadn't parked our car in mud and tracked mud in the car. Ugh. Walk in & the place is packed!! We didn't have reservations so the lady up front said it would be a 30 minute wait. 5 minutes later, we were seated. I'm convinced people tell you that so you'll leave. Nevertheless we were thrilled to be seated. I had read all of your wonderful reviews of the lobster roll so I was excited to try it. Lo and behold, it wasn't on the menu. Apparently the change the menu everyday. say what?!? Who does that? But whatev. So I'm struggling to to decipher the adjectives used to describe simple fish and chips etc. If it's beer battered fish, just say that. Don't tell me it's "cod infused in room temperature aged ale". I saw pork chops and chicken buried at the bottom of the menu but I didn't want to be all ethnic and ish so I decided to step outside of my box and try the snapper. It comes in a lime sauce and when I tell you the lime was overpowering, it was OVERPOWERING. LAWD! It would have soooo much better without the lime sauce but it definitely was described correctly. I got fried rice as the side. Ok if you have a peanut allergy, steer clear of the fried rice. It is heavy on the peanuts. Not sure why you'd put peanuts in fried rice, but again whatev. They are high on water. A regular soda wasn't even offered. I had to ask for it. Then I noticed the couple sitting next to me had a canned soda in a Koozie. Let that sink in for a second....a Koozie. So I'm assuming they'd rather you buy a cocktail or wine. After being asked more than once, I relented and ordered a lemon drop which wasn't on the menu. This and the dinner rolls were the best things about the visit. Needless to say I probably won't be returning.
(2)
Matthew B.
It was the best first date I've ever been on. It helps that the woman I was with is beautiful and the conversation was on point. But the food and the service were both impeccable. Easily the best seafood I've had in Atl. I usually avoid it out there, for the most part. Great oysters. Great fish. I will be back and she'll be with me. #tezzycummings
(5)
Aaron C.
The Optimist is a place that the 'delicious, cool, and appropriately priced' designation needs no qualifications. My wife and I had an excellent experience. The staff was fun and playful, but professional and timely. Lunch was a real treat! Next time we're in the area we're going back for dinner.
(5)
Sonja R.
Food was really good just not enough. Left hungry. Pricey. Awesome service. Nice atmosphere.
(4)
Corbin P.
Great food but poor reservation management. We love the Optimist especially for lunch and get great service for lunch. We've been a few times now for dinner and had to wait 45 minutes after our reservation time on a weekday that also happened to be my birthday. Great restaurant but kind of ruins the experience with the wait time even for a reservation.
(3)
Emilia L.
Before I talk about the restaurant, I want to give props to the valet guy. By the time I pulled into the lot, it was absolutely packed. Self-parking was no longer available and the valet guy told me that valet parking had just run out, too. Dismayed, but still flashing him a smile, I asked him where the nearest available lot was. He paused, looked at me, and said, "Tell you what. I can find some space for you. You're wearing heels, aren't you." (A statement, not a question. Lol.) I beamed and replied, "Yes I am!" I like to think my charming smile got him to take pity on me. Totally joking, of course. So I thanked him profusely and got out of the car and happily headed into The Optimist. Did I mention the restaurant was packed? Because it was PACKED. I think there was some sort of happy hour going on because there were a bunch of business people wearing name tags milling around the bar area. Even though the majority of the party of six was about 20-30 minutes late for the reservation, we were seated immediately. I decided on two appetizers for my meal. I got the seafood gumbo ($9) and the mussels in green curry ($9). In all honesty, just the gumbo would have been enough. It was such a huge portion. It came with a couple of blue crab claws, HUGE shrimp and pieces of sausage. The baguette it came with had this delicious garlic butter on it. By the time I finished off my gumbo, I was stuffed. But shortly after, my mussels came out, and that was a huge portion, too. They were nice and succulent. The curry was pretty strong tasting but thankfully I had more bread to dip into the broth. I could only manage 5-6 mussels and even shared my dish, but still ended up with leftovers. The entree portions seemed on the smaller side, but I think you are supposed to order side items a la carte to go with them. I can't imagine how packed the restaurant must be on the weekends. I went on a Thursday night. Definitely make reservations, and for non-peak hours if possible, i.e. 6 pm or 9 pm. Definitely worth a try just for the appetizers alone. As people have mentioned in previous reviews, there is a mini golf putting green in the front. But not sure where you would get the clubs or balls.
(4)
Victor R.
How do you spell delicious? "Speck wrapped mahi mahi, braised escarole, calabrese peppers, preserved lemon" with side of roasted Brussels sprouts in fish sauce vinaigrette. Yummy
(4)
Jessica G.
I had heard that this restaurant was the best in Atlanta for some time and I finally had the occasion to visit when my foodie best friend was in town. It was delicious! I order the cornmeal crusted fish, smoky bacon and pepper jelly dish. It was hands-down the best meal at the table (others ordered the tuna (which was ok (the grilled octopus tasted more fried) & the triple tail). My two favorite, ok, three favorite sides were the mushrooms, hushpuppies and heirloom tomatoes. YUM yum yum the service was also very friendly and helpful. i would absolutely recommend this for a date or a fun night out with friends. Enjoy!
(4)
Johnnie S.
Out of all the fancy restaurants I've been to in Atlanta, this is my favorite. And the hush puppies beignets style: get them.
(5)
Jordan R.
I was disappointed with this place especially after seeing that it got a 4 on yelp. The Shea Crab soup was more of a broth and for $9 I was extremely disappointed with my $9 craby steamed milk. Maybe this was just an interesting style they were going for but I would much rather have had at least some crab in the soup. The bread at the beginning was amazing, sweet rolls buttered with sea salt on top was probably the best part of the dinner for me. The clams were also good but nothing to rave about. I hear that if you sit at the lunch bar or that area of the restaurant they have a mean lobster roll but we sat in the normal dining hall instead of the bar and were disappointed that they would not serve us he lobster rolls anyways.
(3)
Nancy R.
We came here again and this time I was pleasantly full from all the tasty foods. Our server was well informed of the menu and gave great suggestions. FOOD: We started with the Whole GA white shrimp a la plancha, with "sopping" toast for the arbol chile and lime sauce / 11. ...(messy, but worth it). It's definitely a messy, eat-with-your-fingers kind of app. that they give you wet towels to clean up after wards. We even asked for extra bread to sop up all the sauce. Also, we got the Crispy long beans, sea salt, buttermilk-dill mignonette / 7. Another finger app. that's crispy battered covered beans enough to share. For dinner I got the Monkfish, tomato broth, hen of the woods mushrooms, pickled fennel / 23. I wasn't sure I'd like monkfish, but our server sold me on it and I loved the dish. The tomato broth really accompanied the mild monkfish taste. I didn't know that monkfish had a thick bone in the middle of it. We had 2 sides Assorted mushrooms w/shallot confit and Fingerling potatoes w/blue cheese & garlic cream sauce. The mushrooms are tasty goes with any dish. Potatoes were ok - nothing too fancy. It was a great dinner that we all finished our foods with everyone complimenting their dishes!
(5)
Ben D.
When I took a bite of the fried oysters, I felt as if I had gotten laid and drunk at the same time. The server asked, "How is your grouper, sir?" All I could manage was, "Fuckin A!" Go here. Eat the fishes.
(5)
Ullrich M.
Everybody writes about the high quality of the food. I write about exceptional staff. Our waiter had collected all of our used dishes and was talking to us with both hands full of the stuff. Another waiter came by and gently took all the dishes to bring them back so that the waiter could continue talking to us. When I commended him on that event, he said that they all considered themselves as a high class team with management having very high standards but also taking care of them very well. It works.
(5)
Silvia G.
The food is amazing and I usually have a good experience at this restaurant but on 11/24/13 we had an awful experience with our server... I guess it being a Sunday night he was tired and anxious to go home. He never approached our table to ask if we needed anything, not friendly at all, not a smile, not a smirk... Anyways the worst part was that at the end he made a mistake with our check and charged my friend (who was kind enough to pay the full bill) 2 times 2 different amounts... It got messier afterwards... The restaurant was not helpful and they gave her a hard time with that issue. Unbelievable.
(3)
Tom C.
Yessir. This place is really, really good. Here's what's so awesome. 1. The service is top-notch. The servers, hosts/hostesses are all professional, thorough, and really effective. There is absolutely nothing to complain about on this front. 2. The food is very, very good. Really, it's good. No, I mean it - it's good. This is a seafood place, and what they do with a piece of fish is remarkable. As an appetizer I had fried oysters, which were outstanding. Not overcooked, well fried, HUGE, and with a smoky mayo that was just wonderful. This appetizer comes with house pickles, which went perfectly with the meal. As a main course, I had halibut with garlic cream and celery. This was truly wonderful. The fish was cooked so perfectly, I'm still thinking about it days later. I also had dessert, against my beter judgment. I went with the beignets, which were so freaking good I ate the whole thing. Here lies the only problem - I wanted to shoot myself after. I ate way too much. But, I'd do it all over again. 3. When you arrive, there's complimentary valet (which is oddly much further away from the entrance than it needs to be). As you walk in, the place is just beautiful. It's got a great, spacious layout, with a killer raw bar area, a huge dining room, a nice bar in the center of the fining room, good lighting and a comfortable feel. It's expensive, but it's worth it. Really, this is a tremendous addition to the already great set of places over there on Houston Mill. I'm going to go back, hopefully soon.
(5)
Taylor A.
The Optimist is a worthy addition to the westside dining scene, but I wasn't as enamored with it as many others seem to be. Starting off, the space is beautiful. While it's large and lofty, the space doesn't feel empty or cold, but modern and comfortable. Maybe along the lines of Two Urban Licks... We sat at the bar for a drink before dinner. I wish they had dedicated bar-service bartenders as those behind the bar were too focused on filling table orders to be friendly and efficient with those sitting at the bar. Based on Katie W's review I had the Port Antonio and it was truly wonderful. The first drink I've had where cinnamon was a welcome addition. They certainly know how to make a drink. For dinner we started with the crab soup ($9) and gumbo ($9). The crab soup was light and creamy and I could eat it all day. The gumbo was spicy and filled with goodies like mussels and crab claws. Too spicy for me to get again though. About 30 seconds after the soup arrived entrees came out, but thankfully there was a kitchen miscommunication and they weren't our entrees, but they looked great! I had the swordfish ($24) with some pickeled peppers that I would say should be considered garnish. I would say you should always order some sides, because many of the entrees don't come with real sides. I had two pieces of swordfish. One was raw in the center, which I still can't tell was an error or not. I've never had seared swordfish, but maybe it's a thing. The second piece was cooked through and I wasn't as concerned about eating. Flavor was good though. My date had the striped bass ($25) which she only ate about half of. The crust was chewy and not crunchy, which was a little weird. I had a crispy peanut sundae which was excellent. A nice finish to the meal. Overall, I loved the decor, and drinks, but the food was hit or miss for us. Entrees and overall cost is relatively high. JCT Kitchen nearby is a much better value (lower cost, higher quality).
(3)
Allison B.
This place was excellent!! Very cool atmosphere. The oysters were exquisite as well as the squid. Service was spectacular. Definitely a top place to eat in Atlanta.
(5)
Stephanie A.
Did someone say seafood? Yeah I thought so. I have to be in the mood. It's taken me this long to be in the mood to try this extremely popular somewhat new addition to the fantastic food scene in West Midtown. This is a large freestanding single level building. The ceilings are high and unbuffered so be prepared for energetic noise and don't go with people you want to have some serious conversation with. Go with people that want good food and enjoy the vibe. There are a very few non seafood dishes for your friends who don't like the bounty of the sea. Lots of attractive people at the tables and bars both. There are two bars. The entry area bar is limited (ie no craft cocktails but they have their own thing going on so be open to it). Naturally raw oysters are there to be had. Save room for the creative menu awaiting in the dining room. It bears noting the rolls brought to the table are an item that should be sold as a side order. Semi dense yeast rolls with a sprinkle of crunchy flake salt on top. Heck I'd like some with today's afternoon tea. Do you do take out orders, Optimist? My kryptonite, fried oysters, are on the menu. Unfortunately for the other starter items the oysters put temporary food blinders on me so you don't stand a chance. Smoked fish chowder came to the table too. The oysters were cormealy crunchy, not greasy but also not seasoned. I found myself looking for salt more than once even though I knew it wouldn't be on the table. The soup however had a wonderful delicate distinct flavor. A light chowder that is perfectly satisfying. Dinner entrees selected were striped bass with a fantastically citrusy lime broth. Herbacious and fresh is the best way to describe it. Duck fat poached swordfish caught my eye. A rather ballsy thing to do but hey why not poach your fish in duckfat? It need not be relegated to roasting potatoes only. (My jar of duck fat in the fridge needs to step its workload up now). My history of swordfish eating is not a pleasant one. It's ALWAYS been dry, flavorless and honestly just forgettable and certainly not worth the mercury intake. This dish was as if an imposter fish was in place of what I knew swordfish to be. A 2" thick piece of lush moist flesh that was cooked to a perfection I have not experienced before (nor expect I will again). Not even a whisper of gaminess that sometimes comes when duck fat joins to the party. I was impressed. I saw my beloved vegetable, beets, on the side menu and instantly ordered them along with the hushpuppies - beignet style!? what? sugar cane butter on the side too ? Oh heck yes. This is fantastically naughty. It hits your sweet salty addiction perfectly. The beets were small, cooked nicely and served chilled. I find chilled beets the best at showing off the sweetness while keeping the earthiness to a minimum. Another win for my tastebuds. Perfect service. Not too much, not to little. Just right. There is no mystery why the Optimist is so popular. Definitely returning, though I may bring a pinch of salt with me next time to better enjoy my oysters.
(4)
Lilie T.
The atmosphere is great. It is a great place to take a date. I had the scallops and it was good. I enjoy my time there with my friends. I really like the mussels, the season is just right. The clams wasn't my favorite, it was a bit salty. The octopus was very chewy, I didn't enjoy that too much.
(4)
Liz K.
Finally got to try this place out after reading and hearing rave reviews! Was exceptionally pleased with the food and service at The Optimist. All the restaurants over in the West Midtown neighborhood seem to have similar ambiance/style. This place was no different. Typical Southern-like restaurant that looks as if it was once an old house. Service as impeccable. Very laid back yet attentive people all around. I brought a friend from LA here for the first time, and we both had high expectations. Ordered everything from the starters/apps portion of the menu of course. We had the oysters from the East and West coast, clams, scallops, and some sort of fried rice. Everything was deliiiiiish!! Fried rice was lil' oily but it was something new since it was tossed with peanuts and lime juice. Was so stuffed I couldn't bear to down anything sweet by the end of my meal. Yum-o experience overall. Will definitely be back for some more! Very happy to hear Esquire named this place the nation's BEST new restaurant.
(5)
E L.
My GOD. This is *IT*. This is, without question, the best restaurant I've been to in Atlanta so far (moved here about 9 months ago). I'll be real: I do wish they had more oyster variety. I think that is the only negative. Thank goodness for the wine list. Atlanta wine lists may be the worst thing about Atlanta--they usually put me to sleep (oh look, another big California Cab! Whoa--Malbec . . . gettin' fancy!). The Optimist (not so much at the bar, but in the restaurant) has an excellent and hip list worthy of cool and curious, not stuffy, fine dining. My cocktail-loving friend was equally thrilled. The whole pampano with shallots and peppers!!!!! You can't count on this because their menu (appropriately) changes all the time. Their appetizers are offered more consistently. They push the shrimp a la plancha (indeed delicious), but the octopus, sea-crab soup, and kale salad edge it out. Atmosphere -- perfect. It's like Walter's in Brooklyn only HUGE. If you don't know Walter's, The Optimist is gorgeous white tile. Love it. When you walk in the door, it's pretty nautical. Then, suddenly, it's not really anymore. It's gorgeous. Service was also perfect both times I went. This place made me happy to be in Atlanta.
(5)
Andrew D.
The Optimist is attractive and energetic and conceptually pleasing. There were three of us and each ordered one of the beautifully described fish dishes including the monkfish, the yellow fin tuna and the swordfish cooked in duck fat. We also tried some mussels and oysters and finished with a very enjoyable frozen chocolate dessert. However, considering the prices, the portions were relatively meager and lacking any accompaniments...which were available for another $6-8 each. We had a round of drinks at the bar and one additional round at the table. I can't really complain strenuously about anything nor, however, can I say I was blown away. I don't mind spending for food and a unique dining experience but for over $250 I think a better fish experience can be had at Goin' Coastal in the Highlands for half the price.
(3)
Jon A.
First, I have to say how excited I am to be moving into this part of town. I'm glad that the restaurant scene in West Midtown continues to thrive. We decided to check out Ford Fry's new spot on Saturday evening. So glad that we did! The bar area and restaurant are very well done - the atmosphere is just the right vibe. We were quickly seated, the hostess briefly explained the menu, and we were off with our waitress. We had a round of cocktails/beer - I had the Old Salty Dog, a delicious combination of vodka, grapefruit juice, grape fruit bitters and a nice salt. Very refreshing summer cocktail! My other dining companions tried two other cocktails and an Aligash White, apparently the summer beer of choice. Everyone was satisfied...next onto the yeasty, warm, and salty dinner rolls. Holy crap...so delicious! APPETIZERS * East Coast Oysters * West Coast Oysters * Garlicky Tiny Clams and Pork Belly The oysters were fresh, briny, and delicious. They came with fresh shredded horseradish, a tangy mignonette, house made cocktail sauce and hot sauce. All fantastic accompaniments for the oysters. The clams and pork belly were a revelation. If the clams and pork belly were to get into a fight with the Angry Mussels from JCT Kitchen, the clams and pork belly have a bivalve up on the competition. We ordered more of those delicious yeasty rolls to sop up the broth. If you go, you must try these... MAIN COURSES * alaskan halibut, wood grilled hen of the wood, red wine fish bordelaise * wood roasted soft shell crab, pickled ramps, garlic broth * seared rare tuna, charred octopus & potato salad, harissa * fish & chips, ale battered haddock, malt vinegar aioli I tasted three of the above (minus the soft shell crab) and can honestly say I would order any of these again as an entree. They were each well-balanced, reasonable portion, and extremely well-executed. SIDE DISHES * corn milk hushpuppies, "beignet style," cane syrup butter - fun play on the traditional hushpuppy; the cane syrup butter made them incredible! * lobster butter gnocchi - heavenly! melt in your mouth heavenly clouds of deliciousness. DESSERTS * ice box pie (changes regularly - we had lemon Saturday night) - very light, layers of lemon meringue with lemon curd and a spongy cake; would order this again! * hot fudge sundae with grilled pound cake - yum; hot fudge, spicy peanuts...such a great dessert and nice play on salty/sweet. All-in-all, I have to say that Ford Fry has the hit mark with The Optimist. He was expediting on Saturday evening ensuring his first week went off without a hitch. I look forward to dining here again very soon!
(5)
Edward B.
As far as I am concerned, it doesn't get any better than this. Everything I love about eating out is true of this place. The food is magnificent, they serve premium liquors, the bathrooms are spotless and stylish, the service is marvelous. The valet people know what to do. There is not question that it is pricey but one gets what one pays for.
(5)
kim p.
"Tonight we had dinner at the highly acclaimed #Optimist. We sat at the Oyster Bar and the FABULOUS bartender and our personal guide for the night was Michael. We literally tried every oyster on the menu and more than half of the spectacular light- tapas-like menu. I am a HUGE critic of seafood in Atlanta and I am pleased to say the critics are right on. This is the best seafood I have experienced by far in Atlanta. Hell, the best I have tasted in many years, and I am a Floridian. Sincere appreciation to the Optimist for being so damn good at what they do and to Michael for helping to make my birthday night so spectacular!
(5)
Tiila N.
One of the new must eat restaurant of 2012. I arrived before my friend so the hostess direct me to the bar/oyster area where I could get a pre dinner drink. I was very surprised at the fact that it does not smell like a seafood restaurant(bonus point for that). The waitress recommend Los Feliz Cafe(if you like citrus, then you would love this drink), it was so good I end up having a total of 3 by the end of dinner. We were directed to the main dinning room immediately at the arrival of my friend. This is what we ordered: Gem salad-anchovies caesar dressing, grill garlic, hand pulled croutons. What a great way to start a meal but be careful it's addicting. Corn hushpuppy- come with butter dipping sauce. I can eat this all day, everyday. Mushrooms- with shallot confit. I ordered this as a side dish to go with my main scallop and it was just the perfect addition. If you like mushroom then you would love this. Scallop- oxtail marmalade, brown butter-chicken jus. This dish is so flavorful thank to the butter chicken jus, the jus was so good my friend use it as a dip for his seared tuna. Tuna- seared yellow fin tuna, charred octopus, crispy potato salad, harissa. This dish was bland, nothing interesting or memorable. So 90% of what we ordered was delicious. The service was excellent and so was the food. I will definitely come back! Enjoy :)
(5)
Julee D.
One of my favorite spots in Atlanta. Great seafood and wine offerings in a very cool space on the Westside. Enjoyed the east coast oysters and seared tuna with charred octopus. There were so many items that looked great (including interesting side dishes). Can't wait to go again! Highly recommend a reservation ahead of time on Fridays and Saturdays. Bar/patio areas are really cool to hang out and grab drinks. You can even play some putt putt on the patio.
(5)
Krista H.
Went there last night for dinner after friends giving it rave reviews. Our waiter, Daniel, was awesome and highly recommend requesting him. The oysters are the best in Atlanta. Hands down!!! Unfortunately our charred ctopus appetizer was more than charred in spots and could have been better. My husband wanted to lick the plate of Georges bank Scallops. They were outstanding. My mingling was ok but the broth delicious. Side of bok choy was some of the best we have ever had. So despite the few things that could have been better we recommend the Optimist! Get the oysters, scallops and bok choy. You won't be disappointed! Bon Appetit!
(4)
Hazel J.
Met the owner who shared our love of burgers, and told us to try his opti butter burger: Opti butter burger: definitely a good burger. not the best i have ever had, but it was very good. very rich, very moist. I would consider it a "gourmet" burger vs a traditional burger love the atmosphere - very business-lunch and have a cocktail
(4)
Mark J.
The braised lamb shank with polenta and feta was outstanding! Also highly recommend getting oysters, we split half-and-half East Coast and West Coast oysters. And also highly recommend the hush puppies. I wish you could get the lobster roll in the main dining room at dinner but you have to sit at the oyster bar or go there for lunch. All around attention to detail.
(5)
Al N.
I try not to write a review after just one visit, but seeing as the missus and I don't get to eat fancy like this too often, here we are. Service: The valet-only parking is plentiful and quick. No charge, just tips. Unless you're evil. We had a reservation and were seated quickly. Our waiter was friendly, informative, and attentive. I was curious as to how the roasted octopus appetizer was cooked to be tender yet flavorful, and he was able to tell me how it was cooked and what ingredients were used. Food came out quickly, and each person who brought stuff was upbeat and friendly without being cloying. Food: Overall, it was excellent. I lived in New England for 20 years, so I'm a bit of a d**k about fresh seafood. Everything at The Optimist was fresh and top quality. For appetizers, we had the roasted octopus and the fried oysters. The octopus was one large tentacle and the kimchee spices were very good. I usually like my oysters cold and snotty, but when baby wants fried, baby gets fried. Also excellent. Portions were good for the price. Entrees were the duck fat poached swordfish and the crispy fried whole black bass. The flavor of the swordfish was very good, with the right balance of duck and fish. The fish was a bit dry, though, defeating the reason people order swordfish. The bass was awesome. The sweet soy ginger coating is a subtler yet more complex version of what you'd get in an upscale Chinese place. I picked that monster apart until there was nothing left but a skeleton (tips: Eat everything on the head that ain't bones, and eat as much of the fins as you can), and I barely had to deal with any little bones. Dessert was the crème fraishe ice cream for me and the chocolate cake with a coma-inducing pool of caramel. Everything was great, but the flourless cake was, as the youngsters say, "off that hook" it's like someone took a two foot high cylinder of the best chocolate mousse and squashed it down to an inch and a half. Ambiance: The high arched brick ceiling absorbs a lot of sound, so conversation is possible. The room has a great vibe and reminded me of a dockside fish market like I've seen in Maine. Dress is casual, and the crowd was diverse. The Optimist is not the kind of place where a palooka like me feels out of place.
(4)
Amber A.
$195 dollars later, I left hungry....and sticker shocked. We got a few drinks, dozen oysters and each a fish entree. I got the Ahi Tuna and it was delicious and I highly recomend it. The oysters were not the best I have had (especially at the price). My fiance got the Monkfish and it was delicious but small portion. Actually both meals were small portions, which we usually welcome but we had been holding out all day for our meal. Noise level pretty high and with it being so trendy you are sitting pretty close to the table next to you. Atmosphere was great and wine selection was great. Service was par to sub-par. The wait staff was not friendly and a little too rushed for the cost. Would I got back......maybe.....but would really watch the cost!
(3)
Katie W.
I ate here last night and it was so good. It is a little hard to find the first time and my GPS totally messed up on showing me the *exact* location but it was fine in the end. The space is gorgeous. It is so lovely inside that I could live here. The main dining room and bar are bright and open and shiny, and the oyster bar is very upscale beachy. I liked both a lot. Their signature cocktails list features a few rum drinks - yay! I think this only makes sense at a seafood restaurant. I chose to partake of both rummy concoctions offered - the Beach Shanty (Allagash White, Brinley's Shipwreck spiced rum, ginger liqueur, lemon) and the Port Antonio Cocktail (Flor de Cana 7 Year Rum, Gosling's Black Seal Rum, cinnamon, Kahlua, falernum, adorable crushed ice, umbrella). Both were excellent but the Port Antonio rocked my knees off. I did not have any oysters but I did have the mussels in a curry broth and I tried the garlicky clams. The garlicky clams were good and also featured delicious fried pork belly but I really liked my mussels. I would get them again. My entree was the soft-shelled clam, which was wood-fired. It was very flavorful and I liked that it wasn't fried. The sides we tried were the mushrooms (four varieties of them) and the beets. They were great. For dessert, I had the doughnuts and tried the grapefruit tart. Both were good but in the future I might skip dessert and just have another cocktail. I still think I could live here and I look forward to returning and hanging out at the bar.
(5)
Christina J.
The seafood gumbo is chock full of a variety of saltwater critters. The bacon potato salad gives a nice touch to the traditionally seafood heavy dish. There's a bit of a kick to it and my nose was running a bit after finishing my bowl, so those who have a heat aversion may want to stay away from the dish. Everyone loves the lobster roll. I love the lobster roll. It's delicious, sweet, and you can tell they let the lobster shine by barely adding anything else to it. But it's small. Real small. 6 bites and you're done small. Sub the fries it comes with for the basmati fried rice ($2 upcharge but best side they have). I could eat two of those sides alone as my meal. I also had the frozen shortcake bar for dessert. It was delicious. Strawberries and cream icecream covered in vanilla pound cake crumbles. Sounds fancy but it's served on a stick and covered in a plastic wrap, which provides for that childhood nostalgia of the icecream man driving by on a hot summer day. Well done Optimist.
(4)
Philip G.
Just had a great meal with two appetizers and a side, not to mention glasses of two good rums. I had the octopus con chorizo y pepe, the gambas à la plancha (with sopping bread), and the bok choy with ginger and pickled peppers. Then a light blueberry with lemongrass sorbet. Went back for a second round a week later. Still just as good with pleasant service from the bar staff (as a single diner visiting from out of town, this is essential). Although they had run out of the blueberry sorbet to my greater sorrow.
(5)
Carlos O.
Quite nice... Great atmosphere and patio seems like it would be the jam during spring/summer... Good oyster selection and food is somewhat spicy... Not too shabby
2nd time around - what a diff! Client dinner and it was great from start to finish. So happy I tried this out again. Seated immediately, nice. I think we had a new server as she stumbled over her presentation and the answers to our questions (how prepared, etc). Heirloom toms a must have. Halibut was cooked perfectly and one of the best I've had in some time. It was served over yummy grilled baby okra. Peas & corn side was ok. My friend had red fish which she said was very good. Her side of carrots was not so great. No dessert.
(4)
Dalan C.
Was out here on business and looking for a seafood place and I hit the jackpot at The Optimist. Very cool trendy decor with an awesome bar as well as an oyster bar. 3 star for the service. We sat at the bar, and for some reason I kept getting ignored even after waving at the bar tender. Also, when I asked what the LOCAL PEACH TARTE TATIN was, the guy didn't know, he just said it's a really good peach dessert. The food gets 5 stars. I had: charred spanish octopus, spiced greek yogurt, dill pickled carrots & cucumbers - this was the best dish of the night and a must have. Not a chewy like you would think and has a great char taste. fish & chips, beer battered haddock, malt vinegar aioli - good fish and chips, but I'd probably get something else next time LOCAL PEACH TARTE TATIN, buttermilk ice cream, hazelnut - so it is a wonderful dessert with a cooked peach over an upside down tart, topped with hazelnut ice cream.
(4)
Emily T.
This is my favorite restaurant in Atlanta. I live in LA which has a great food scene, but this def rivals it. Oysters, service and atmosphere. Go!!
(5)
Tim S.
If your black, stay back...After sitting at the bar for 20 minutes without be recognized I decided to move directly in front of the bar and still wasn't waited on until the other 2 W patrons who had just set down were finished being severed. I had a few words with the bartender, nothing outrageous, I just informed him of the situation at hand. He obliged by not charging me for my wine, which again, wasn't as full as the W patrons. Any-who, I was there to check out the Oysters. I'm not a big Oyster guy, but when I was in Boston last week I was at a place called the Island Creek Oyster bar on Commonwealth Ave, again, I'm not a big Oyster guy, but Island Creek had the BEST Oysters I ever tasted in my LIFE. The Oysters at Optimist was like going to Walmart for Oysters. Very small, no juice, grainy, and AGAIN very small!!!!! I love seafood, so my quest is that you need to go coastal for quality. Bad experience, all the way around....
(1)
Jacob W.
The oysters are pricy but really good.
(4)
Julie S.
Very cool atmosphere especially for lunch. Everything we had was delicious but I was especially blown away by the hush puppies and the white fish chowder. I got the lobster roll for my main course and I loved it. It was not very large, about the size of a hot dog roll but I didn't mind because I had already filled up on appetizers and my soup. The service was also amazing. I definitely want to return soon!
(5)
Chloe B.
Great, fresh seafood. Pricey but you get what you pay for. It was very crowded when we went, so just be aware that this isn't a quiet, romantic spot.
(5)
Hambri Enta M.
After enjoying dinner with my first date contestant, we walked across to get a second round of drinks. I had something sweet and berry tasting that was finished with a basil leaf. We ordered some oysters, which were absolutely amazing and fresh! The female barkeep and the male behind the bar, possibly a manager, were both personable and engaging. This place is HUGE! and has a real nice side porch which is uncovered and will be great for just shooting the shit drinks in hand. Looking forward to having a meal here in the very future
(4)
Brad S.
Oysters were fantastic and the lobstah roll made me feel like I was sitting at a table in Boston overlooking the Charles River..
(5)
Juan M.
Loved the ambiance, the vibe, the service, and specially the food. I tried the fried oysters and loved them. Probably the best ones I have ever had. I also tried and loved the seafood gumbo, the bluefin tuna, and the brioche bread that they serve along with the food. The waiter recommended the fried calamari and tried it as well, but it was disappointing. It probably does not have anything to do with the idea of fried calamari in your head. I had the salted caramel ice cream and loved it. Also tried the beignets and did not like them. The dough is too thick and doughy. Overall, great dining experience.
(4)
William P.
I got the octopus as a main entry and it was d e l i c i o u s. A little long time to wait for our table, but it was worth it. Definitely a 5-star restaurant.
(5)
Lynn E.
Run don't walk. Delish. This new seafood restaurant is a welcome addition to the ATL dining scene and a breath of fresh air. The space is open, high ceilings, lots of big windows - the night we were there the weather is ideal and the front of the house of open - you could 'almost' imagine your were in San Diego. The set up is a nice change of pace in a city where we are both land-locked but often cooped-up. The is bar area with outdoor seating, a separate menu (tapas style seafood offerings) and a raw bar with a variety of oysters. The dining room includes another bar (you can opt to have dinner there or drinks) and space for large parties. It was ladies-foodie night out so we opted to order individual entrees, several sides and a couple of desserts: florida grouper, smoked vidalia onion, horseradish broth - this was divine and understated. It's a light yet filling dish. I needed/wanted a roll to soop up the delicious broth. wood roasted soft shell crab, pickled ramps, garlic broth - another winner. perfectly cooked and adorned with young spring onions. alaskan halibut, wood grilled hen of the wood, red wine fish bordelaise - nicely prepared halibut - the mushrooms were outstanding - so good we thought about asking if we could order a side of the 'shrooms. seared rare tuna, charred octopus & potato salad, harissa - another perfectly prepared fish. kudos to the kitchen for a harissa with layers of flavors; you could taste the roasted red peppers and then the subtle heat from the spicy peppers. Yum. shoestring fries, malt vinegar aioli - we inhaled this side. The aioli is beautifully prepared - I wanted to slather it on everything but restrained myself. my only suggestion is to convert the fries from shoestring to something easier to eat. sliced local tomatoes, louie dressing - again fresh, fresh, fresh. lovely fresh tomatoes sitting on top of housemade louie dressing (the added drizzle of EVOO is n't needed). chilled wood roasted beets, smoked egg, horseradish, apple - a yummy presentation of young beets in different colors with tiny minced apples and a delicious vinaigrette. GRAPEFRUIT TART -- candied honeysuckle, venezuelan white chocolate - i had read about this dessert and could imagine what it might taste like - ORDER IT - it's a lightly sweet tart with a hint of citrus tang. A lovely taste to end a delicious meal. Sundae: grilled pound cake with caramel, ice cream and hot fudge. Pound cake needs to be grilled - my new mantra!!! Fun dessert to share with friends. Can't wait to return. Thank you Chef Fry.
(4)
Terry F.
A very unique and fun restaurant near my old stomping grounds in the Collier Road/Howell Mill area above Georgia Tech. Just don't go here when it is packed. The noise level would be very high due to no sound dampening built into this old refurbished shop/warehouse/gym. We started with a rum cocktail (with Goslings), a nice glass of house red wine (Picpoul) and six James oysters. The oysters were fresh, fantastic tasting and served properly with homemade crackers, horseradish and cocktail sauce. The standouts on the rest of the menu were the gumbo and the melon salad. The tuna and the mushrooms were also good, but a bit chewy. Not too bad for two people--we paid around $100 total.
(4)
Gale E.
OK, fourth time I've been to The Optimist. Although I generally like the food and atmosphere, now it's time to break from the crowd and register some negatives of my experience on May 11, in order of importance: - Beware of the middle tables in the main dining room. The air vents blow directly, and strongly on them - to the point I had to put my glass on my menu to keep it from blowing away. One member of our party had to step outside to warm up. This really detracted from our dining experience. - The charred octopus - I have had it all 4 visits and normally love it. But this time it was prepared with too much spice and seemed a bit overcooked. Frankly like the octopus at Baraonda more than this version. - Not sure why they think they need piped-in loud music to complement the dining experience. It does not enhance the experience. - Frankly, the servers and bartenders at Lure are more professional and personable. So The Optimist is certainly good, and the location is very hip. Love the inventive drinks, although you can get just as good if not better at Lure. But I think I will move on to other restaurants for a while.
(3)
Toni W.
I have only eaten at the Oyster Bar and I am a fan!! As a lover of seafood, they did not disappoint. We came shortly after they opened the Oyster Bar for the afternoon so it was quiet and intimate. The food was great- I cant pick out a fave but tried some east coast oysters (the mignonette was so good), huge peel and eat shrimp, salt n vinegar chips, lobster knuckles and snow crab, charred octopus and butter yeast rolls. I drool as I type this. Just the thought of the food makes me want some right now. The cocktails were also yummy and reasonably priced. I really liked the overall atmosphere and space. The small putt putt area out front is a fun plus. Made friends with the table next to us and went out to putt around some golf balls (if you have kids this would be a good way to keep them entertained if you are waiting for a table). Our server was delightful as well. She was friendly, helpful, accommodating and made sure we didnt have empty glasses. I definitely recommend The Optimist and can't wait to go back for more.
(5)
Hieu H.
Another great addition to the Westside! A little pricey for my taste...don't go here expecting fish tacos! really spacious with the industrial aesthetic that's characteristic of most Westside eateries: exposed beams, minimalistic decor, and spare Come here for some serious seafood, served with a refined palette. standouts include: duck fat poached swordfish with crispy pancetta and for side, the basmati "fried rice" made with curry and smoked fish. loved the corn milk hushpuppies - almost like a dessert!
(4)
Latoya W.
I loved this place. My good friend took me here for my birthday and everything was yummy from the peel and eat shrimp to the down to the blackened grouper. Yummy! I will definitely be returning. My only negative point is I found the bartenders to be very standoffish and kind of snooty. For what I don't know, but whatever. I actually find it hilariuos. If the lion share of your income is based on tips, I would think you would actually want to provide customer service. Go figure.
(4)
Anita K.
Great ambiance and delicious food!
(5)
Christopher P.
Cool building + pricey oysters + charred octopus = No Reservations! Called on a Monday to see if they had any availability for Saturday night... negative ghost rider. This can only mean they are ballin out of control. Wifey and I made an executive decision to just go and see if we can grab some seats last minute... another negative ghost rider. Hostess said we can wait for some seats at the bar (there are two - one with a snack menu and one that had a full menu... heads up). We lucked out and found two seats at the bar. Not sure why I felt to write all this shit out but I guess I'm trying to tell you to put in work and get some reservations... DO... get the charred octopus (perhaps one of the best dishes in Atlanta). It has a nice char, very tender and comes on a bed of chorizo and calabria peppers.... totes noms!!! DON'T... get the oysters. They were expensive and did not have much taste to them. Nothing like a good kumamoto. DO... get the beignets. DO... get the scallop crudo. Ball out...
(4)
Billy H.
I'm not even a big Seafood fan but the Optimist has become one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta. Chef Ford Fry and designer Smith Hanes did a spectacular job of creating a gorgeous space that is fancy enough for a romantic dinner yet comfortable enough for a laid back night with friends. The Oyster Bar is much more casual. My wife loved the oysters and all the other dishes she had. It's her favorite restaurant in the city. I loved the drinks and fish & chips. The service was perfect. The only negative to The Optomist is that it's expensive. However, it's worth it and I recommend it to all my friends.
(5)
Adrian S.
I had a great experience at THE OPTIMIST from the time I entered until the time I walked out. The outside patio waiting area was great, there was a local guitarist that was playing all the favorites. Our drinks were great, the outside atmosphere was nice and relaxing. I ordered the Swordfish specialty dish which was recommended by our waiter. This was my first time tasting swordfish and it was great! There wasn't anything I would change about it. I enjoyed every bite. I would definitely make another reservation at THE OPTIMIST!
(4)
paul k.
Outstanding.
(5)
Jeremy S.
Good food and service. Not amazing but well worth the visit. Not a destination in my opinion.
(4)
Chris B.
Shrimp toast. She crab. Clam roll. Mixed drink. Rinse/repeat. Love this place. They need to bring back the Oxtail jam though!!!
(5)
LaTrese F.
Had dinner with a group of friends at The Optimist and LOVED every minute of it. We started at the Oyster Bar. I don't do oysters but the drinks were tasty and my friends loved the Oysters. Dinner was awesome, love that every time we go we are able to experience something different as they change the menu daily. The service was great, atmosphere awesome. I highly recommend.
(4)
Eric K.
Putting green, great bar and signature drinks, coozies for your beer and she crab soup? I'm in. It was odd to see live entertainment, on the Friday - I just wasn't expecting a guy singing cover tunes outside. He sounded like he was plucked from the old Buckhead saloon....yeah, I'm that old. Anyway, not bad and It worked with the open outdoor space. I could have done without the kids on the putting green, but I know that's hard to get around. Food - Scallops and she crab soup to start - The little shrimp stick thingy that accompanied the soup was the highlight of the meal - I'll take a dozen to go next time. Both apps were tasty. It could been the bottle of wine, or the martinis or a combination, but I thought I ordered blackened grouper, but I go black grouper...so I was a little surprised - not the restaurants fault by any means. It was prepped well and tasted pretty good. The swordfish reminded me of hallie berry......wait, never mind. It was well prepared and I think it was topped with crem freshe (sp?)..mmmmmmm . For sides - the caramelized onions were top notch and the horseradish sugar snap peas were good, not great. Desert = Coconut custard. enough said. The place is proud of what it does - and it should be. It is as billed - a swanky little west side eatery that didn't disappoint. This aint the buckhead fish market (thank god) and its now on the rotation.
Man was that swordfish killer. Really great service. Loved the atmosphere. The bread they bring first is super good. Had the the hushpuppies as well, best part. So good. Gorgeous big room. Really fresh food. Very pleased. Great date night place.
(5)
Frank B.
I heard how great this place was and how they pride themselves on customer service. While I will agree on the fact that the oysters were excellent I would say the price and the way we were treated made them less than desirable. I could not get a reservation but I called two times and was told don't worry we treat everyone as if they are important and the longest you will wait is 30-45 minutes. When I showed up I was told 2+hours but I could sit outside with a limited menu. Figuring that would still be okay I sat down and after looking at the menu and price I was disappointed. Regardless we ordered food and found that the service and the treatment were less than desirable, the two words that come to mind are RUDE and slow. Not sure I will go back just based on the way I was treated.
I've been here 5 times. The food is always incredible and hits the just.right. spot. I've always been less than wowed by service. The service never quite matched the perfection of the food... (not that the service was bad, just not as incredible as the food is and the two should match--- at least) This past Saturday my party had the pleasure of being seated in Jonathan's session. His service matched, if not exceeded the perfection of the food. He takes service to another level. Personable, but not inappropriate. Attentive, seriously attentive, but not overbearing, deeply knowledgeable about the food and drink menu. Good Vibes. If you make it to The Optimist make sure to have the messy shrimp (that's my name for it), the kale salad (mmmm), any whole fish on the menu, of course oysters, and ask to sit at one of Jonathan's tables- he'll take extra good care of you! minus one star for the 15 minute valet wait outside. Instead of just two valets, they might need 3 or 4 on the really busyweekends.
(4)
Rachel M.
Ford Fry's establishments are certainly impressive- unless St Cecilia blows me away in the coming weeks, ( it very well may!) , this will remain my favorite among his outposts. The servers here are FRIENDLY- something that can really make or break a restaurant. I've been here many times, and always had a phenomenal experience with the servers and bartenders- A + , Optimist staff!!! The selection of Oysters is fantastic- they're always super fresh, and the servers are quite knowledgeable about the different varieties. I tend to be a teensy bit picky about my oysters, too( read: very particular), so that's saying something. The seafood gumbo is perfect- flavorful, a bit of spice, exactly how you want your gumbo. The fish chowder is also wonderful- creamy, smokey from the fish, but not gluey at all ( chowder isn't supposed to be goopey and gelatinous- cheap chowders have improperly skewed people's expectations !!!) I'd skip the She crab soup- it's just not my favorite version. The salted buttery roll thingys are divine- and dangerous! The Charred Octopus is freaking phenomenal- I've had it prepared the " Bar" and " Dining room" ways- and both are equally as delicious! The octopus is tender and smokey. I've actually ordered two of these. The green curry mussels are divine- tons of flavor. For entrees, the whole fish with garlicky sauce is so, so good- I actually haven't seen anything like this entree in Atlanta. The sauce is sweet and savory- and the fish moist. Love the halibut with sea salt- so simple, but so, so well done- the fish is perfectly cooked and it's own flavor really shines. I could go on and on- cocktails here are wonderful as well, but just get there- you'll love it!!
(5)
Harper C.
Amazing ... atmosphere, location, food and service. This is was the perfect place to choose for a weekday work dinner yet it will also be a weekend spot for me in the future. The menu was spectacular as was the service with the server bringing a lot of knowledge to help us make some decisions. No one at our table was displeased which is not an easy feat! Items ordered were diverse from chicken to steak to seafood, plus salads and some starters. All came in perfect timing and were absolutely delicious. Personally, I had the argula and duck salad to start with the swordfish as my main dish. The swordfish melted in my mouth. One of the sides we ordered to share at the table were fingerling potatoes. I could have eaten ALL of these myself. The cocktails were also yummy. Fortunately our server was able to work a deal so we could have one of the punches with dinner. Typically they only serve the punches at the bar (recommend you go to the bar just for the punch). Dessert was the finishing delight and the perfect way to end the meal. The price wasn't to bad either.
(5)
Rayandra S.
I had been wanting to try this place for some time based on the buzz it had generated. Perhaps my expectations were too high. It was packed, which is usually an auspicious sign for what is to come. We arrived at 9:40 for a 9:45 reservation but were not seated until at least 30 minutes later. My friend had a question about a dish and it took our waiter close to 25 minutes to find the answer from the kitchen. Our waiter was very nice, but other servers who brought our good were downright surly. I ordered the octopus salad, which was a tiny piece of charred/tough octopus. I think it could have been a good dish, but the octopus was overcooked, which ruined it. It dampened my enthusiasm for the rest of the menu. My friend is vegetarian, so we ordered some vegetable appetizers, which were hit or miss, but the hush puppies were good, with powdered sugar and a honey-based dip. The bananas foster on a stick for dessert was quite tasty. I would come back here at some point for the bar scene and to people watch, or perhaps with a date. However, the food and most of the service would not compel me to rush back right away. Perhaps my rating would have improved if I was able to get a seating early enough to take advantage of better prepared food and a less stressed wait staff. Right now, I'm failing to see what the hype is about.
(3)
Preeti M.
I've only been here twice and both were during the week for dinner. Has been amazing both times! Other than their 5:45 pm reservations (which is way too early for me), the food, service and experience has been incredible. If you are a seafood lover, this is your spot. Don't forget to grab a "key" by the bathroom for a fun momento!
(4)
Mallory Z.
We ordered the French Kiss oyster which is definitely fabulous. The lobster roll and the grilled octopus are the best in town I'd say. The scallop is not as tender as those scallop sashimi you get at a sushi place... Hmmm and the halibut is Okay. :)
(4)
Anna D.
I was with a group of 8 at Optimist the other night, and from the reviews I read, I was expecting something a little more impressive. The decor is very cool. It tries to achieve a New England shore house feel, and it mostly hits the mark. There is a bar in the middle of the dining area that is quite a focal point as well. The wine list at the bar was limited, but I enjoyed the pinot noir I ordered, and the wine list in the main dining room (by the glass) is also much more extensive than the one at the bar by the entrance. The food was interesting - at the waitress's suggestion, I ordered the octopus as an appetizer and it was awesome. The rolls they bring out are so saturated with butter that it tastes like butter leaks out as you bite into them, My main course of flounder was also perfectly cooked. I ordered a side of sauteed mushrooms, which were more exotic mushrooms than the ordinary white button mushrooms. However, the meal really lives or dies on the strength of the fish - this is not a place that adds sauces, vegetables, or sides to complement or tone down the fish. While I love seafood, I do tend to prefer some counterpoints to the seafood at the same time. I would probably order more side dishes next time to create my own meal. Lastly, just a minor pet peeve that you are forced to valet (which was free, but there's still the tip) even though the restaurant has its own easily accessible parking lot that you have to drive through to get to the valet station. I came on a Sunday so maybe this is a necessity on more busy nights.
(3)
Michelle M.
Excellent food, excellent ambiance, excellent service. The big, open space with high ceilings and lots of light make for an enjoyable experience, and the food is first rate. At the recommendation of our server, we ordered the charred Octopus and it was our favorite dish (we've had many). Scallops, shrimp a la plancha, hush puppies, oysters, lobster roll -- all outstanding.
(5)
heather d.
Love this place. The food is amazing and the staff is so attentive! The hush puppies are mind blowing.
(5)
Laura T.
Been wanting to try this place for a while now based on reviews from friends. Had lunch here today & was a little mixed in my opinion. The shrimp loaf (po-boy) was tasty. It had 4 or 5 lightly fried, decent-size shrimp on it. However, for the size of the roll, I would have expected a couple more shrimp on there. A lot of the roll just contained lettuce, tomato & sauce. The shoestring fries that came with it were lukewarm at best and a tad overcooked. I ate maybe 4-5 sticks & left the rest of the large mound. I was kinda surprised that the server didn't inquire as to why I left them all on the plate. I also had the she-crab soup. It was okay. Decent flavor, but the sherry was a little overpowering. And if there were any actual pieces of crab in the soup, they were miniscule. We did try the hushpuppies and they were very tasty. I'd order those again in a heartbeat. They were both savory & sweet due to the powdered sugar served on top. My coworkers were both very pleased with their entree selections. One had the lobster salad and the other had the blackened fish sandwich with a side of brussels sprouts. Our server was good. She kept our drinks filled and checked on us without being obtrusive about it. I will visit them again and will most likely opt for the blackened fish sandwich with a side other than the fries.
(3)
Josh M.
We hit this place up at about 9:00 on a Friday night after a Yelp event. We walked from nearby and were really disappointed by the lack of a proper pedestrian entrance. We had to walk up the driveway, around a concrete wall and through the valet area just to get to a door that opens (you suburbanites get to bitch about parking, so I get to whine about pedestrian access). Not a great welcome, however as we found our way to the oyster bar our mood improved. We sat at the bar and were immediately impressed by the service. Our waiter was there off the bat and stuck around all night. We never wanted for a drink, menu, napkin, or utensil. Our order consisted of Georgia peel and eat shrimp, shoestring fries, grilled octopus and a Maine lobster roll. The shrimp and fries were out of this world. I don't know if I have ever had better cooked shrimp. The fries were millimeters thick and super-crispy (like freshly made French's potato sticks). Octopus dish was way too small and flavorless (I know how much a whole cephalopod costs and this was a rip-off). The lobster roll was okay. It is hard to impress a true New Englander with a lobster roll. I would recommend that they add a little bit of tail meat and adjust the price, as Maine lobster prices are at a near all-time low. They also had oysters for sale at $3.0-6.5 PER OYSTER! Having lived in NC where one can purchase an entire peck of oysters for $10.5, this did not compute for us. Granted, their selection included specimens from Washington, Nova Scotia and Maine, but would it kill them to have some southern selections at $0.5-1.0 per oyster? Overall, we were very impressed. The service was absolutely impeccable and the food far surpassed most wanna-be seafood joints in Atlanta. I just wish that properly cooked and prepared seafood in Atlanta was much more available and less costly.
The octopus was the greatest thing I have ever had!! Only 14$ there was not 1 thing we didn't like.
(5)
Jessica L.
Really a 3.5 I came here so excited to try the lobster roll. It was great. But so small!!! I wanted more. Also got the she crab soup and I couldn't even finish it because it was way too rich. The little piece of bread that accompanied the soup was really good though. I ordered a drink but I forget the name....tiki sunrise or something? I thought it would be watered down, but it definitely wasn't. What a huge plus!! Overall, this place is worth trying.
(4)
Christina S.
The fabulous Ford Fry's new establishment will not fail you! This man is accomplished, to say the least. With the successes of other wonderful Atlanta eateries (JCT, No 246) under his belt, I was nothing but OPTIMISTIC when I was told we had gotten a reservation at Ford's new sustainable seafood place on my latest visit to Atlanta! Optimistic ... AND excited! So, let's (again) get the basics out of the way: THE ATMOSPHERE: Smith Hanes did a wonderful job with this project. The main dining area and bar are open and airy and bright, yet still cozy. For a moment you believe you're in the warehouse district, but then you feel like you're in your favorite local watering hole. And, I can only think of the words "upscale beach" to describe the Oyster Bar (Think: The Hamptons and Destin collide, gracefully). The scene is hip. It's a "true" hip, though - one that you know is here to stay. And with so many restaurants coming and going in Atlanta, that has to be a great feeling. And, stay, they want from you - When I sat down, I felt I was in for the long-(gastronomic) haul. It was comforting to know that they want you to come in, sit for a spell and "enjoy" your meal, instead of rushing your table out the door. And "enjoy" I did - BOY oh BOY did I ENJOY! Could it be that I was dining with some of my favorite folks, one of whom just happens to run the largest seafood distributor in the SE? I think not. I think that's just how they do it there - there was no special treatment for me (other than I got a first hand narrative of what was yummy on the menu that night). Ford wants you to feel comfortable and enjoy yourself (i.e., you can play putt putt out front) - simple as that. THE BAR: ohhh yesssss ... the bar. Where it all began. For starters, it's gorgeous - a towering wall of glass and bottles. And it's comfy for "a drink at the bar" kinda evening. It also serves up some crafty cocktails: The Truth as We Know it martini of pink gin and bitters, the Port Antonio, which is a couple different rums, Kahlua and cinnamon, The Old Salty Dog , which was my first choice of the night, and, as it always goes with this group, BUBBLES! They've also got some tasty craft beer behind the bar, and if that doesn't do it for ya, well, order yourself a Miller High Life! Now, for the good part ... THE FOOD: Where to start? Of course seafood was in my repertoire for the evening, whether I was eating from my own plate or from the plate of others at the table! We started with the oysters - In fact, we liked those so much we got a dozen ... then some more, and they were served with these homemade crackers to die for (I will settle for nothing less while eating oysters now - Guess I better let the folks down at AJs know before next my next beach trip). We had all three salads: Simple Salad with the shaved celery and herbs (my plate), a Little Gem Salad with the meyer lemon and anchovy dressing, and a spicy arugula salad with the peaches and Farmer's cheese - all were absolutely tasty and beautifully presented. Since the papa-bear didn't want a salad, he indulged in the Angels on Horseback, which are fried oysters with pork belly, and served with these amazing little "toast points" - a decadent griddled piece of bread (like grilled cheese without the cheese - they needed their own top billing on the menu, IMHO). One of the young ladies at the table ordered the mussels with the spicy green curry broth, and I have to say that I'm thankful I was seated directly to her left - so I could taste that TOO. All of that yumminess was followed by our main dishes: Alaskan Halibut, plated with grilled Hen of the Wood (mushroom), a red snapper dish, the roasted Georgia trout, served with marcona almonds and a pickled celery, the Fish & Chips (three cheers for my choice), which was ale battered haddock (traditional), and for the one meat-eater at the table, the skirt steak with a romesco sauce, which was out of this world. Not a complaint at the table. As if that wasn't enough, we still wanted more, believe it or not. However, we needed a little break in our consumption activities, and decided to utilize the 7 minute drive home for that very purpose. But we took home one of each of the FIVE items on the dessert menu that evening - the buttermilk donuts (served with sweet corn ice cream and pepper jam!) were my favorite, but the chocolate "cloud" was a wicked treat, too! Chef Adam Evans - who is from THIS side of the time zone, (Muscle Shoals), went to Auburn and worked his way around the Craft family of restaurants after he left New Orleans and the Brennans - will not disappoint! (And He's a super sweet dude to boot!!) So, if you get the chance, when you're next in the ATL - visit my new friends at the Optimist. And be prepared for one of the very best seafood meals you've ever had.
(5)
Liana H.
I have been to the Optimist 3 times now. I really want to like it but the bad experiences just make me not want to go back. Pros: - Atmosphere - a great building that has been redone inside, different from typical - Atlanta seafood joints - Nice servers - The Beignet-Style Hushpuppies are to die for! - Some of the other dishes are great as well (Fried rice, fish sandwich, long bean appetizer) Cons: - Often Pretentious - Overpriced, under-portioned - Charged a higher price than what was on the menu for a meal - 10% "gratuity" added to our $400 bill because we brought in a small birthday cake - The Oyster Bar will not serve many items from the main restaurant The first time I ventured to The Optimist was a Wednesday for lunch shortly after it opened. The place was practically empty yet service was slow. We had drinks and ordered the Beignet-style hushpuppies as an appetizer. These alone will make you go back even if the food is grossly overpriced and under-portioned. Our lunch was delicious but a joke in how small it was. We think American-portions are usually way too big so I look forward to properly sized portions in nicer establishments -- but this was entirely too small. I left feeling like I needed to have lunch afterwards. My husband had a lobster roll/wrap that he was overcharged for (and didn't realize until we had left so we didn't bother bringing it up). It was the size of a small hotdog on a bun, about two bites. The french fries were the small mini-stick variety like the dried kind you'd get out of a can at a grocery store. They were extremely difficult to eat and left much to be desired. I would expect a delicous fresh-cut flavorful fry from a place like this. My fish sandwich was absolutely delicious with flavors unique but not too out-there. Again, the portion size was just a few bites. I'd guess about 3-4oz of fish max. It was like getting a big slider appetizer. But there was only one on the plate. The second visit was to the Oyster Bar on a Sunday afternoon/evening. We met clients there and stayed a good while. It was a comfortable, casual yet nice environment. Uninformed at our previous visit that the "Oyster bar is a separate restaurant from the main restaurant and they do not serve the same food" I had been raving to our clients about the hushpuppies. It was a great disappointment to learn they would not serve us what we came for unless we moved to the restaurant. We were already comfortable and had part of our order already in.... the server thought the chef/management may make an exception... but it turns out they did not. Instead, I had to go to the bar in the other room, order a drink and our hushpuppy order "to go" and then bring it back to our table at the Oyster Bar. Any place that charges $6 for 6 pieces of fried dough you think would be willing to make an exception to their self-imposed rules and walk our order an extra 20 feet. I had to wait 25 minutes at the bar away from the rest of our group. The third visit was a Thursday night for dinner, party of 7. We made a reservation and when we showed up at 5PM the restaurant was nearly empty. Even with a reservation we had to "wait while we get your table ready." Hu?? I guess they want us to wait long enough to spend some money at the bar first? That's the vibe I got. We started off the meal with a bottle of bubbly to celebrate us 7 local small business owners getting through the holiday rush. We ordered long beans (delicious tempora-battered fried green beans with a dipping sauce) and the hushpuppies as an appetizer. Our party ordered a variety of entrees, soups, and seafood appetizers. No complaints on the taste but everything was small portions except the fish & chips which was enough to split. We also got an array of what they claim should be "family style" sides at $6/each. All of these were very good, but somewhat small portions if meant to be shared. 3 of the 7 were celebrating birthdays so we brought a small homemade cake, plates, and serving utensils. The server later brought us our check and we noticed 10% gratuity already added, so we added 10% more to make it 20%. As we were leaving the server informed us the "10% gratuity" was actually a "cake cutting fee." Hu? No one cut our cake nor served it it us. We certainly were not informed it would cost $35 for us to eat our cake there. Happy birthday to us, right!? We spoke to the manager on the way out as we didn't want the server to get stuck with only a 10% tip and her excuse was the server should have told us about the fee in advance. I was thinking of going here again in a week for my actual birthday, but I don't think I'll be returning. They took away the festive spirit of an otherwise wonderful evening. The Buckhead Life Group Establishments, Canoe, Rays, or Fifth Group Restaurants all have seafood and service that surpass that of The Optimist....
(2)
Michelle H.
The food overall was decent but the service left a lot to be desired, which is unusual for restaurants of this calibre in Atlanta. None of the dishes were particularly remarkable or memorable, and I especially did not enjoy the shrimp ala plancha - they were incredibly and unnecessarily messy for this type of dining experience (I will peel crawfish with the best of them, but at a nice restaurant, why leave the heads and shells on and slather the outside with sauce??). They were also out of the one dish we really wanted, which our server failed to tell us until we ordered it. Too many misses overall to return.
(3)
Laura K.
Had a disappointing experience last weekend. Server was missing for majority of our meal, we had to ask two people for a new round of drinks (which were made incorrectly), and our swordfish was overwhelmingly fishy tasting. The octopus appetizer was the only highlight of the meal.
(2)
Mark M.
This is a great place. I haven't been here in months because of a job transfer. The food was just as good as the last time, the service is excellent and the atmosphere is just terrific. If you're in the area I would highly recommend that you stop.
(5)
Katie R.
I love this restaurant, and I can't believe it took me so long to discover it in West Midtown. I met a colleague here a few weeks ago for drinks and dinner. I arrived early, so I posted up at the bar. Good wine list, interesting cocktail menu, and nice bartenders - the perfect combination. There are actually two bars in the restaurant (I think one is the official, so there is plenty of space to stretch out. The decor is all over wood/distressed metal, and it works really well in West Midtown. Lots of open windows, too! Moving on to dinner. Everything on the menu looked great, and I've never had a friend who told me they had a bad meal there. I'm pretty sure I had scallops, but really, it's all good. As mentioned in other reviews, service was excellent. I really have nothing bad to say about any part of the experience. When I first got to the restaurant, I went straight to the bar (really, it had been a long week), and I completely missed the outdoor garden area. I was able to check it out while waiting for my car, and I'm sad I missed it. Lots of green space, picnic tables, in general a nice outdoor space to enjoy a drink. Valet parking.
(5)
Ada K.
We had a team dinner here, so nothing was spared: we basically tried everything on the dinner menu! The appetizers were amazing, the shrimp scampi (while messy) and the octopus (while well octopus) stood out the most! That octopus is a must try -- haven't had one so well prepared in the states in a while! I also got out of my comfort zone and went with the monk fish and it didn't disappoint, a very unique lobster-esque taste. Definitely worth a try! Great atmosphere, wonderful wine selection. Had a great time!
(5)
Cherie B.
Won't be back. I started out going to the Optimist for dinner Saturday night. I called in advance to see if we could get in wo a RSVP. I was offered an RSVP but was told I could probably get in earlier at the bar. She said there could be a short wait but she couldn't tell me for how long -- like no idea. Their parking situation has been jacked for months. That said we get there and valet says they won't valet any cars wo a RSVP. Yeah it's drizzling and there's no street parking. Is it appropriate to ask your customers to walk from God knows where in heels in the rain? And the mgr wasnt sounding genuinely apologetic and confirmed they had this unheard of policy when I called to complain. Once I told the manager about how unconcerned she sounded she offered to give us a gift card. She said we could come in or have it mailed. Of course coming in without a reservation is apparently a problem so I suggested mailing it. I haven't received a call about sending the gift card out like she said and it's been two business days since. The food is decent but not worth this kind of hassle. I said I wouldn't come back after I had to wait like 30 minutes for valet to park my car the time prior. I should've stuck with my instincts. Why have a special event when you can't accommodate parking for your customers? Get organized so your hostesses at least can tell people oh yes, you should make a reservation or you won't be able to park her. No point in going back to this place. We ended up at Article 14 -- good food, friendly service, plenty of free valet parking, and no wait.
(1)
Jason S.
Meh is right. Were out of half of what we ordered on a Saturday night. Cool space and good energy but the food was a bit miss.
(2)
James D.
great service, everything is fresh Oysters were ok (didn't love them but were ok. East Coast were better than WC, imo) and everything was quite good. Nice plating but the mains were a little light, more like entree. You would be hungry if you didn't have a few apps and dessert, and I'm not a heavy eater. Otherwise, well cooked and seasoned. Nice flavors and quite nice atmosphere!
(4)
Billy H.
I'm not even a big Seafood fan but the Optimist has become one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta. Chef Ford Fry and designer Smith Hanes did a spectacular job of creating a gorgeous space that is fancy enough for a romantic dinner yet comfortable enough for a laid back night with friends. The Oyster Bar is much more casual. My wife loved the oysters and all the other dishes she had. It's her favorite restaurant in the city. I loved the drinks and fish & chips. The service was perfect. The only negative to The Optomist is that it's expensive. However, it's worth it and I recommend it to all my friends.
(5)
Adrian S.
I had a great experience at THE OPTIMIST from the time I entered until the time I walked out. The outside patio waiting area was great, there was a local guitarist that was playing all the favorites. Our drinks were great, the outside atmosphere was nice and relaxing. I ordered the Swordfish specialty dish which was recommended by our waiter. This was my first time tasting swordfish and it was great! There wasn't anything I would change about it. I enjoyed every bite. I would definitely make another reservation at THE OPTIMIST!
(4)
paul k.
Outstanding.
(5)
Justin B.
i happened to be in atlanta for a few days for work, and all i heard was that this was the place to try while in town. i was just thankful when my colleague said that the place was known to have pretty decent oysters, so i was game regardless at that point. first of all, driving over here, you realize you're in a really up and coming part of town. there were several fine looking establishments by the side of the road, along with relatively new but well-designed condominiums, furniture and decor stores, etc. i was impressed. i didn't know that this was what atlanta really had to offer. driving up to this place, you don't really get a chance to fully experience what's in store. it's not until you park your car and walk up to this rather unobtrusive building that everything comes together. there's a little putt putt green out front with trees creating a center courtyard. strung lights sit above you, creating a warm romantic glow. that same warm glow is coming from inside, while some areas of the restaurant are open facing the green. each of the rooms inside are very nicely appointed. it's a mix of classic industrial design sensibility with antique flair and southern charm. i'm a sucker for type, so i was a bit fan of the typelogo and way the menus were presented. the lighting was smart, drawing your eye in various directions around, helping to create distinct spaces while keeping the very space you sat with your dining partner private. my one critique is that the reservation, restaurant, dining room situation is rather complicated. not having gotten a chance to familiarize myself with the place ahead of time, i didn't realize there were multiple restaurants inside with different rules for reservations, waiting for tables, terms of service, etc. i didn't really feel like it was necessary, to be honest. i like when a restaurant has one system. i don't mind a good private or seemingly secret room, but this system didn't seem to do them any favors. regardless, we sat in the oyster bar and rather enjoyed our whole dining experience. the waitstaff were lovely, the oysters were lovelier and the other items we selected from the menu were a mix of pleasant surprises and classic favorites that i knew i would enjoy. highlights included the garlicky clams and the preparations for the cucumber oysters. i love the shot pairings for the oysters, as well. overall, a really smart dining experience. next time, i'll manage to conquer the system and find my way into the main dining room. the real test, i presume.
(4)
Matt P.
There are times when you eat food that is so absurdly delicious that you just don't know what to do with yourself. My first time eating at the Optimist was one of those times. I went with my parents and sister, and, in order to maximize the amount of things we could try, we shared a number of small plates and sides. The mussels appetizer was amazing--by far one of the best bites of food I've had in a while. Instead of giving you a list of what I ate and telling you similar stories about how amazingly delicious they were, I am going to let you go in, flying blind, to create your own adventure :-). Oh, and bring all the monies... this place is not cheap.
(5)
Selena M.
What is there to say about the optimist? It's big, trendy, and impeccably decorated in shabby-chic/industrial/it's cool because you can see the ductwork style that seems to be the decided upon decor for all new restaurants. The space is really great and just generally gives off a good vibe. The server was knowledgable and helpful, the food came out promptly and drinks were replenished without being asked to do so. The food is...meh. I think The Optimist, like many other trendy but well meaning restaurants has sacrificed the integrity of the food in an effort to be experimental or cool or even avante garde. For example, the beet salad, which is a mainstay of any "good" restaurant these days was accompanied by some weird cheese. It was semi-hard, tasteless and generally not a good pairing. It should have been goat cheese. Goat cheese with beets is just better, no need to switch it up just to differentiate YOUR beet salad from another beet salad. Beets are rich and woody, you need that tartness to balance it. Likewise, the hush puppies, which come as a side WITH dinner were covered in powdered sugar. Were they yummy? Sure...But was it necessary? No. Did it in any way complement the fish? No. Did it come across as contrived and odd? Yes. It's all just trying too hard. Apparently the oysters were good, but that says nothing of the restaurant except they order good oysters. The octopus was overcooked and overseasoned. The baby gem salad (basically a Caesar) was wayyyyyyyyyyyy overdressed to the point of being sopping with dressing. I mean that's such a rookie mistake. I ordered the skate wing schnitzel. It was ok. I found the taste to be lacking, you could really only taste the breading. The fish was unremarkable in every way. Moreover, it came with a brown butter sauce which itself was markedly bland. And because the fish was sitting in a pool of butter the whole thing was soggy and greasy. My father had what I think was snapper in a lime sauce. What it amounted to was a decent cut of fish (albeit also pretty flavorless) sitting in a pool of limeade with slices of lime. The sauce was not complex or interesting...it just tasted like straight up lime. I guess it was a passable dish because how bad can fish and citrus be? But certainly not worth thirty bucks and would have been ten times better if it were just a whole,grilled fish sprinkled with lime. However, the key lime push pop was delicious and adorable and MADE SENSE. So, basically, as a a seafood restaurant they need to quit it with the gimmicks and just focus on the fish. It would be a million times better if everything weren't smothered in some bizarre sauce which apparently has convinced a lot of Atlantans that the food is actually good. They are doing just enough to fool the unwashed masses.
(2)
Jemel D.
Very, very good, but just a little overpriced in my opinion!
(4)
Kar T.
Stopped in on a very busy friday night. By the time we were seated they were sold out of 2 items on the menu, but it wasn't a big deal. For starters the whole shrimp were spectacular. I had the duckfat poached swordfish for an entree, which was okay.. but the hushpuppies are a must. The service was prompt and friendly, and overall it was a good experience.
(4)
June J.
Excellent dining experience. I will definitely come back. As opposed to what others have said in reviews, I didn't feel like this place was too noisy nor too expensive compared to other restaurants with similar caliber in Atlanta. I had dinner here as a special occasion with my parents for holidays, and our server Paolo was very courteous and was there whenever we needed him. It was almost like he was watching every second of our dining but without making us feel intrusive at all, which I appreciate. Appetizers: fried oysters (pretty good, but i would rather recommend fresh ones for better value), fresh oysters per server's recommendation, kale salad (very flavorful without much dressing added - I've eaten many kale dishes in the past and loved this simple execution). Entrees: we had swordfish (per server's recommendation which came along with duck fat, pork belly - excellent), mahi mahi, and sea bass . I was tempted to order the skirt steak for entree as I'm not a big seafood person, but I do not regret ordering fish for entree at all. It was apparent that the fish was very fresh; simple yet intricate execution on each dish, not too much to hinder the natural taste/aroma of fish. Side: hushpuppies (not bad - i've had better but this one tasted less greasy hence presumably healthy), brussel sprouts (over salted - i would not recommend but has enough flavor. i think i can cook better brussel sprouts to be honest), mushroom (very simple yet with enough herbs and ingredients added to retain the flavor of mushroom). Desserts: I was wined up at this point and do not remember what we had but it was some sort of cake and a few ice creams. Nothing spectacular (except the sorbet - which was very good) but nothing to complain about. Drinks: not a bad wine list but could be less generic. I really don't want to spend $60 on a bottle of wine when I know exactly where to go to get that same bottle for $15. But they had some interesting Italian and french wines to try. I was very apprehensive to try this place out as Ford Fry's restaurants tend to have subpar service from my numerous visits - atrocious service almost every time except a few occasions. Optimist definitely stands out among Fry's restaurants, and I look forward to coming back soon. I would highly recommend this place to anyone seeking a pleasant dining experience centered around seafood.
(5)
Maira D.
Probably the best service I ever had. Ambiance was great, and the food was really good, and I didn't think it was expensive for what they offered.
(5)
adrienne i.
One of my favorite dinners since I moved to Atlanta 4 years ago was had at The Optimist. Flavor abounds here. Service was excellent, and not stuffy (my favorite kind).
I've eaten at the Oyster Bar a few times but never had a chance to check out the main dining room at The Optimist. I was finally able to make it out a few weeks ago and had a wonderful meal. Since I'm a carb whore, I'll start out with the rolls. These rolls are divine. Crusty and soft at the same time and topped with salt. I could just have those rolls and be a very happy camper. We started off with a few shared appetizers: East Coast and West Coast Oysters Frothy She-Crab Soup Charred Spanish Octopus I don't eat raw oysters so I can't comment on them. The others at the table really seemed to enjoy them. The she-crab soup is not your usual she-crab soup. It's frothy and very smooth. You will not find chunks of crab in the soup, but you still get the same great crab taste. It's served with shrimp toast that really complements the soup nicely. Everyone at the table liked the charred octopus the best. We actually got an extra order of this after we devoured the first one so quickly. I really like the lobster roll at the Oyster Bar and asked our server if if would be possible to get one in the main dining room for dinner. She said she'd see what she could do. I told her that I would get the wild Alaskan halibut if she wasn't able to get one of the lobster rolls for you. She didn't stop by and let me know the outcome so my entree was a surprise. I ended up with the halibut. I was disappointed at first, but quickly realized that I should try other things on the menu and not stick to the same items I always order. The halibut is very simple and only comes with lemon and olive oil. Sometimes simple is best. The fish was cooked perfectly and I really loved it. My friends will tell you that I am not a fish person. In fact, I go out of my way to avoid eating fish when dining out. The fact that I am raving about a piece of fish is a big deal. The others in my party had the halibut, duck fat poached swordfish, seared yellowfin tuna, and roasted chicken. The only person less than completely satisfied with their entree was the chicken person. She does not eat any kind of seafood so her options were slightly limited. I'd say stick to the seafood here. We also ordered a few sides to share: shoestring fries served with malt vinegar aoli, hushpuppies, and basmati fried rice. I liked the fried rice the best. Make sure you get some. Beware that the hushpuppies are served with powdered sugar and cane sugar butter. They are not your usual hushpuppies. The highlight of the meal was dessert. We got a few orders of beignets. Not as good as what you would get in New Orleans, but very, very good. A few people also took some orders home in a bag and said that they were still good the next day. I ordered the ice cream flavor of the day. It was a cookie dough - I think it was oatmeal cookie, but I can't remember exactly. All I remember is that it was so freaking good. You'd think that I would remember the actual type because it was so good, but I think that I went into a food coma from all of the delicious food. Service was outstanding. Completely unobtrusive. We never had to ask for anything.
(5)
Eve A.
Absolutely wonderful! I enjoyed every moment every bite and worth every penny spent . I cant begin to express how hapoy a am with tjis dining experience . Go take your honey ...great atmosphere great service you will be pleased!
(5)
S L.
How could anyone give this place anything but 5 stars?! I live in Chicago and I've dined at Alinea and I enjoyed this more. It was a flavor journey.
(5)
Cary L.
Really delicious food. We are originally from NY and was on a roadtrip down South so we stopped in Atlanta for a night. Arrived around 8:20PM for a 8:45PM reservation but they wouldn't seat us until 845. I was a little annoyed because we were on the road for 8 hours and there were plenty of available tables. I was eyeing one table for the whole time that they said it was reserved. It ended up that were were seated at that table! Quite frankly, it pissed me off. Our waitress was a complete doll. I forget her name but she had shirt brunette hair and a big smile. Maybe Heather is the name? The ambiance is fantastic. Not too loud but also not quiet at all. I just love it. My husband and I ordered the shrimp cocktail and octopus to start- Both were fantastic! I love the shrimpcocktail because it was tossed in Old Bay. He then ordered the steak and I ordered the sword fish. Both were absolutely delicious. The sauce and complements that came along with the steak was absolutely delicious! We finished off with a banana cake which was just ok... I have to say- the bread is so yummy!! So buttery and fluffy. The only downside of the food is that it's a bit salty... Too salty for me but it was fine for my husband.
(4)
Laurel B.
Excellent service, great vibe. Hush puppies were awesome, lobster roll was excellent. Everyone's meal was superb, except for my husbands fish-n-chips. The fish was definitely old, and very "fishy" tasting. We sent it back, and we're told "all the fish was fine". Not good. Otherwise a positive experience.
(4)
Alexandra A.
I've been here twice for dinner and once for lunch. Dinners were amazing, I love the menu selection, the whole fried halibut was exceptional, though the menu changes a bit with the seasons, so it might not be available. Love the seafood here. The lunch lobster roll was ok - not a big fan.
(5)
Hieu H.
Another great addition to the Westside! A little pricey for my taste...don't go here expecting fish tacos! really spacious with the industrial aesthetic that's characteristic of most Westside eateries: exposed beams, minimalistic decor, and spare Come here for some serious seafood, served with a refined palette. standouts include: duck fat poached swordfish with crispy pancetta and for side, the basmati "fried rice" made with curry and smoked fish. loved the corn milk hushpuppies - almost like a dessert!
(4)
Christopher P.
Cool building + pricey oysters + charred octopus = No Reservations! Called on a Monday to see if they had any availability for Saturday night... negative ghost rider. This can only mean they are ballin out of control. Wifey and I made an executive decision to just go and see if we can grab some seats last minute... another negative ghost rider. Hostess said we can wait for some seats at the bar (there are two - one with a snack menu and one that had a full menu... heads up). We lucked out and found two seats at the bar. Not sure why I felt to write all this shit out but I guess I'm trying to tell you to put in work and get some reservations... DO... get the charred octopus (perhaps one of the best dishes in Atlanta). It has a nice char, very tender and comes on a bed of chorizo and calabria peppers.... totes noms!!! DON'T... get the oysters. They were expensive and did not have much taste to them. Nothing like a good kumamoto. DO... get the beignets. DO... get the scallop crudo. Ball out...
(4)
Jeremy S.
Good food and service. Not amazing but well worth the visit. Not a destination in my opinion.
(4)
Chris B.
Shrimp toast. She crab. Clam roll. Mixed drink. Rinse/repeat. Love this place. They need to bring back the Oxtail jam though!!!
(5)
LaTrese F.
Had dinner with a group of friends at The Optimist and LOVED every minute of it. We started at the Oyster Bar. I don't do oysters but the drinks were tasty and my friends loved the Oysters. Dinner was awesome, love that every time we go we are able to experience something different as they change the menu daily. The service was great, atmosphere awesome. I highly recommend.
(4)
Eric K.
Putting green, great bar and signature drinks, coozies for your beer and she crab soup? I'm in. It was odd to see live entertainment, on the Friday - I just wasn't expecting a guy singing cover tunes outside. He sounded like he was plucked from the old Buckhead saloon....yeah, I'm that old. Anyway, not bad and It worked with the open outdoor space. I could have done without the kids on the putting green, but I know that's hard to get around. Food - Scallops and she crab soup to start - The little shrimp stick thingy that accompanied the soup was the highlight of the meal - I'll take a dozen to go next time. Both apps were tasty. It could been the bottle of wine, or the martinis or a combination, but I thought I ordered blackened grouper, but I go black grouper...so I was a little surprised - not the restaurants fault by any means. It was prepped well and tasted pretty good. The swordfish reminded me of hallie berry......wait, never mind. It was well prepared and I think it was topped with crem freshe (sp?)..mmmmmmm . For sides - the caramelized onions were top notch and the horseradish sugar snap peas were good, not great. Desert = Coconut custard. enough said. The place is proud of what it does - and it should be. It is as billed - a swanky little west side eatery that didn't disappoint. This aint the buckhead fish market (thank god) and its now on the rotation.
Best restaurant I've been to in years! The decor is amazing. Chic and sophisticated yet understated. The food is so amazing.
(5)
Whitney M.
Wow! This place is uh-mazing. We went for lunch and ordered a couple if sandwiches. The lobster roll was sweet, buttery and tinder. The fries were crispy, crunchy and salty. The dish was perfectly portioned, though I could have eaten a dozen rolls before the food coma kicked in. The fish sandwich was just as good in its own way. The bread was soft and chewy, and the fish was dripping (literally) with flavor. Fries also came with this sandwich. We were too stuffed to order a big (tasty) dessert, so we opted for a lighter option- coconut sorbet. The presentation was cute. The sorbet came in a tiny paper cup with a tiny paper lid. Who doesn't love tiny food stuffs?! The actual sorbet was very refreshing. Service was excellent. Out waitress was very friendly and did not steer us wrong with dish recommendations! We would have love to have tried the burger, but I guess that's our excuse to go back. Food, service, atmosphere = 3/3!
(5)
Brett B.
Possibly the best casual restaurant in Atlanta. I mean casual in that it's new and hip and upscale and had great food and you don't have to wear church clothes to get past the hostess. It even got the honest thumbs up from my brother-in-law chef from Brooklyn. And those bastards are a picky lot. See? Atlanta has good food, too. That's why they call it Foodlanta.
(5)
Abraham K.
had a great experience at their oyster bar. expensive but the place has great oysters. was still hungry after a dozen oysters and a plate of mussels so my fiancee and i decided to go to the main restaurant. wtf? why so salty? do you call this food? it felt as if i had swallowed a gallon of saltwater. we didn't return either dish as we were starving. but i spent way too much money to get such poorly seasoned dishes. it's as if they unloaded an entire box of salt on each fish. is this because the fish were going bad? BAH! whoever is responsible for the seasoning needs to be fired and then hanged. ok maybe not hanged but at least tortured. i'll give it 2 stars based on their oyster bar. nice place for a date and some drinks.
(2)
Courtney R.
The food was delicious and the server was amazing. I had the calamari, fish and bok chuy. I was delicious. The wine was also delicioso. I will return to this restaurant. I loved the atmosphere as well.
(5)
Lohr B.
Amazing food and service! The best waitress I have ever had! I wish I remembered her name so I could tell her manager how fabulous she was.. She has red hair and is from Austin TX and she could not have made the night a better experience
(5)
Leo A.
The Optimist was such a pleasant surprise. We had a 9:15 pm reservation, arrived early but were seated right away. We had two dozen oysters which came out with amazing homemade saltine crackers, cocktail sauce, freshly grated horseradish, and onion vinaigrette. They tasted so fresh we could have been fooled we were on a port. Next came the clam roll (a little too fried for my taste), seafood gumbo (fairly tasty) and green curry mussels (delicious!!). The service was very courteous and friendly. The location seems a little inconvenient, but in ATL everything is! Definitely would recommend if you are craving seafood.
(5)
Marcus Z.
Atlanta has a new culinary knight in shining armor in the form of a seafood restaurant. I had read many great things about this place, especially from eater.com But I was surprised that none of my foodie friends had ever frequented this establishment. So my husband and I decided to give it a try one Thursday evening. We arrived around 19:00 to a lovely valet service. Perfect! I hate looking for parking. Complimentary? Even better. We announced our presence to the hostess who informed us that it would be about an hour wait. Not a problem though because they had a lovely oyster bar area to wait in. We sat at a small table while we waited for a regular table in the main dining room. I gazed around and realized that this place was very cute. It had a "Florida meets the Hamptons" look. We were greeted by a bar waiter and we ordered a few cocktails. I don't remember the names but I remember loving them. I also ordered one of each oyster that they offered. It was the most informative and exciting oyster eating experience I had ever had. My husband's smoked fish chowder was on point. Perfect blend of cream and veggies and fish. Lots of yum factor. The service was also phenomenal. Once in the main dining room, I ordered a delicious cocktail that had Pisco, passion fruit juice, egg whites and paprika. Talk about an explosion of flavor. It was called the Mermaid something. I can't quite remember. Our server brought us these butter and sea salt covered dinner rolls that were delicious. As an entree I ordered 2 appetizers...the grilled octopus and the Georgia white shrimp. Whoa! Talk about an overdose of scrumptiousness. The octopus was tender and had a wonderful smoky char to it. The shrimp were left with the heads on with lead to a wonderful flavor experience. It was quite messy trying to eat them but that was part of the fun. We also ordered the fried rice and the hush puppies. Definitely an A+! Honestly, we ordered way more than we could eat. But the experience was well worth it. Yes this place is pricey but its quality. I cannot wait to eat at The Optimist again!
(5)
Mansi R.
The Optimist has been on my list for a while. I went there to grab dinner on a Monday night with a girlfriend. Loved the open concept of the restaurant with delicious cocktails. A perfect time to be able to catch up. We ended up sharing the hushpuppies and oysters. The oysters were so fresh and I liked both the sauces with it. The hushpuppies were a little sweeter than what I am used to since they were "beignets" but they were still pretty good. I also got the asparagus/radish salad and the fried rice (which was amazing). Both had really good taste. I loved the lemony bottom on my egg that came with my salad. Glad I finally tried the place!
(4)
Carlos M.
Just came back from dinner there.....Place is great, open and very well decorated. I wish I could say the same about the food. If I return I may try the oyster bar because I won't be returning for the food. Went there with Out of Town people, they liked it. I was very bleh about it. The food was ok, nothing worth writing home about and definitely over priced.
(3)
Jihan D.
It definitely is not easy to just grab a table so I do recommend making a reservation. Their food is delicious. I had the mussles for an appetizer and the scallops for a main dish as dessert I had their Tawny Port (wine). The service and atmosphere was impeccable.
(5)
Stephanie P.
My husband chose this Atlanta restaurant for an early birthday dinner as we were in Georgia for the holidays. The menu looked fantastic online and I was really excited to try it out. Reservations were tricky to get, and I was panicky because my flight in was horribly delayed and we missed our 8:45 time. My husband called and explained, and they were very nice, indicating it was no problem as long as we arrived within the next two hours. The entrance is a smaller oyster bar area, which is more casual and looks like it might be nice during the summer-no one was in there this Saturday evening. The main dining room is fantastic. I love when design elements create a feeling of warmth-the flooring, the lighting, the huge bar area....I just loved it. We were seated around behind the bar near a huge window of a wall. We ordered a couple drinks, about 3 sides as everything is a la carte, and two seafood dishes. I didn't realized the mahi was prepared wrapped in pork-oops!-but our server was very nice and accommodating and pointed out another seafood dish that was prepared sans meat. Both the red snapper and black bass we ordered were delicious. The black bass especially was phenomenal with its buttery, crispy skin, and the snapper was so lovely and simple with lemon, salt and pepper. The mushrooms were a hearty side, as well as the turnips with marcona almonds. The combination of the almond crunch with the turnips was unexpectedly good! The sweet potatoes could've been skipped. They were over-cooked and somewhat dry. We did splurge on a dessert too and got the mascarpone cheesecake. It was a wonderful experience: great food, great service, and the best company.
(5)
DineWithDani D.
And may I say that it BLEW MY MIND! I tried the she crab soup with shrimp toast (OMG!) and the octopus salad (again OMG!). dinewithdani.com/?p=1004
(5)
Lorenzo D.
The Mussels were great. Spanish Octopus really good. Atmosphere, very cool. The hush puppies outstanding! The red snapper was a bit dry and not anything more than average. Overall, it was a nice evening, but the main course was just so-so. I'd definitely go again, as more outstandings than the one average plate. Staff was nice and fairly quick too.
(4)
Amit And Fritzi G.
The main dishes have large portions. Fish and chips are amazing. They must have a very large deep fryer for this filet. The "chips" are not like normal fries, they are roughly cut up potatoes and deep fried to yummy/crispy goodness! We were disappointed in the gumbo. We've had it in New Orleans and so it doesn't compare. It could be the person who poured it in the bowl, but I barely got any rice and it was watery. Wasn't very well seasoned or spicy. Would definitely recommend this place for seafood lovers though!
(4)
kim p.
"Tonight we had dinner at the highly acclaimed #Optimist. We sat at the Oyster Bar and the FABULOUS bartender and our personal guide for the night was Michael. We literally tried every oyster on the menu and more than half of the spectacular light- tapas-like menu. I am a HUGE critic of seafood in Atlanta and I am pleased to say the critics are right on. This is the best seafood I have experienced by far in Atlanta. Hell, the best I have tasted in many years, and I am a Floridian. Sincere appreciation to the Optimist for being so damn good at what they do and to Michael for helping to make my birthday night so spectacular!
(5)
ted B.
My first (and probably last) dinner at the Optimist last night was very disappointing. We had reservations for 5 for 7:30. The first and biggest complaint is that the noise level is overwhelming. You cannot have a conversation with your tablemates unless you shout. I realize that "energetic" restaurants are trendy but this was the noisiest restaurant I have ever visited. My voice was hoarse by the time we left from shouting above the ambient noise and the music. The service was poor. We were seated after 8 for a 7:30 reservation. Then for 20 minutes we were totally ignored until we finally grabbed a waiter who turned out to be a trainee. He got us water and then disappeared. Five minutes later another waiter showed up and immediately started explaining the specials without asking about drinks. So it was a good 35 to 40 minutes before we got drinks. After that the service improved but there was no attempt to apologize for the bad start. The food was average at best. Oysters on the half shell were good but the mignonette was warm not chilled and much to vinegary. I ordered the scallops and they were okay but I have to say $22 for 3 scallops and nothing else is pricy. None of my tablemates was impressed with their dinners either. The halibut in particular was overcooked and bland. I would give this restaurant a C at best. There are much better restaurants in West Midtown than this--Bocado, Miller Union, and JCT Kitchen.
(2)
Rex O.
#NAME?
(3)
Jennifer T.
Went with a group of friends for a birthday. Service was ok, nothing special. Drinks were good. Food, well some of us enjoyed our meals while others had to send there food back for the fish being under cooked. Staff did immediately take care of the problem. My grouper sandwich was pretty blah. Over all not terribly impressed for one of the best restaurants in Atlanta.
(2)
Craig P.
Have eaten seafood gumbo in probably over 100 restaurants in my life. If its on the menu I will always give it a shot. The best is always and will always be found in NOLA but the bowl I had at The Optimist tonight was by far the best I have ever had outside of NOLA. Can't wait to back again to try the mussels.
(5)
Jie Y.
nothing special, average seafood and good service
(3)
Barbie H.
The atmosphere at the Optimist is great. The Oyster Bar is fun and the actual restaurant has a very urban feeling. The server was very attentive and spent time at our table describing the specials. Our dinner did not disappoint! I will be going back.
(5)
Mike M.
Vibrant atmosphere, busy bar and great food. Our group of six had a great waiter in AJ who knew the menu very well. Between us we tried 4 apps, oysters, 6 different fish entrees and ALL the desserts. Everything was really wonderful. The best apps were the shrimp in chili sauce, the yeast rolls are melt in your mouth and the hush puppies are mini beignets. The Brussels sprouts are caramelized and delightful. The menu changes daily. The best desserts were the salted caramel ice cream and apple crisp with cinnamon ice cream. Get here soon.
(5)
Rich K.
Everyone is raving about this restaurant so I hate to be a contrarian. We went there Monday night, 12/3/2012. Very nice open, modern decor, my only complaint is that the tables are very close together and you become part of your neighbors' conversations. My wife started with the frothy she-crab soup. It was very subtle, not what you'd expect in Charleston. For me the saving grace was the shrimp fritter that accompanied it for dipping into the soup. I had the grilled octopus salad. The octopus was absolutely covered in a paprika and other sauce so that it was difficult to actually taste the grilled octopus. Kyma, although not my favorite restaurant does a better job and more traditional job with this appetizer. For our main course my wife and I split the flounder. Absolutely perfectly cooked and delicious. We couldn't finish it and took almost half of it home, but it was absolutely awesome. Cooking fish is delicate and difficult business, and these guys do an absolutely great job. The flounder like a great last hole on the golf course, is what will bring us back again to this place. As sides we ordered the fingerling potatoes and turnip greens. Like the octopus, the fingerling potatoes were dripping with this paprika sauce and again you really couldn't taste the potatoes underneath. The turnip greens were fresh and clean, not overly cooked like you would expect in a southern style barbecue joint. They were sweet and we enjoyed them. For dessert we had the lemon tart with lavender meringue and honeycomb. Absolutely delicious. The lemon taste with the lavender was so interesting. Not sure I understand the honeycomb on the side but we dipped the desert in the honey. I would be curious to know the rationale behind the honeycomb with this dish which clearly didn't need it. To drink we split a bottle of the Rose Cremant, sparkling wine at $55 for a bottle which sells for approximately $20 retail. So not so bad. Without tip, our bill came $139 for two. I will definitely come back to this restaurant solely based on their ability to prepare fresh fish. Last night I had dinner at Hal's with a couple that had similar observations, except that their sweet potato fries/chips were crispy on the outside and not cooked on the inside and corroborated my feeling about the octopus salad. However like us, their yellowtail tuna was expertly prepared. Unlike us, they went to the restaurant early on a Saturday, enjoyed the putt putt and outside ambience before having dinner and had a really great time. I would be curious to hear other people's comments on the appetizers and side dishes. I was thinking about trying the tiny clams in garlic broth and the smoked fish soup.
(3)
Theresa N.
They do have the best oysters in town. And the food is great as well. But the service is not what it should be for a restaurant of this quality. We've been here twice. The first time our server treated us like she was too good to serve us. This time our server was good. But when our food came out....my sister's food came out first...with our sides....then 5 minutes later my friend and my fiance's...and then five minutes later...my food. And five minutes is being generous. And nothing was said other than a quick rushed apology from our server. The only saving grace for our server was we could see him getting stressed urging the kitchen to get our food out.
(3)
Katie W.
I ate here last night and it was so good. It is a little hard to find the first time and my GPS totally messed up on showing me the *exact* location but it was fine in the end. The space is gorgeous. It is so lovely inside that I could live here. The main dining room and bar are bright and open and shiny, and the oyster bar is very upscale beachy. I liked both a lot. Their signature cocktails list features a few rum drinks - yay! I think this only makes sense at a seafood restaurant. I chose to partake of both rummy concoctions offered - the Beach Shanty (Allagash White, Brinley's Shipwreck spiced rum, ginger liqueur, lemon) and the Port Antonio Cocktail (Flor de Cana 7 Year Rum, Gosling's Black Seal Rum, cinnamon, Kahlua, falernum, adorable crushed ice, umbrella). Both were excellent but the Port Antonio rocked my knees off. I did not have any oysters but I did have the mussels in a curry broth and I tried the garlicky clams. The garlicky clams were good and also featured delicious fried pork belly but I really liked my mussels. I would get them again. My entree was the soft-shelled clam, which was wood-fired. It was very flavorful and I liked that it wasn't fried. The sides we tried were the mushrooms (four varieties of them) and the beets. They were great. For dessert, I had the doughnuts and tried the grapefruit tart. Both were good but in the future I might skip dessert and just have another cocktail. I still think I could live here and I look forward to returning and hanging out at the bar.
(5)
Christina J.
The seafood gumbo is chock full of a variety of saltwater critters. The bacon potato salad gives a nice touch to the traditionally seafood heavy dish. There's a bit of a kick to it and my nose was running a bit after finishing my bowl, so those who have a heat aversion may want to stay away from the dish. Everyone loves the lobster roll. I love the lobster roll. It's delicious, sweet, and you can tell they let the lobster shine by barely adding anything else to it. But it's small. Real small. 6 bites and you're done small. Sub the fries it comes with for the basmati fried rice ($2 upcharge but best side they have). I could eat two of those sides alone as my meal. I also had the frozen shortcake bar for dessert. It was delicious. Strawberries and cream icecream covered in vanilla pound cake crumbles. Sounds fancy but it's served on a stick and covered in a plastic wrap, which provides for that childhood nostalgia of the icecream man driving by on a hot summer day. Well done Optimist.
(4)
Shon I.
I love this place. The food was good. The ambience is nice. Is it expensive? As hell. Is it the most expensive place in the city? Not at all. What is the problem is that almost everything comes A LA CARTE.. yay for paying $25 for some fish and $6 for a side. It is really hard to get a seat in the place if you don't RSVP. But it is worth it. I will go back. For hubby and I (and unborn son) it was only about $112. The included A (as in one tentacle) charred octopus ($12), halibut ($25), side of mushrooms ($6), scallops/short ribs ($28), side of basmati fried rice ($6),3 beers for hubby ($15 total), a virgin cocktail for me ($6) and a mascarpone cheesecakes ($8).
2nd time around - what a diff! Client dinner and it was great from start to finish. So happy I tried this out again. Seated immediately, nice. I think we had a new server as she stumbled over her presentation and the answers to our questions (how prepared, etc). Heirloom toms a must have. Halibut was cooked perfectly and one of the best I've had in some time. It was served over yummy grilled baby okra. Peas & corn side was ok. My friend had red fish which she said was very good. Her side of carrots was not so great. No dessert.
(4)
Dalan C.
Was out here on business and looking for a seafood place and I hit the jackpot at The Optimist. Very cool trendy decor with an awesome bar as well as an oyster bar. 3 star for the service. We sat at the bar, and for some reason I kept getting ignored even after waving at the bar tender. Also, when I asked what the LOCAL PEACH TARTE TATIN was, the guy didn't know, he just said it's a really good peach dessert. The food gets 5 stars. I had: charred spanish octopus, spiced greek yogurt, dill pickled carrots & cucumbers - this was the best dish of the night and a must have. Not a chewy like you would think and has a great char taste. fish & chips, beer battered haddock, malt vinegar aioli - good fish and chips, but I'd probably get something else next time LOCAL PEACH TARTE TATIN, buttermilk ice cream, hazelnut - so it is a wonderful dessert with a cooked peach over an upside down tart, topped with hazelnut ice cream.
(4)
Emily T.
This is my favorite restaurant in Atlanta. I live in LA which has a great food scene, but this def rivals it. Oysters, service and atmosphere. Go!!
(5)
Sarah Anne S.
Easily my favorite restaurant in Atlanta. Consistently great drinks, delicious food, and impeccable service (shout-out to Daniel who took such great care of us last night!) Last night I went to dinner with a couple of friends (one is a huge fan of the Optimist and the other was just in town for the night). We arrived early so we started with drinks and putt-putt (always a winning combination!). My grouper was by far the best I've ever had; the sides (brussel sprouts and beets) were perfect too. Definitely get a reservation and try the fantastic cocktails if you arrive early.
(5)
Gillian R.
I've recently fallen head over heels for oysters, so my boyfriend and I celebrated our belated Valentine's Day at The Optimist. I'd heard so much hype that I wasn't quite sure whether it would live up to my expectations. Parking is valet only, which is annoying, but I've come to expect it at this point. We arrived right on time for our reservation and were ushered quickly and politely by a very sweet hostess. I loved the look of the bar...absolutely beautiful! The dining room is very industrial in size, but manages to also feel cozy with wooden tables and candles. It seemed a little noisy at first, but then we realized that it was not too loud, but just loud enough that we couldn't hear the conversations of the couple next to us without really trying. We decided that it was just noisy enough. There is another great bar in the dining room. We sat facing the kitchen, so I was able to watch them making the dishes throughout dinner. The wait staff was dressed casually, but it worked for them. Our waiter wasn't overly friendly and didn't tend to really steer us in any particular direction with our food. Which is fine, but I tend to value the opinion of wait staff, as they know what really shines on the menu. In retrospect, we probably ordered too many appetizers, but should have chosen a side to go with our entrees. The appetizers were well-priced and certainly well-portioned. We shared a half-dozen oysters, the green curry mussels, and the escargot. It was my first time eating snails, which dug up memories of my uncle salting the slugs on his patio when I was a kid. I chose the seared scallops for my entree, which was fine (overcooked slightly, perhaps, but I liked the crispiness and the accompanying vegetables were delicious). I asked for it without the brown butter chicken jus, but I think it came with it anyway... I didn't complain, but I did get a bit of a belly ache after the meal was over. He had the monkfish, and enjoyed it. Although both entrees were good, I think the appetizers were really the shining star of the meal. We could easily have ordered one or two more appetizers and made a meal of it. We declined dessert, since we had plans to go to Jeni's afterwards. I think we probably made the right choice. While dinner was good, it didn't blow us away. While we'll likely make our way back, I think we'll probably try to slip in at the bar and have a meal more focused on oysters and appetizers in the future.
(4)
Mel C.
Started at the bar and what a great first impression! I would have to say some of the best mixed drinks in town! Ordered an appy at the bar, the fried oysters, and all was great until I bit into a shell or glass or something...I survived and they replaced and didn't charge us (yay for great service). We moved to our table for dinner with friends and little did we know we were about to embark on some taste bud explosions...oysters, whole fried fish, fried rice all to die for. Can't wait to go avian and again and again until I've tried everything on the menu!!
(5)
Theresa S.
Waaahh! I almost gave Optimist a 3. Why I almost did: 1) My fish was not cooked the whole way through. 2) I returned it via the manager and the same piece of fish came back (cooked but still...a little awkward) 3) The manager did not inform the server that I had to return the fish so my friend had to make a specific request for the bill and the fish being returned. 4) Service for food and drinks was a tad bit stilted 5) The valet when leaving was a logistical nightmare (cars coming in off the street, and backed up in to the street, blocked the main way that cars were being returned to people leaving -- they have to figure that one out given their entire old parking lot will soon be....MORE Apartments........) Why I still gave it a 4: 1) My 3 dining partners all had perfectly cooked fish & the apps were solid 2) I have had many great experiences before 3) They took the fish entree of the bill 4) The fish house punch 5) Their chairs are more comfortable then they were when they first opened We went on a Saturday and the server admitted 'they got hit early'....6 pm .... well I know its early but people usually need reservations so it shouldn't have been unexpected. I hope this chink in Optimist's armor is temporary..... I will find out next time I go
(4)
Sam W.
I ate here mid may and everything we ordered was Aooooooo good! We had the fried oysters, fresh oysters, the mussels, frothy she crab soup and a side salad. I can't wait to go back! I could bathe in the frothy she crab soup...
(5)
Kate H.
Our waiter Ben was the one of the most cheerful service staff we have had in ages; every tiny quip from him was always upbeat and energetic. I was also impressed with his wine selection for me, spot on. I am still drooling and daydreaming about the Hen in the Woods. Swordfish did not live up to the hype, it was a skotche overcooked for my taste and scant of blackberry sauce. Hush puppies were the perfect balance of savory and sweet. The hubs loved his scallops and the confit potatoes were one surprise after another in each bite a different flavor profile between heat, mint and confit deliciousness. I was sad there were no putters or balls in sight tonight to entertain us while waiting for the busy valet.
After watching Atlanta Eats, I knew I wanted to return here for my birthday for the lobster roll. Unfortunately, it's only available during lunch and at bar during dinner (birthday plea didn't work). I got the highly recommended shrimp a la plancha instead and the reliable mussels while my date got fish and chips and side of mushrooms. He was impressed with the portion size and practically drank the mussel's green curry broth. The shrimp had nice kick to it and was messy to eat (server brings hot towels with lemon afterwards), but it's well worth it. Although fried to perfection, we'll probably skip the fish and chips next time and get 3 starters with a side for dinner. Service was prompt with 5:45 p.m. reservation, and hosts and servers were attentive. We finished our meal by 7 p.m. Looking forward to return for lunch or bar service.
Fantastic! Split three starters: octopus, mussels, and shrimp la plancha. All delicious and big enough to share. I had the swordfish which was delicious and very meaty. Paired well with the onions, pork belly and strawberries. Large portion. My companions had the crispy whole fish and the scallops. We split the hush puppies and shisito pepper sides. Hush puppies were very salty but also had powdered sugar on them. Very interesting. The peppers were good, not too spicy. While the sides were good I didn't really see anything that I thought paired well with the fish. We then split key lime pie and chocolate desserts, which were tasty and big enough to share. Very nice dining experience. Favorites were the starters. All the entree fish were cooked perfectly and were extremely fresh. We all had craft cocktails as well which were tasty but did not seem overly strong. Dinner rolls warm and soft. $2 valet parking. Extensive oyster menu.
(5)
Kim N.
This review is based on lunch service only. I'll update my review after I return for dinner service. Our server was very friendly and helpful. I love the the simple decor & the huge glass windows of the Optimist. ~ Lobster roll - absolutely amazing! fresh lobster; I ordered the lobster roll & gumbo combo instead of the lobster roll & fries combo listed on the menu ($5 upcharge) gumbo doesn't taste like your typical gumbo; however, it was very yummy & full of fresh shrimp, oysters, tiny crab claws, and sausages. ~ Butter burger - much better than Bocado and/or Holeman & Finch burger imo ~ Hush puppies beignets style - amazing amazing amazing! the hush puppies and cane sugar butter make a perfect combination & perfect dessert even though this is listed as a side item. Private lot during lunch & dinner Mon - Wed. Valet only Thurs - Sun.
(4)
Travis B.
this place reminds me of where top chef contestants go for a cooking challenge. i could just envision tom, padma, and gail sitting next to us glorifying the food! we had a reservation for 8:45. the plane was late and didn't land till 8am. baggage, shuttle, car....we would miss it! but when i called the restaurant, the hostess says "oh no problem...as long as you get here before 11pm, you'll be fine"....YAY! the decor reminds me of a mix between the herb box and culinary dropout in scottsdale. high ceilings, contemporary yet farm-to-table-ish. warm and cozy without being too cluttery. there is an oyster bar upon entry, but we didn't partake even though the server in the oyster bar tried his most charming to bring us a drink! the lady who took us to our table was full of southern charm and our server was beyond pleasant and helpful. the menu is, for lack of a more articulate description, fancy american comfort food with lots of meat. even on their fish. both of our dishes were ridiculously rich and buttery....something we can't do everyday, but delicious for a special dinner. i had the red snapper-2 appearingly small fillets but surprisingly filling. the skin is crisp and the fillet was moist. we ordered the sweet potato, mushroom, and turnip side dishes at 6.5bucks each. my favorites were the turnips with almonds, the mushrooms, and the sweet potato wedges, in that order. the skins on the heirloom sweet potatoes were a bit too chewy and/or hard to bite, but it's not that hard to scrape out the filling. my wife ordered a delicious piece of mahi, only to be served the mahi wrapped in a pork product....which it described on the menu, however, we didn't know what that description was. in any case, our server was super accommodating and sent out a new dish of sea bass in a matter of minutes. it too was delicious, rich, and buttery. i haven't been to downtown atlanta and years, but i remember this area when i was a kid as being quite...."in the hood?". but tonight driving around, there were all sorts of cool looking restaurants, bars, shops, etc. and people walking around enjoying the warm december weather. good find and if you have a chance, you will be well pleased at your choice!
(5)
Christy P.
This restaurant was recommended to us by my boyfriend's boss and I must say, we were not disappointed! We made it for the end of the lunch hour so it wasn't very busy. Everything from the atmosphere to the service to the food was stupendous. The restaurant has a rustic nautical look to it with a very open dining area and an oyster bar. We got great service from our waitress Christin who was very helpful in answering our questions about the food. Everything we tried was good but my two favorite dishes were the mussels in a thai coconut curry sauce and the fries with chowder and bacon. Who knew potatoes and chowder went so well together (being from the west coast I could be missing something big here). And the coconut curry sauce was one of the best I've ever had. Definitely will recommend this place to anyone living in or visiting Atlanta.
(4)
Ivan S.
This place is probably actually 5 stars but since I've been really stingy with my 5 stars lately AND I've only been here once AND it was only during lunch time AND it was after a massage AND I wasn't that hungry AND I had the day off which put me in a really good mood, the contextualist in me is sticking with four stars. But oh what a four stars. The space was roomy and bright (during the day, at least). The putting green is a nice touch (if even a slight bit douchey, considering my highly personal opinion of those who would love to idle away their time on a putting green.) The service was personable and spot on. The food, while I didn't order much, was delicious. They even let me order a single raw oyster, plating it beautifully enough that it took away the sting of feeling stupid for ordering a single raw oyster. The she-crab soup had me wanting more. The La Plancha, while tasty, wasn't as exotic as it's hyped to be, though. Sure, head-on, shell-on shrimp seems exotic to most, but to an Asian that's called "a Tuesday afternoon." But tasty, though, as I said. I also ordered a Fog Cutter which I enjoyed, but Trader Vic's is still my gold standard for foolish, fruity booze-laden drinks. The wife loved her arugula salad and whatever else she ordered (it escapes me) as well as the "Winter in Cape Cod" cocktail she had. Sure, it's kinda spendy and it's across the street from the Alliance for the Homeless. Ignore all that. Succumb to the beautiful wood-roasted smells of their oven, the clean, brininess of their oysters, the richness of that she-crab soup....that's it....yep, quite a late lunch capper on my day off. Four stars for now.
(4)
Preeti M.
I've only been here twice and both were during the week for dinner. Has been amazing both times! Other than their 5:45 pm reservations (which is way too early for me), the food, service and experience has been incredible. If you are a seafood lover, this is your spot. Don't forget to grab a "key" by the bathroom for a fun momento!
(4)
Mallory Z.
We ordered the French Kiss oyster which is definitely fabulous. The lobster roll and the grilled octopus are the best in town I'd say. The scallop is not as tender as those scallop sashimi you get at a sushi place... Hmmm and the halibut is Okay. :)
(4)
Krista H.
Went there last night for dinner after friends giving it rave reviews. Our waiter, Daniel, was awesome and highly recommend requesting him. The oysters are the best in Atlanta. Hands down!!! Unfortunately our charred ctopus appetizer was more than charred in spots and could have been better. My husband wanted to lick the plate of Georges bank Scallops. They were outstanding. My mingling was ok but the broth delicious. Side of bok choy was some of the best we have ever had. So despite the few things that could have been better we recommend the Optimist! Get the oysters, scallops and bok choy. You won't be disappointed! Bon Appetit!
(4)
Hazel J.
Met the owner who shared our love of burgers, and told us to try his opti butter burger: Opti butter burger: definitely a good burger. not the best i have ever had, but it was very good. very rich, very moist. I would consider it a "gourmet" burger vs a traditional burger love the atmosphere - very business-lunch and have a cocktail
(4)
Mark J.
The braised lamb shank with polenta and feta was outstanding! Also highly recommend getting oysters, we split half-and-half East Coast and West Coast oysters. And also highly recommend the hush puppies. I wish you could get the lobster roll in the main dining room at dinner but you have to sit at the oyster bar or go there for lunch. All around attention to detail.
(5)
Anna D.
I was with a group of 8 at Optimist the other night, and from the reviews I read, I was expecting something a little more impressive. The decor is very cool. It tries to achieve a New England shore house feel, and it mostly hits the mark. There is a bar in the middle of the dining area that is quite a focal point as well. The wine list at the bar was limited, but I enjoyed the pinot noir I ordered, and the wine list in the main dining room (by the glass) is also much more extensive than the one at the bar by the entrance. The food was interesting - at the waitress's suggestion, I ordered the octopus as an appetizer and it was awesome. The rolls they bring out are so saturated with butter that it tastes like butter leaks out as you bite into them, My main course of flounder was also perfectly cooked. I ordered a side of sauteed mushrooms, which were more exotic mushrooms than the ordinary white button mushrooms. However, the meal really lives or dies on the strength of the fish - this is not a place that adds sauces, vegetables, or sides to complement or tone down the fish. While I love seafood, I do tend to prefer some counterpoints to the seafood at the same time. I would probably order more side dishes next time to create my own meal. Lastly, just a minor pet peeve that you are forced to valet (which was free, but there's still the tip) even though the restaurant has its own easily accessible parking lot that you have to drive through to get to the valet station. I came on a Sunday so maybe this is a necessity on more busy nights.
(3)
Michelle M.
Excellent food, excellent ambiance, excellent service. The big, open space with high ceilings and lots of light make for an enjoyable experience, and the food is first rate. At the recommendation of our server, we ordered the charred Octopus and it was our favorite dish (we've had many). Scallops, shrimp a la plancha, hush puppies, oysters, lobster roll -- all outstanding.
(5)
heather d.
Love this place. The food is amazing and the staff is so attentive! The hush puppies are mind blowing.
(5)
Laura T.
Been wanting to try this place for a while now based on reviews from friends. Had lunch here today & was a little mixed in my opinion. The shrimp loaf (po-boy) was tasty. It had 4 or 5 lightly fried, decent-size shrimp on it. However, for the size of the roll, I would have expected a couple more shrimp on there. A lot of the roll just contained lettuce, tomato & sauce. The shoestring fries that came with it were lukewarm at best and a tad overcooked. I ate maybe 4-5 sticks & left the rest of the large mound. I was kinda surprised that the server didn't inquire as to why I left them all on the plate. I also had the she-crab soup. It was okay. Decent flavor, but the sherry was a little overpowering. And if there were any actual pieces of crab in the soup, they were miniscule. We did try the hushpuppies and they were very tasty. I'd order those again in a heartbeat. They were both savory & sweet due to the powdered sugar served on top. My coworkers were both very pleased with their entree selections. One had the lobster salad and the other had the blackened fish sandwich with a side of brussels sprouts. Our server was good. She kept our drinks filled and checked on us without being obtrusive about it. I will visit them again and will most likely opt for the blackened fish sandwich with a side other than the fries.
(3)
Samantha M.
Finally got a chance to check this place out 2 weekends ago. Saw on here that someone mentioned live music in the courtyard, which sounded perfect for a saturday evening. Finding seats for 5 on the patio was no problem even though the place was really busy. They have a different menu for the oyster bar & outside, tons of tasty options, but only small plates. The music and drinks were great, very fun atmosphere. When we decided we wanted to a table inside to eat (last minute decision), we were told it would be a 2-3 hr wait (ouch!). We opted to just hang on the patio and eat some small plates & oysters, all delicious. Would love to go back and try items off the full menu. Beware, the servers said weekend nights are always slammed, suggested we make reservations at least a few days out for peak times. Fair enough, I like a place that has good enough food for that high of a demand! Definitely go a little early to enjoy the live music & a cocktail in the courtyard before your reservation :)
(5)
DL T.
I celebrated my 56th birthday here. We started in the cocktail area and tried the lobster roll, mussels and oysters which were excellent. We did not have a reservation, but moved to the bar to order the cajun shrimp appetizer which was amazingly delicious!
(5)
Andy S.
Went here for a birthday dinner with a group of 6 and everyone left a happy diner. I have to reccomend the warm kale salad with a fried egg on top if it is still on the menu...it was delicious! The staff was not as good as the food though. We all had drinks but when it came to just keeping the water glasses full we ended up having to grab a glass jug and just bring it to our table since the waitress was not very attentive. Still, the food overshadowed the service and I would absolutely return to try something on the menu that seems to change every season.
(4)
John T.
Industrial vibe with fish focus. I liked it immediately and started with the she crap soup. This is more a bisque than a traditional chowder but good nonetheless. You must try the octopus. It is part octopus part buffalo wing. the seafood selection is also good I got the corn mill crusted red snapper and it was perfect. with a great bourbon selection, hipster chic waitstaff, nice vibe and good all-around food the Optimus is a hit with friends. Make sure you hit it when you're in Atl.
(4)
ZsaZsa E.
My dining club attended this restaurant at the recommendation of a friend. She raved about a few dishes she tried a while ago. The venue is very nice, comfortable and visually interesting, was great for a warm spring day in Atlanta. The valet service was definitely a perk.... Drinks were delicious and unique, the Spanish style charred octopus, kale salad, and fried oysters were a hit with the table. The Monk fish, chicken, and curry rice were just average, nothing to rave about. Service was amazing as well. No complaints there.
(3)
Sadiha A.
Love! Love! Love! This was my second time going there and I have wanted to go back since the first time I went. You cant make reservations for more than 4 or 5 on open table so it seems like there are never any open reservations. Call them! Not only is the food amazing, the service is outstanding. Also, the people working there add to the eye candy ;)
(5)
Necota S.
Great drinks, great service, great seafood and please request the bread (server may not tell you). The wine list is good and this place is conducive for romance as well as your friends (that you know will pay their portion of one expensive dinner).
(4)
Anup S.
Incredible food selection! Phenomenal seafood and beverages, highly recommend and will be a regular!
(5)
Jerry G.
Dined with the family recently. My first trip, the family had been to The Optimist before. Fish, fish and more fish.. That's not a bad thing mind you.. First up oysters.. Excellent.. Fresh, on the half shell, delicious.. For a main I had skate wing schnitzel. OK, the presentation side of the fish (the pretty side) was a bit over browned and the bottom of the fish looked like it hadn't hit the frying pan but the fish itself was excellently done.. Family had scallops that looked good, Vermillion Snapper and scallops that all looked equally as nice. Wine list is medium in length and a bit steep in price but, hey, it's an upscale Atlanta eatery so I didn't feel gouged.. Waiter staff is somewhat attentive.. Did the "let's pour out the entire bottle of wine on the first go around" trick but that's rather standard these days. At one point our server sort of "disappeared" and while I want to believe he was just giving us room to talk and sip wine I think he was really working other tables that he could flip faster.. More customers, more orders, more tips, etc. The restaurant itself is very tasteful but suffers from the trappings of the latest open architecture.. A conversation in a normal speaking voice is not possible. The prices were are a bit high but the presentation and quality of the fish is first rate. I would certainly go back next time I'm in Atlanta.
(4)
Prisca W.
This is a pretty cool restaurant! This was my first visit, as I haven't hung out in this area in a while. I believe this building was previously an art gallery. But anyway, while I'm not a fan of oysters, the menu is chock full of other tasty offerings! The gumbo was pretty yummy! I'm definitely coming back with friends to sample more of the menu!
(5)
Glynn H.
Have eaten there several times and had fantastic food and service. Could not ask for more. But are they still in business???.................have tried via email and phone to make a reservation but no email connectivity and no one is answering the phone or responding to left messages. I certainly hope they are still with us as they are one of the best in Atlanta.
(4)
Heather H.
I really wanted to love this place. The restaurant is beautiful and luxurious in a relaxed sort of way. I went for lunch and then had dinner at the oyster bar and both times the food fell flat. The menu sounded amazing and enticing, you wanted to order everything. However, the execution was off. And what I ended up getting was a disappoinment., even their fresh "hot buttered rolls" were cold, hard, and made 12 hours earlier for an overpriced $4.
(3)
Meredyth Y.
I have to give the Optimist five stars because the oysters are exceptional, and no other restaurant in Atlanta can match the Optimist's selection and variety. The rest of the food is still very good, but next time, I will go straight to the oyster bar.
(5)
Joel Y.
It's the perfect date restaurant. All 10's on list Lighting Food Drinks Service Atmosphere Restroom The restroom one is important for me because I have gone to so many "nice" restaurants to be disappointed by the lack of thought given to their restrooms. But we had some great wine and the oysters. Not a huge fan of them but she convinced me to try some and I'm glad I did. They were prefect. Ruined me for all other oysters anywhere.
(5)
David W.
Fourth visit, each time fulfills the hype. Freshest seafood, creatively prepared. Excellent wine and cocktail list. Top notch service and reasonable prices make for an unforgettable night of dining.
(5)
Kristen M.
Went to The Optimist with some co-workers for lunch 2/28/13. Everything was amazingly delicious and well-thought out. Love the decor and the service was excellent. Our party had the shrimp loaf, blackened mahi sandwich and lobster roll. Definitely try the hushpuppies; and the grapefruit sorbet & chocolate mousse was great, too. Will definitely be back.
(5)
Tim S.
If your black, stay back...After sitting at the bar for 20 minutes without be recognized I decided to move directly in front of the bar and still wasn't waited on until the other 2 W patrons who had just set down were finished being severed. I had a few words with the bartender, nothing outrageous, I just informed him of the situation at hand. He obliged by not charging me for my wine, which again, wasn't as full as the W patrons. Any-who, I was there to check out the Oysters. I'm not a big Oyster guy, but when I was in Boston last week I was at a place called the Island Creek Oyster bar on Commonwealth Ave, again, I'm not a big Oyster guy, but Island Creek had the BEST Oysters I ever tasted in my LIFE. The Oysters at Optimist was like going to Walmart for Oysters. Very small, no juice, grainy, and AGAIN very small!!!!! I love seafood, so my quest is that you need to go coastal for quality. Bad experience, all the way around....
(1)
Jacob W.
The oysters are pricy but really good.
(4)
Julie S.
Very cool atmosphere especially for lunch. Everything we had was delicious but I was especially blown away by the hush puppies and the white fish chowder. I got the lobster roll for my main course and I loved it. It was not very large, about the size of a hot dog roll but I didn't mind because I had already filled up on appetizers and my soup. The service was also amazing. I definitely want to return soon!
(5)
Chloe B.
Great, fresh seafood. Pricey but you get what you pay for. It was very crowded when we went, so just be aware that this isn't a quiet, romantic spot.
(5)
Fred J.
In my review universe, a place has to be really stellar to get 5 stars. Last night at The Optimist, well, it was stellar. First off, Keisha was our server and was extremely helpful and gracious. Lure might want to take notice, as Keisha was exemplary. Okay, I'm picking up this review where I left off, and that's at least 6 weeks ago. The point is, The Optimist was/is fantastic and you should go. Period.
(5)
Ashley W.
O-M-G!!!! This place is totally awesome. The food is totally awesome, but the customer service is some of the best that I have EVER experienced in Atlanta. This alone makes it a fine establishment. I ordered the salmon which was good. I sampled the halibut and yum yum! The hushpuppies are to die for and the she crab soup with the shrimp toast is a winner too. Will definitely be venturing here again. But be warned, reservations can be difficult so plan accordingly!
(5)
Kathleen M.
Yep, still wholeheartedly in love. The lobster roll (always on the menu at lunch, sometimes at dinner) might be the best $14 you can spend on food in Atlanta. The fish house punch, only available at the oyster bar, is the one and only punch I've ever fallen head over heels in love with. The staff is all warm, helpful and kind. If something gets messed up, they take care of it, no questions asked. The desserts are now made by Sugar Coated Radical's Taria, so you won't regret pushing your stomach beyond comfort to wedge one in. The napkins are heinously linty. Don't wear black.
(5)
Melissa B.
I had a great first visit here and hope to have many more. They've got things split up with the Oyster bar on the back end and a full bar upfront. We sat at the Oyster Bar while waiting for a table. Plenty of small plates, oysters and a selection of punches and a few beers at this bar. This side is open air to the patio and is much quieter than the main bar and dining area. I could see myself having a little oyster/beer happy hour here after work. The main dining area has an open view of the kitchen and high arch ceilings. I love the open feel and I must mention the mighty comfy looking cushioned bar stools :-) The cocktails I tried were awesome. Gin with celery bitters? OK! And the other gin cocktail with a smoke salmon garnish? Money. I loved them both and think they have a nice selection of uniquer flavors on their cocktail menu. The oysters (while I'm not expert) were absolutely perfect. The clams/pork belly appetizer is very flavorful and has a nice spice to it. Tempura green beans were good as well. The service was perfect. The bar tender at the Oyster Bar was very quick to take drink orders and actually explain the difference between the two bars. We were seated right at our reservation time I believe and our waitress was great. It was a full house and certainly busy, but didn't seem frantic at all. I'm excited for this new addition to the west side and based on my experience I'm sure it'll stick around.
(5)
Vida D.
I can't say too much. I went for a wine tasting and only had a few appetizers. It has a great atmosphere, it isa perfect after work drink spot. I met up with friends and chatted away for a while. I'll have to go back for dinner and update my review.
(3)
Sabrina C.
The Optimist was great - we stopped in for a snack before a later afternoon wedding on a saturday and sat in the raw bar area. We shared 4 small plates: Opti Chips, charred octopus, garlic lime chili shrimp, and some oysters on the half with a few beers (not a bad selection and it looked like they had some interesting punches as well). The chips were good but odd served with Mayo ? The favorite dish by far was the garlic lime shrimp - it was delish! The outside had a cute golf course and a live band - nice atmosphere.
(4)
M H.
The bartender knew how to correctly make a Sidecar. I complimented him on that and he told me the boss requires them to know how to make ALL vintage cocktails. That kind of thing goes a long way with me. The salted bread and the oysters were out of this world. Good service too. Fun Friday night crowd. Lives up to the hype.
(4)
Chucky C.
Very well prepared and delicious. While the menu is somewhat limited it has a very good selection of seafood. The sides were exceptional especially the brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes. Service was good but not exceptional. The setting was pleasant and not too loud. Will return.
(4)
LaShawna F.
What a great place. Just recently had dinner there for a friend's birthday. The food was great and so were the cocktails. The staff was very friendly and our waiter gave us some great suggestions. Definitely worth the price.
(4)
Carolina B.
I was really excited to try this place out, but came away disappointed. I had a specialty drink to start - the Beach Shanty - really good! Moved on to the she-crab and shrimp toast appetizer - wasn't much crab in the soup that I could tell, mostly cream. It also lacked flavor - so I ended up asking for salt and pepper. The shrimp toast was okay, but on the greasy side. My friend had the same and wasn't impressed with the soup either. I was going to have the scallops, but the server recommended the Alaskan Halibut. I should have stuck with the scallops because after a fairly long wait and lots of apologies, the halibut was just alright. The top was really tough and hard and the rest was really bland. Had to use salt here too. I will say the sides - a mushroom plate and a tomato plate - were really flavorful, which made me happy but also angry. You shouldn't enjoy the sides more than the meal! This was a fairly expensive dinner out (about $50) and the meal left me hungry for something more satisfying. I really hope this place gets better on the food front because everything else is perfect: the service is outstanding, the space is gorgeous, plentiful free parking... everything is top notch but the food, which is sad. I do think think they need to separate the dining room from the oyster bar - the energy/atmosphere is very different for both, not to mention they keep the door open in the oyster bar and we had several flies comes bother us throughout our meal.
(2)
Leanne E.
I went on a Friday night and chose to be seated on the patio as the dining room was booked. I tried octopus for the first time and liked it. The server was very nice. The lobster roll was nothing short of "dear Lord sweet baby Jesus" it was a small version of what Bocado serves. I did enjoy my meal, it was a nice night. I do agree, it's very RHOBH. I gave it a 3, because it's not as good as Local 3 or Two Urban Licks.
(3)
Anthony T.
Very elegant and pricy place. The shrimp a la plancha was really great and ordered red grouper and fried rice both good. But my date and I had to sit at bar because we didn't have reservations so if u want a table reserve way ahead of time. A little pricy but food was good
(4)
Brandy T.
Awesome ambience! Great food! Live music, small course of mini golf. Will definitely be back!
(5)
Gina N.
My boyfriend took me here on my birthday because we are fans of the show Atlanta Eats and since they were featured on there we thought we would give it a shot and I am so glad we did. Their seafood is fresh and their flavors are delicious! He had the scallops with mushrooms and Brussels.I had the lobster roll with hush puppies. Let me tell you about those hush puppies...I am not really a fan of them, but our server recommended them so I tried them and I would say they are the best hush puppies I have ever had! The lobster roll was made with lobster claw meat mixed with some celery and their seasonings on a toasted sweet roll. I was in a food coma. I will definitely be back!
(5)
Jen H.
As soon as you arrive you'll see The Optimist is one of those warehouse type restaurants in the middle of nowhere, like Two Urban Licks. Second thing you'll notice is the valet only parking, which I hate. The interior is bright and spacey with a view of the kitchen and a cool bar. There is also the bar area near the entrance. Staff is friendly and nice but they are a little inattentive and seem inexperienced. They were too busy chatting with each other to seat us even though we were the first party at the restaurant at opening time (we were waiting at the bar) and they had already seated several parties in the dining room. I think the best part of the meal was the bread and butter they bring out at the beginning. Portions are small and not filling, even for a lightweight like me. The seared rare tuna was neither rare enough nor tasty enough. I have never had a restaurant mess up rare tuna since a good tuna tastes delicious with minor seasoning. However the rare tuna here was underwhelming and lacked flavor. I also thought the scallops tasted too fishy-- it was not an enjoyable taste. The duck fat swordfish was also just okay. The fish and chips were pretty good, though you are paying $18 for pub food. That is not what I go to a nice restaurant for-- I can find excellent fish and chips at the food trucks for half the price. All in all, I would not come here again.
(2)
AV G.
When I read the article in Esquire that this was the country's best new restaurant, i was eager to enjoy my company's xmas lunch here. The place is cool; an indoor/outdoor space that is a Florida/southern style (not that i am an expert on this look). We had a pre-fixe menu lunch that was passed apps of great french fries, not good charred octopus,nasty tuna tartare and mushy fried oysters (although the breading was good). I then had the best caesar salad EVER followed by a very very good half chicken that was boned out. Excellent 'nana puddin' for desert. Very large portions. Good place--I would like to go back
(4)
Cassie P.
Never disappoints!
(5)
Somee K.
The Optimist lives up to its name. Everyone we came into contact with genuinely looked happy. I reserved a table for 2 at 9:15 PM. We got there on the dot and were seated immediately. This usually does not happen at restaurants even with reservations so I was pleased. We were seated at a table by the window and it was so romantic. My boyfriend is always taking me to new, trendy restaurants so I wanted to treat him out this time and I am happy that we both got to try The Optimist for the first time together. We asked our server what he recommended and without hesitation, he pointed to the Scallops so we both ordered scallops and assorted mushrooms. Honestly, the food was mediocre. The scallops were good but they tasted like any other scallops I've had before. It came with 4 pieces, which were not filling at all. Nothing particularly outstanding about the food. However, the ambiance was perfect for our date. It created an intimate atmosphere for my boyfriend and I. It was simple yet lavish. I was very content with my restaurant selection. On top of that, we ran into my best friend. We shared many happy moments at that restaurant. No wonder it's called The Optimist. I would come here again but next time, I'll try a different dish.
(4)
J P.
Went for business dinner with out of town colleague - although the food was tasty the service was 'rush-rush' - whoa, sloooow down. Ordered the clams as starter to share and each of us ordered an app - all came out at same time - so dilemma was - cold clams or limp salad....given the price points here they should know better than this - shame on the wait staff - i know you want to turn a table but when you're spending $160 for 2 - you dont plan on eat and run as the mantra....then waiter came 3 times during our entrees to ask "are you still working on that?" - why yes, thats why i was holding my knife and fork!!
(4)
Ken B.
One of the best meals that I have had. There aren't that many good seafood options in Atlanta, and this one would be good in pretty much any city. Wife, Mother and I went as a late birthday celebration and we started with the Clam Roll appetizer. This is really really good. I really could eat a couple of these things and just call it a meal. Also the starting bread is really good the way you wish it was good at all restaurants. It is warm, slightly buttered and topped with sea salt. Really good. The appetizer was so good and there were so many interesting appetizer options that we thought we were going to regret ordering appetizers. Boy were we wrong. I had the scallops served over a short rib with some sort of muscadine sauce. Really Really Good. My mom had the flounder which was also amazing. I didn't know that flounder was this tasty of a fish. Wifey had the monkfish which we don't see nearly enough on menu's in the south, but is a great fish and here was very well prepared. The side items are also really good. We tried the tandoori style fried rice which was the winner. But the field peas and corn tasted very fresh and was also good. This would be one of the few restaurants that every single thing I tried wound up tasting amazing. Definitely an expensive meal, but the quality of the food lived up to the price.
(5)
Nestor R.
Service was top notch! Thanks Andrew! Our table had: whole snapper (awesome albeit a bit salty), blackened mahi (solid, but just ok), cobia (very good), and monk fish (I didn't try, but the verdict wasn't too good - chewy). Appetizers: grilled octopus (fantastic!!), little gem/Caesar salad (very good), arctic char (minuscule, but good). Our sides: Brussels sprouts (good, but very salty), collards (inedible), fried rice (delicious), hush puppies (what's not to love?). We had various desserts and they were all tasty. Overall Optimist lives up to its reputation and hype. I'm not giving it 5-stars because there was an underlying saltiness to many of the dishes and the sides were generally weak. That should not be the case at a top restaurant. Pricey, but a good special occasion option.
(4)
Christine U.
My boyfriend and I came here for our 3rd anniversary dinner because he read on The Week that it was one of the best restaurants in the US. We were definitely not disappointed! The charred octopus was by far the star of the night. PERFECTLY prepared and the accompaniments were very well thought out. Our entrees were also very well cooked and the service was excellent. The only low note was the carrot side that we got. It was crazy salty and a little burnt. I believe they've since taken them off the menu so I'm sure everything there now is great. Would definitely go back and I would certainly recommend it for special occasions!
(4)
Erin H.
I chose The Optimist for my birthday celebration meal this year. We arrived about an hour early to sit outside and have a cocktail before moving to the table. I let the hostess know about our plans. She kept an eye on the clock, and came to get us at our reservation time. Very nice! Our cocktails were very tasty and nicely balanced. A word of warning, however: the jalapeno infused drink is far from mild. We also tried the peel and eat shrimp, which were perfectly cooked and well seasoned. We were lucky enough to get a table right next to the window. The space is huge. I was honestly a little worried that the large space meant that the food wouldn't be good. I was dead wrong. The rolls that are brought out at the beginning of the meal are awesome. I had the swordfish, and my husband ordered the halibut. Both dishes were cooked and seasoned perfectly. I am pretty picky about fish, and this was, by far, the best fish I have had in recent memory. The halibut was particularly succulent. The wine list had good depth; I was happy to see vinho verde as an option! Too full for a big dessert, we opted for the white pepper ice cream to finish. I wish I could have taken a pint home. I'm beyond excited that The Optimist lived up to its reputation. I cannot wait to go back.
(5)
Christopher K.
Lovely venue that offers a variety of settings. A dinner setting which I would recommend reservations. A bar setting with small plates and refreshing cocktails for small get togethers and a more intimate room for special occasions. We sat at the bar and our server Mike took us on a tour of their most delicious and house specialties. Starting with an array oysters, grilled octopus, steamed clams, soft shell crab, shishito peppers and some pretty amazing fried rice. All with fresh made cocktails to compliment the dishes. What an amazing night!!!
(5)
Dio S.
Good seafood restaurants are always welcome addition. Like other FF restaurants, Optimist is well conceptualized with trend setting menu, mostly solid executions, and stunning space. The restaurant had halfheartedly marketed itself as evoking the charm of a seafood shack on the New England shore. What we really have is large high ceiling dining room, enormous fancy bar, gorgeous natural lighting via gigantic windows which makes it a pleasure to visit early evening or at lunch time. It does not look like a seafood shack, ha ha. It looks every bit as elegant and recognizable as the other FF creations. That's good enough for me. I ate here a few times over the past two years. It's mostly hits with just some misses. The menu is easy to like: small plates and sides are many and varied. Many oysters. The requisite lobster roll. Most of the mains come with different, unique preparations, sides, and/or sauces. The fancy bar makes you want to order one of the trendy cocktails, which at any FF restaurant usually turns out to be quite delightful. I like almost all the small plates I ate here, except for the soups which makes me sad. If you are a traditionalist with seafood preparation, you might not like the mains as much. I am not a traditionalist but I still felt a couple times where the fish was messed with a bit too much or that there's just too much distractions in a smothered plating of lots of different things (delicious things, though) on the fish. I have no verdict on who has Atlanta's best lobster roll. Optimist's will certainly not disappoint. Overall, even if the food is not perfect and there probably isn't any dish I would crave and regularly want to eat, Optimist delivers a smooth, pleasurable dining experience, with foods that generally excite, very much meeting justifiably high expectation of a FF restaurant. And is a good option on the Howell Mill corridor that has become a mini food mecca over the years.
(4)
Dawn L.
At last :drumroll: I made it into The Optimist! Surprisingly, we were able to walk right in and get a table. For starters we ordered the Mussels in the Green Curry Coconut Broth, I just couldn't get my boyfriend to be adventurous enough to try the charred octopus as I was hoping. :whimpers: However, the mussels were excellent! I was one fraction of a second off from lapping it up like a dog, right there perched on the table. Their complimentary dinner rolls were absolute heaven soaked up in this creamy spicy decadent sauce. I also ordered two of their raw oysters, I LOVE the little house-made saltines & fresh horseradish that they come with. I ordered the Grouper with Rock Shrimp and Bacon in a Lemon Sauce, while I enjoyed it, I also found it mildly bland, it could have just used a *little* something extra. The grouper had a wonderful crispy exterior, and was cooked to perfection inside. My boyfriend ordered the Blackened Mahi with Charred Jalapeno Butter, this was my favorite, while my grouper was his! As a side I ordered the Basmati Fried Rice with Smoked Fish and Curry. It was the only side dish without meat we could find to order, and I am glad I did, I could make a meal out of this alone! The saltiness of the smoked fish and crispness of the peanuts was an explosion of happiness to my taste buds. To finish we had the Salted Caramel Ice Cream, what can I say, it was sweet, salty, creamy and full of what dreams are made of.
(5)
cath g.
What the heck is the deal with the parking now??? Can't even get in safely!!! The food was good last time but damn that construction project prevented us from even dining there!
(1)
Nemil S.
Free valet parking. They don't seat until the party is there (even if only one is missing). Sat at the oyster bar and got some drinks while we were waiting for the other guests to arrive. Interesting/unique cocktail selection, although not a lot that caught my eye as a bourbon and whiskey fan. Apps - Oysters - I enjoyed the oysters, although I am not too picky. The other's at the table seem to enjoy them as well. Cocktails - We received the wrong martini and the waiter had poor knowledge of the beer selection. When we did receive our correct order, it was a decent martini (not that it's too hard to make a gin martini). Octopus Appetizer - Would have been nice if it ever showed up. Fried Whole Haddock - 5/5 - Perfectly fried, nice and flaky and flavorful. The presentation was wonderful and the taste was exceedingly delicious. I would definitely recommend!! I only wish they had more of the other items on the dish. Side Mushrooms - 4/5 - a good variety of mushrooms, but I'm also bias because I love mushrooms. Brussel Sprouts - 3/5 - decent. Good sized portion, not a big fan of brussel sprouts in general. Our server was not knowledgeable and slow--the service really ruined the entire experience for us. The food was good.
(3)
Dina S.
Do not miss the fabulous food at the Optimist. We had a wonderful lunch at the bar. The restaurant has a fun, hip vibe, not stuffy. Our server was incredibly informative and attentive. He suggested a terrific mussel appetizer and a perfect wine pairing! The mahi fish sandwich and lobster roll were delicious. I did not love their seafood gumbo, but everything else was amazing! To top off our meal, we had a celebrity sighting!
(4)
Ryan V.
Really good seafood. I took my my wife here for an "all-out" birthday dinner and we were not disappointed. We started with the razor clams which were chopped up with potatoes in sort of an au-graten hash. We also had what the menu called an "opportunity" which was a black bass crudo. Both were outstanding. My wife had the Monkfish with octopus in a tomato broth. Fish was great, octopus was beyond tender. I had the duck fat poached swordfish served with butternut squash and pork belly. The swordfish was surprisingly dry but still very good and it actually worked with the super fatty pork belly to balance it out. The brussels sprouts are amazing. Not to be missed. We also had the collard greens which were quite tasty but I honestly could have eaten another side of brussels instead. We also had a "s'mores" ice cream sandwich for dessert. It came with two whole ice cream sandwiches which is great for sharing but that wasn't explicit on the menu. They were quite good. Overall I would definitely eat there again and recommend it to anyone for a nice romantic or power business dinner. I would have given 4.5 stars because there were a few spots of waiting on our waiter and also their valet system is ridiculous. It was in the low 40s and the heater wasn't turned on while waiting 5+ minutes for them to fetch the car from god knows where. Also the cocktails could have been a little boozier but they were pretty interesting. All of those are minor complaints greatly overshadowed by the amazing food.
(5)
Maurice D.
My partner and I had reservations here for 6:45 on a Sunday evening. We arrived approximately 10 minutes prior to our reservation time and was able to be seated immediately. The Optimist has been on my list of restaurants to try for the past few months, so I was excited about what our evening would entail. The seating enrangements at The Optimist immediately turned me off. We were sandwiched in between two other dining couples, not even an arms length away. We could hear the conversations of both couples and I'm sure they could easily hear ours. I enjoy having private, intimate conversations with my partner, especially in such a beautiful romantic setting alluded by the restaurant, so this was unfortunate. A server brought us glasses of water and fresh bread with butter and sea salt as a starter while we glanced over the menu. Several moments later our server came to the table, introducing herself, and giving the spiel on the dinner specials for the evening. I was not interested because I knew exactly what I had came here to try and was to be persistent on getting it- The Lobster Roll. For Appetizers, my partner ordered the Simple Salad and I order the Fried Oysters. Both appetizers were standard, nothing mind-blowing. For dinner entrees I was insistent on getting The Lobster Roll, when our server said it was a lunch menu item, I asked if an exception could possibly be made. She had to check with "higher-ups" in the kitchen and they granted my request. GOOD. My partner, opted for the standard Fish & Chips. As a side to share, we ordered the hush puppies, which is one of their popular menu items. The food was standard, again nothing mind-blowing. The lobster roll was extremely salty to me. Maybe I should have been expecting that, but certainly not that salty. By the end of our meal, our server warmed up to us and began telling us her life story. Very sweet girl though. An Atlanta native. Don't meet too many of those in this town anymore. We ended up skipping desert at the restaurant and stopped by Krispy Kreme Donuts on the way home. Those indulging, succulent donuts were the best thing we had all evening.
(3)
Justin K.
Excellent food. The staff is very accommodating and very knowledgeable on the menu. The atmosphere is very nice. I highly recommend this place. You're missing out if you don't come here. Valet parking only so come prepared or get dropped off.
(5)
Marina M.
The Optimist was good, but... That's the problem, there are a few flaws that keep me from giving it 4 stars. Although the restaurant said they would work with my severe dairy intolerance (I can't even have butter), but that is apparently a tall order in the South. The waiter tried really hard, but many of the appetizers were not alterable. The bread itself is made with butter, though it looked delicious. I ended up trying the lobster roll, sans bread. Although all of the excellent reviews made me want to try it, it was just okay and overpriced at $21. I had the grouper entree, which didn't need to be altered since it is pan seared in olive oil. It was tasty, but with very sparse accompaniments and slightly over seared. I ordered the beet, farro, mizzuna side to supplement, and it was tasty, but over salted and the yellow beets were very starchy. I had the cranberry sorbet for dessert, which was tasty but was overly generously seasoned with mulling spices. Nice idea because there isn't much you can do with cranberries, but it was over powering. For a $90+ dinner for one (solo business traveler), I was underwhelmed and frustrated that I overpaid for what I got. (White Oak was better the following night and didn't involve a cab fare.)
(3)
Mariel J.
I really enjoyed dinner at the Optimist. It was difficult to get reservations (though I think you may have better luck if you just grab a spot at the bar), but it was worth the wait. We had some oysters to start - a bit expensive, but definitely very fresh and tasty, and their homemade sauce was very good. From there, we had the mussels and charred octopus. The mussels were good, but didn't have the punch I expected from green curry and chiles. The octopus was some of the best I've had - very tender. At about this point in our meal is where we ran into a bit of a bump - we'd finished all of the starters, and had been chatting away. Our waiter stopped by at one point to refresh drinks and said he was working to get our main courses out soon. It was only when we looked at the clock that we realized it'd been about 45 minutes since we finished the starters. The atmosphere was great, so we were happy to have a long dinner, except that we were planning to see a concert that night (we'd planned about 2 hours for dinner, but it was getting tight). We mentioned it to the waiter, and he explained that there was a back-up in the kitchen, but that he would do everything he could. The manager also stopped by to say he understood we were on a schedule, and that he'd work on it and comp part of our meal for the inconvenience. I was really impressed at just how attentive they were and how seriously they took our desire to get to the concert, even though we hadn't mentioned it in advance (when we first sat down). Shortly after, our main course came - halibut, which was very good, along with a side of mushrooms and the basmati fried rice. All of these were tasty, but the standout dish of the whole meal for me was the fried rice - it has smoked fish, curry, crushed peanuts, and egg, and was unlike anything I'd had before - it was sooooo good! Overall, great restaurant, and definitely a place we'll be back to!
(5)
Ali S.
the oysters were fresh and delicious, didn't have a fishy taste or smell about them at all. the garnishes were well prepared. i did expect more than a selection of 2 oysters though from a seafood restaurant the cheesecake's crust was a little too buttery, especially with the mascarpone and whip cream. it was still good though. it's have that hard, refrigerated feel to it. the whip cream was thick and freshly whipped, not out of a can the decor was gorgeous, atmosphere peaceful they should put a sign directing you to self-parking so you don't have to valet
(4)
ester k.
great atmosphere and decor. good drinks. service was pretty good. the food was good but I'm not sure it's worth the money. it's very expensive, and i thought the food was not as good as it costs. I would try it if you have the money to spend, but don't feel like you're missing out on anything spectacular if you don't go.
(3)
Dean O.
Was able to get in for lunch on my birthday without a reservation which was comforting since they are packed to the gills for dinner... See what I did there? Anyway I started with the she crab soup which was good but just too rich for me. I don't think I could get it again. However the shrimp toast that came with it was awesome. I got the lobster roll and fries for lunch. How can something so simple be so divine? Seemed like a whole lobster was on that bun. That being said I'll pass on the fries next time. You know when fries get so thin they're difficult to eat? Also server was a little strange... Every time we ordered something it was her most favorite thing on the menu.
Fantastic "small plates" at the Optimist Oyster Bar last night. My riend and I strolled in at about 9 on a Friday night & scored 2 seats at the Oyster Bar (first come). We had some nice wine - I enjoyed VERY much a plate of grilled vegetables - cauliflower, broccoli, green pepper, chilis, etc. Spicy, with a bit of cheese on top. So delicious. I also had the whole (head too) georgia white shrimp with garlic, lime and chile. Wonderful sauce and a nice big piece of bread to soak up all the yumminess. Messy eating but oh so good. My friend had the mussels - very fresh and delicious - great sauce. We finished up with the Savannah Style Beignets - my friend LOVED it but for me it was just a big pile of sweet dough - I took a little taste and not for me. But I'm not a big sweets person. I love the way this restaurant has 2 concepts in one - the Oyster Bar, more casual setting and small plates menu - very high energy! Kick back with a beer and some great oysters or seafood dishes.The main dining room is a bit more sleek and elegant - gorgeous bar, dinner menu. I'd like to dress up and have a martini there.
(5)
Brian K.
The few times I've been here, the service has been nothing but excellent. The staff is always happy to accommodate your needs if it's within their ability. The decor is very rustic and open. The atmosphere is lively and enjoyable. The food was amazing and fresh. I would highly suggest getting the Spanish Octopus and Shrimp a la Pancha as your appetizers. Would come back here again.
(4)
Erika E.
Finally made it to The Optimist for dinner last weekend and I am so glad that I did! The food, the drinks, the service, and the beautiful atmosphere all made for a wonderful dining experience. We decided to order some fresh raw oysters for appetizers, and I had the cornmeal crusted sea bass with an order of hush puppies on the side for the main course. I wanted to try dessert, but I was stuffed and couldn't have eaten another bite if I tried. I look forward to going back to The Optimist to try one of those lobster rolls for lunch one day and would totally recommend this place for anyone looking for a phenomenal dining experience.
(5)
Geordie J.
Better than average. Wife loved her scallops, I was underwhelmed with the blackened mahi. Way too much seasoning and slightly overcooked. You must try the spicy clam roll starter, that was amazing. Had a side of crispy fingerling potatoes with bacon that were very good. Atmosphere is typical for a newer, hip restaurant in west midtown; open, light and airy, with all of the servers in the usual plaid shirt and skinny jeans. Service was above par, very attentive. It was a hot day today so I drank a lot of water, they must have refilled seven times. I had the bourbon special, which was very good. I'd definitely return, but would not recommend the mahi. The cornmeal-crusted snapper was my second choice so I'll try that next time.
Outstanding food and service! We had a large party (12) on a Wed night, but were seated on time and the service was great from begging to end. Everyone enjoyed the appetizers and seafood dishes. Being skeptical or seafood places I don't know, I opted for the skirt steak, which was delicious and perfectly cooked. The Tuscan kale salad was unique and particularly terrific. Wine list was balanced with some good choices. Only negative was the parking, but they managed the valet well enough.
(5)
Loren B.
If a man were to propose, he would need to do it at the Optimist for me to say yes. I absolutely love this place. Upscale, classy, with personal touches that makes it feel very welcoming. Definitely a high roller type of place to eat and who doesn't love their mini golf course in the front. The food is absolutely amazing. Best gumbo of my life and the crab cakes were sooooo GOOD.. Definitely looking forward to come back again. The servers were friendly and the service was top notch.
(5)
Mai H.
My friend and I had greasy food for the past couple of days so we decided to splurge on our last night in Atlanta. We came here due to the near perfect review. Gumbo - taste funny and bitter. It looked very black for some reason. I Informed the waiter and he said kitchen apologized. Took order off our bill. Thank you. Fried oyster - oyster was very fresh. But the breading fell apart and was very soggy. Left most of the breading uneaten. Fish chowder - watery like a milk broth with ingredients thrown in it. It was forgettable. Definitely don't have the feel and look of a chowder. Baked oyster - I can't tell if the oyster was fresh or not. It was prepared with a hefty layer of sea salt and garmishes. I just did not realized the amount of the salt that was on that oyster. Unfortunately, i ate the oyster with all the preparations and I was not happy when the oyster hit my tongue. It was like eating a spoonful of salt with a small soft pouch of something that burst in my mouth. This this the point where I thought to myself it was a mistake to come here and I want to cancel the rest of my meal but I didn't act upon it Grilled squid - sold out Grilled Mahi - was very watery as if it wasn't completely thawed or it was boiled prior to putting on the grill for grill marks. The fish was not truly grilled. We can taste the grains of salt on fish. Part of it was very salty. Part of it was very bland. We just threw the fish in our mouth and quickly ask for a check. Service - not so good. I thought this restaurant was suppose to be a bit on the high class since the prices are not cheap. A drop of sauce got on the table and the waiter ignored it. We decided to shared an entree. He placed a sharing spoon about an inch next to the sauce on the table and left. I thought to myself this is unacceptable in this kind of environment. I was sort of annoyed. I have to remind the waiter to refill my drink. I felt a bit ignored by our waiter. I shouldn't but I put down my 20% tip. We got out of there as fast as we can because there was not a chance we will buy another dish from the menu not even dessert. Overall, they have fresh ingredients but dont know how to cook them. I think the main chef was out of town for the night and left an apprentice to take over because there is no way yelpers will give this kind of ratings with what I just experienced. This place is definition very memorable for me, but all for the wrong reasons.
(1)
Jennifer H.
Appetizers were awesome and good size. Octopus was so soft and the sauce was just great. Large shrimp was cooked perfectly. Their bread is buttery that you can see and feel the melted real butter. Probably the best dinner roll I have ever had anywhere... The whole fried snapper was good, but seemed overpriced. Soft inside and crispy outside. Cobia was plain and again overpriced. Will come back for dinner but order a few appetizers and try the oysters. And of course just to get their dinner rolls. The place looks spacious and nice.
(4)
Jennifer V.
This is hands down the best meal I have had in Atlanta since we moved here 18 months ago. The food was so delicious - from the octopus to the swordfish poached in duck fat, to the cornmeal encrusted flounder. The flavors were so different from what I am used to, yet so complimentary. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and we took his recommendations as to what to order. It was truly a terrific experience and I highly recommend it. AND this is coming from someone who is not really a fish person!
(5)
Thi T.
Came back during lunch for the infamous lobster roll. Honestly don't understand the rave. The chunks of lobster were big and tender but the sandwich was not very flavorful. I also got the frothy she crab soup which lived up to its frothy description. The soup was a bit too fishy for my taste though. The shrimp toast that came with it was very greasy, if that is your cup of tea. I made reservations for 1230, just in case it was packed. Sure enough, the lot was full but the valet attendants were prompt. We were seated immediately and the server was very friendly. I give this a 2.5 at most. I don't consider the food to be of average deliciousness an I definitely did not feel it was worth the price.
(2)
Jamie S.
Optimist has it all...ambiance, amazing food, and hand crafted drinks. We ordered a bit of everything from oysters, halibut, swordfish, kale salad to gumbo soup. The sides are shared portions....highly recommend the award winning fried rice! There is a putting green outside with an outdoor dining patio as well. Great experience!
(5)
Ray M.
Today after much ado I finally was able to eat here. The service was great the ambience simple yet elegant. I had the shrimp appetizer it was quite good probably the best thing I ate. Though tasty it was very messy. I also had the scallops and a friend had the sword fish. Both were perfectly cooked . But not exceptional in flavor . The hush puppies however were terrible! Salty nasty sea biscuits is what they should call them . Barely edible really . They were gracious to remove those nasty bites from our bill. I don't know if I'd be back. I did not experience the wow factor .
(3)
Marcella G.
I like this restaurant, not just because of the food but because of the atmosphere. It's trendy, it's romantic, it's cozy and it definitely served good food. The staff is very attentive (hello never-empty-glass) and they know what's good on the menu, so if you ever undecided just ask them. I came here with my BF. I ordered the grouper with truffle oil and my BF got the swordfish and they both are really nice. The fish were cooked perfectly, the sauces were both amazing, it's just that it left me unsatisfied, somehow. I think it's just that the food were nice by itself, but just okay combined. Or maybe for the price that I paid, I expected something more. We also ordered the sides (beets), which was amazing and also the dessert chocolate tart which extremely amazing. The beets were tender but not mushy, and coated with delicious vinaigrette so it's sweet and also a little bit sour. The chocolate tart, came with a very light cream that made the chocolate more present. The cream just blew me off I guess. The tart was flaky and the chocolate filling was almost like brownie. Oh my, I need more.
(4)
Lillian M.
One of my favorites in the city! Wonderful service, beautiful restaurant, and delicious food. Great for a special occasion!
(5)
Rach D.
My husband and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at The Optimist. Clean restaurant with a gorgeous interior. The staff were professional, knowledgeable and friendly and the food was delicious. The grouper, flounder, gumbo and mussels were very tasty. We will definitely be back!
(4)
Lindsay E.
My husband and I went on a date a couple weeks ago to The Optimist, and I loved it! The atmosphere is super chic but relaxed. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful. The food was very, very good. Here's what we had: Shell on GA shrimp a la plancha for our appetizer. This was amazing. Garlicy, creamy, seafoody sauce over succulent shrimps and perfect toast. How do they get it crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside?! My husband got the fish and chips with hushpuppies as a side. He didn't like how thick the fish's batter was, but I thought it was okay. I like the faint scent of beer you got right before biting in. Hushpuppies aren't usually my thing. These ones were sweet, which was cool. I got the NC flounder with a side of assorted mushrooms. I enjoyed it all, but by the time I was getting full, the mushroomy taste and the fishy tastes started to overwhelm me. I guess that meant it was time to stop stuffing myself! I'm looking forward to visiting again, and then I think I'll have a better idea of the Optimist. I'm suspicious that the chefs might be trying too hard with some of their dishes, but then again, I'm not terribly familiar with fine dining. Keeping with some of the simpler recipes might be a good idea for me next time, except for that shrimp a la plancha! Can't go wrong with that! The restaurant was quite loud. There were many interesting looking people, and I enjoyed surveying the room looking at the groups at the bar, the bachelorette parties, and the couples on dates. This would be an excellent place for a classy night out with a date or a group.
Why 5 Stars.......many visits 2nd review....They get it on all fronts. Delicious creative food, friendly knowledgable service and a "vibe" The place has a soul and a funky, hip and eclectic combination of diners, sraff and decor. A must try is the homemade caramel sea salt icecream!
(5)
Rick M.
Pricey but worth every penny!!! Atmosphere is great. First timers must do the lobster roll! I bring a lot of friends and clients to The Optimist and have never had a bad experience. The bar is more than well stocked. See you there soon.
(5)
Brooke M.
Absolutely fantastic seafood! Wow. This is our new favorite restaurant in Atlanta. Nicole, our waitress, was fantastic and just adorable. She said fish and chips or the lobster roll was perfect for lunch, but for dinner, go for the grouper with miso butter (incredible velvet masterpiece), swordfish cooked in duck fat (words can't even!), and the redfish encrusted in corn meal (wow!). We had all of those dishes and 12 oysters to share from the fresh oyster bar as an appetizer. They were awesome! The cocktail sauce was delicious and you felt like you were eating those oysters at the beach they were so fresh. The fried rice was so great we ordered 2 for the table and the asparagus with goat cheese is incredible. As you can tell, this is our favorite restaurant in Atlanta! Bravo x a billion! This place is incredible! WE WILL BE BACK SOON!
(5)
Dale N.
Killer octopus! Great cocktails and winning ambience.
(4)
Franklin J.
The food quality and taste was amazing. I got the $20 Lobster roll which was stuffed full of lobster. Wife got the scallops and they were giant sea scallops that tasted fresh, were well cooked and deliciously seasoned. Atmosphere is also a good one. They have putt putt while you wait. Little pricey for what it is I feel but definitely good.
(4)
Sebastian M.
The optimist is a little over priced in my opinion. Their oysters are good though. They tasted very fresh, which is big to me because most places in Atlanta that have oysters are going to be hit and miss. I almost always have at least one bad one in a dozen. Atlanta is landlocked so any oysters here are brought in so you can't really have high expectations. We had several drinks and oysters at the oyster bar after we ate dinner at Bartaco which was fun and it was great because they are like walking distance from each other. I got the Three Sheets Under which was really good. Fresh tasting and refreshing, nice and strong. I love strong drinks because I like the taste of alcohol so that was perfect. My wife and her friend had a Winter on Cape Cod. She enjoyed it as well. We would be back for another after dinner drink but I doubt we would be back for dinner.
(4)
Chris H.
I was very Optimistic about our romantic dinner at the Optimist. Having eaten here three times before, I had no doubt that our two year anniversary meal on Valentine's Day would be "da bomb" (as you chaps say). It was "da bomb" alright unfortunately it was an explosion of sodium. Picture an IED made of salt and you will understand how our meal tasted. Please allow me to explain... I booked our prix fixe menu reservation months earlier because I knew how popular Optimist would be. I really wanted this meal to "hit" the spot because our next stop would be '50 shades of grey'. The hostess seated us right away and even congratulated us on our anniversary. The waiter arrived shortly thereafter and took our drink order. He had a great attitude and was very attentive. Our first course was creme of cauliflower soup. I hadn't eaten all day in anticipation of this bad ass meal. When the soup arrived, it was the size of a thimble. A thimble! I kid you not! It was about a spoonful and a half and most of it was salt. Blah! Then they brought out some dinner rolls which looked like Hawaiian rolls with some melted butter on top. We passed on the rolls despite our hunger. The Heart of palm salad was decent and the only course seasoned properly. I had the escargot with bone marrow and egg. I took a giant gulp of water because I had a sneaky suspicion of the days worth of sodium I was about to ingest. I've had escargot a couple times before and liked them but these were a little tough and not every tasty. The combination of the marrow and egg was a good touch but it would've been nice to have some veggies or something to defray the "taste of the ocean". The meal was really slow and we were about to be late to our "steamy flick". I ordered the short rib which wasn't really that tender and it was...you guessed it salty as a MOFO. My GF ordered the blackened Cobia. It was mostly tasty except the last couple bites were sushi. By the time we finished our entree, it was 5 minutes until Mr. Grey began to discipline his Sub. I won't ever do VD here again but I know they are much better than this unfortunate experience and will try them for a regular meal.
(2)
Amy N.
We were greeted as soon as we got there. It took a couple of minutes for the waitress to serve us but she was great: she checked on us regularly, was extremely friendly, and answered all the questions we had about the wine and food. We sat at the oyster bar which limited the menu options but that was ok since we were only there for the oysters.They have a wide range of different oysters for you to choose from. I tried 7 out of the 12 they offered; they were delicious! They also have a nice selection of wine, beer, and cocktails. I will definitely be coming back!
(5)
Maya S.
Food had no taste #gross Do not come here You will leave sad #sadface Optimist? More like pessimist #HA
(2)
Chris B.
Excellent sea food. Loved the atmosphere. Hip cool place. Ordered oysters, grilled grouper and brussels sprouts. All excellent and tasty. Service was a bit slow and we felt like we had to wait for ages to get our drinks and appetizers. That said everything was very well done and we will definitely be back.
(4)
Trinh N.
The atmosphere was nice and hipster-ish. Very loud too, but it's because everyone was enjoying their time. The waitress I had was super super super nice. Heck... Even the people that sat next to me were so friendly. If you're looking for a place to relax and enjoy your time and have good food, this place is it. For starters, I got the Frothy She Crab soup and it was sooooo yummy! If you love crabs, get this soup. You'll be in love. I honestly wouldn't have mind eating this the whole time there because it was that good. Everyone kept raving about the hush puppies and I couldn't help but ordered one for myself and I'm not all that into it. Maybe it's just the hush puppies today because they were too salty for me. If they didn't sprinkle some salt on any of them, I'm sure they would have been so much better. And you would think that by sprinkling powdered sugar would make it sweet, but actually doesn't taste sweet at all. The duck fat poached swordfish....can you say AMAZING? Yelpers weren't kidding when they recommended this dish. You can't go wrong with it.
(4)
Alexander G.
Wow! West Midtown has another hit on its hands. I ordered the Cobia served with Chorizo and a cream sauce, the white fish chowder, some oysters, and the key lime desert. Everything was fantastic and the portions did not disappoint. The mixture of flavors in each dish complemented each other perfectly and magically surfaced the unique flavors of the primary item. Did I mention how awesome the fish chowder was? I am optimistic (hehe) that I going to go back often just to order this fantastic appetizer.
(5)
smacksmackgulp K.
I think all in all, a 3.5/5.0 experience, but I'm rounding up due to the fact that it's still early. Been opened, what, 2 months now, max? Had a girls' night dinner with two others. The positives - tasty, fresh, non-gulf oysters with a delicious vinegar mignonette sauce. We got a dozen, half East Coast, half West Coast. Very good bread/roll service, could eat those till the cows came home: yeasty, buttery goodness. BEAUTIFUL, open dining space - and I love the Oyster Bar side as well...very retro-fun decor. Service was quite smiley and eager-to-please. Did not rush us, even though we stayed past 10pm just chatting and drinking wine. The scallops were cooked perfectly, and the beet salad was yummy. Good wine selection too. The not so good - while nice, the service was still a little stumble-y. The server wasn't exactly sure where the oysters that day came from (other than knowing East Coast/West Coast). Mind you, this isn't the usual douchey, "where exactly was this chicken raised? Free range? Heritage?" Portlandia b.s. The breed of oyster actually lets you know what they're going to taste like. A Fanny Bay tastes waaaay different from a Malpeque, that tastes way different from a Kumamoto. And the Optimist has raw oysters as a specialty, right? Its prices reflect that ($2.50 - $3/per oyster), so the servers should know the daily selection verbatim. When the oysters arrived, they were just plunked down by a runner. No explanation which side was from which coast, and we had to flag someone down so they could tell us. We were also 1 short of a dozen (although once we brought it to their attention, they brought out four more, which was very nice of them). The oxtail reduction next to the scallops--while the sauce itself was nice--it had dry, tough pieces of oxtail. I've cooked oxtail before, so I know the reduction needed to just cook a touch longer to loosen the tendon of the meat. The gumbo was a little too salty, but the spice was nice. The mussels were fine, but have had better made at home. The price point was that of a nicer restaurant, so I would like to see a little bit...more. But very promising. I would go back...after all, I'm an optimist too :P
(4)
DoAnn B.
I was so excited to try the Optimist for lunch. After arriving, the hostess said we had to wait 10-15 mins although 60% of the restaurant was empty. After sitting down, it took our waitress about 10-15 mins to come over to bring us water. I really wanted to try the lobster roll but decided to go with the shrimp po' boy instead (we both did). BIG mistake. After ordering, it took about 10-15 mins to get our soup, which is fine. No biggie. But after the waitress picked up our empty soup, it took another 20 mins to bring us our sandwiches. There shouldn't be this much time in between courses, and especially during lunch. Them, when we both bit into our sandwiches, the shrimp were incredibly tough and dry. I waited all this time for an inedible sandwich. I seriously took one bite and couldn't eat anymore. I could understand if I waited forever and the sandwich was delicious and cooked correctly, but in this case, I waited a really long time and ended up with a sandwich I couldn't eat. The waitress picked up our sandich not even wondering why we barely touched it. I should've said something but by that point and 2 hours later, I just wanted to get out of there.
(2)
james e.
We were right on time for our 8:30 reservation but were told we would have to wait a few minutes. No problem, but 50 minutes later we were still waiting and watching others just walk in and get seated. So after spending $76.00 plus another $14.00 tip on a dozen oysters and four rum sangrias we left
(1)
Tiila N.
One of the new must eat restaurant of 2012. I arrived before my friend so the hostess direct me to the bar/oyster area where I could get a pre dinner drink. I was very surprised at the fact that it does not smell like a seafood restaurant(bonus point for that). The waitress recommend Los Feliz Cafe(if you like citrus, then you would love this drink), it was so good I end up having a total of 3 by the end of dinner. We were directed to the main dinning room immediately at the arrival of my friend. This is what we ordered: Gem salad-anchovies caesar dressing, grill garlic, hand pulled croutons. What a great way to start a meal but be careful it's addicting. Corn hushpuppy- come with butter dipping sauce. I can eat this all day, everyday. Mushrooms- with shallot confit. I ordered this as a side dish to go with my main scallop and it was just the perfect addition. If you like mushroom then you would love this. Scallop- oxtail marmalade, brown butter-chicken jus. This dish is so flavorful thank to the butter chicken jus, the jus was so good my friend use it as a dip for his seared tuna. Tuna- seared yellow fin tuna, charred octopus, crispy potato salad, harissa. This dish was bland, nothing interesting or memorable. So 90% of what we ordered was delicious. The service was excellent and so was the food. I will definitely come back! Enjoy :)
(5)
Julee D.
One of my favorite spots in Atlanta. Great seafood and wine offerings in a very cool space on the Westside. Enjoyed the east coast oysters and seared tuna with charred octopus. There were so many items that looked great (including interesting side dishes). Can't wait to go again! Highly recommend a reservation ahead of time on Fridays and Saturdays. Bar/patio areas are really cool to hang out and grab drinks. You can even play some putt putt on the patio.
(5)
J G.
Cool interior.. two restaurants in one. Oysters at oyster bar are awesome, and I have tried every one! The fish of the day, shrimp app, a bit spicy, certainly fattening, and certainly amazing! Everything in the main dining room Rocks! Always good service, and always good food.. not extremely small portions either, as I'm finding in a few restaurants. It is a very nice restaurant, dressy or hip jeans, all fits in, and you will be sure to have a great meal!
(4)
Nick A.
Dinner Sunday night 11/10. The Optimist is a converted warehouse-one large open room with with high ceilings. The noise is at a high level but we sat against the street facing wall so it was not so bad. For starters we all had the waitresses' "personal favorite" she-crab soup. It was a crab tasting broth with no crab. No she at all. It would have been better with something in the broth. Perhaps one small shrimp? The main for me was pecan crusted flounder. The crust"ing" was so salty I could not finish the fish. I am not certain if the extra salt was to take away the taste from "day old fish" or that's just the way the Chef decided to enhance the flavor. The menu did not identify any salt free entrees, so it is a matter of luck to determine which foods taste natural or which are enhanced. (When I eat at Chinese restaurants I request that no MSG be used to enhance. Lat night I should have ordered Chinese take out and stayed home.) I spent the night getting up and drinking water to wash the salt from my body. Summary: The optimist is the latest rage, but it is over priced and the Chef seems to be out of control of his/her spices.
(1)
Al N.
I try not to write a review after just one visit, but seeing as the missus and I don't get to eat fancy like this too often, here we are. Service: The valet-only parking is plentiful and quick. No charge, just tips. Unless you're evil. We had a reservation and were seated quickly. Our waiter was friendly, informative, and attentive. I was curious as to how the roasted octopus appetizer was cooked to be tender yet flavorful, and he was able to tell me how it was cooked and what ingredients were used. Food came out quickly, and each person who brought stuff was upbeat and friendly without being cloying. Food: Overall, it was excellent. I lived in New England for 20 years, so I'm a bit of a d**k about fresh seafood. Everything at The Optimist was fresh and top quality. For appetizers, we had the roasted octopus and the fried oysters. The octopus was one large tentacle and the kimchee spices were very good. I usually like my oysters cold and snotty, but when baby wants fried, baby gets fried. Also excellent. Portions were good for the price. Entrees were the duck fat poached swordfish and the crispy fried whole black bass. The flavor of the swordfish was very good, with the right balance of duck and fish. The fish was a bit dry, though, defeating the reason people order swordfish. The bass was awesome. The sweet soy ginger coating is a subtler yet more complex version of what you'd get in an upscale Chinese place. I picked that monster apart until there was nothing left but a skeleton (tips: Eat everything on the head that ain't bones, and eat as much of the fins as you can), and I barely had to deal with any little bones. Dessert was the crème fraishe ice cream for me and the chocolate cake with a coma-inducing pool of caramel. Everything was great, but the flourless cake was, as the youngsters say, "off that hook" it's like someone took a two foot high cylinder of the best chocolate mousse and squashed it down to an inch and a half. Ambiance: The high arched brick ceiling absorbs a lot of sound, so conversation is possible. The room has a great vibe and reminded me of a dockside fish market like I've seen in Maine. Dress is casual, and the crowd was diverse. The Optimist is not the kind of place where a palooka like me feels out of place.
(4)
Amber A.
$195 dollars later, I left hungry....and sticker shocked. We got a few drinks, dozen oysters and each a fish entree. I got the Ahi Tuna and it was delicious and I highly recomend it. The oysters were not the best I have had (especially at the price). My fiance got the Monkfish and it was delicious but small portion. Actually both meals were small portions, which we usually welcome but we had been holding out all day for our meal. Noise level pretty high and with it being so trendy you are sitting pretty close to the table next to you. Atmosphere was great and wine selection was great. Service was par to sub-par. The wait staff was not friendly and a little too rushed for the cost. Would I got back......maybe.....but would really watch the cost!
(3)
Wayne F.
Went hear a couple of weeks ago and had a nice dinner. My friend told me this was voted best new restaurant of the year (nationwide) by Esquire and honestly I think it's a bit of a stretch. It's a really cool place to have a good meal but not among the select few memorable dining experiences I've had. Apps: Oysters, we got 6 east and 6 west coasts as my friend was from Cali, myself from Maryland....west coast won this time damn it! Whole ga white shrimp a la plancha: menu says mess-y but worth it, I agree. Great flavor and the toast soaks up the rich sauce Main Course: Whole "swimming" black bass, garlic ginger sauce, sweet peppers, crispy shallots: well-prepared bass that was fried whole and then roasted if I had to guess. Good flavor but honestly too much of a rip off from cantonese restaurants Service was outstanding and the ambience was great-- we didn't sit at the oyster bar near the entrance but looks like a great place to grab a drink and a bite after work. Only complaint would be that the table was close to the other, too close honestly. I understand it was Saturday and packed but it was like the "lunch from hell" episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Would come back for sure for a nice, laid-back dinner in an amazing space.
(4)
Kim K.
Exceptional meal, wonderful service and a impeccable atmosphere. It was a perfect birthday celebration meal. We will be back soon.
(5)
Kirk L.
I enjoyed the Optimist, but it didn't live up to the hype...at least, not after one visit. It's pushing 4 stars, and I could see it jumping up to a 5 star, but that wasn't my experience this visit. We started with a drink at the Oyster bar while we waited for the table - both the Green Tea Whiskey and the Fish House Punch were excellent - not very sweet, which gets a thumbs up from me! On to dinner...here's what we had: -Fried Oysters - Probably the best I've ever had, but really, that doesn't mean much because I usually only get them at lower end places. But they were very "light and fluffy"...that's right, "light and fluffy." The "smoked paprika mayo" that came with it was bizarrely bland and frankly, I would never have guessed what it was based on the flavor (actually seemed like a honey-mustard type base) -Spanish Octopus - first off, this dish is hot. Too hot for my fiance to eat, but she has no tolerance for heat in a dish. The "glaze" is along the lines of a Thai chili sauce. For someone who likes spicy, it's a great flavor overall, but not the type of dish that would make me go, "You have to try this!" -Duck fat poached swordfish - the flavor of the fish was good, but it was overcooked and rather dry. Beautifully presented, though (as were all the dishes), and the peanuts were a nice touch. -George's Bank Scallops - this was really a disappointing dish. The scallops were cooked fine, but didn't quite test fresh...the little lady commented that she liked my scallops better (and that's not a euphemism! =). The oxtail marmalade was similar to pulled pork in bbq sauce, and was quite tasty by itself, but for me, it just didn't work with the scallops. Otherwise, the service was great. I really liked the decor and design of the place, however they do use "European style" side by side table seating, which I despise (on the plus side, they space the tables a bit more than most places that do this). And it's quite loud - for someone like me that doesn't hear so well, it was extremely difficult to carry on a conversation. PS - the bread they served was excellent (the little lady commented that it was the best thing she had...which probably isn't a good thing!).
(3)
Shannon H.
Very delicious Lunch! The App makes it look like they don't serve lunch. But they do. I had the tuna burger - subbed in the brussel sprouts which was a little too much salt. Should have kept the salad. Other folks I was with had the lobster roll and gave it rave reviews. The Lobster Cobb looked pretty amazing as well. Don't bother with the fries though - tiny shoe-string crap. Sub in something else! The Shrimp a la plancha is messy but delicious!
(4)
Lyndsey G.
The Optimist was perfect. The atmosphere is amazing the space is beautiful. The oysters wowed us. The starter sweet buns were a great little bite and the server was knowledgeable about the wine list. We ordered the octopus, the shi crab soup, the scallops, and the shrimp a la plancha. The whole experience was on point. Thank you Optimist team for making a night in ATL great!
(5)
Keith H.
It had a nice feel to the insides. Waitress was polite and on her game. Appetizers were tasty and the right amount and wanting more. Main course was over the top. Had the sea scallops with beans and ham bits. The scallops were great, not a bit of grit in any bite. Long fingerling potatoes with honey glazed pork belly bits dusted with crushed red peppers. Great flavor. Wife is not a seafood lover and she ate every bite of her cobia fish. I think she might enjoy seafood now. On to desserts. WOW, cranberry sorbet with a dusting of cinnamon. Sounds strange but tastes awesome, cinnamon was light enough and just the right amount to not over power the cranberry taste. The s'more cookie my wife had was out of this world. I tasted the vanilla ice cream that they had folded toasted marshmallow into and rimmed the side with honey covered graham cracker crumbs. If you want great food and good service, this is a place to go!
(5)
Lori F.
Good oysters, decent beer selection, and yummy chowder fries. Service is much better than before (hostesses, however, are always a bit off putting - wth?)
(3)
Matt S.
It is rare in life to have a dining experience that makes you wish you had a larger stomach, but The Optimist does just that. Although my sister and I ate at the oyster bar, and not the full restaurant, we were nothing but impressed. Daun, our server/bartender, was informative, helpful, and attentive. Being in the service industry, I can be a bit picky - couldn't find a single flaw. The oysters were outstanding, both raw and roasted; the bread was clearly freshly baked and remarkable; the octopus perfectly cooked and ingeniously paired with house-made harissa, kale and sausage (the combo was stellar!); lobster braised monkfish with shrimp and fennel was one of the most succulent and rich dishes I've ever encountered; clams and pork belly with garlic and jalapeno can not be topped! If you can only choose one place to eat seafood in Atlanta, I don't think you can do better than this.
(5)
Primo L.
Very cool, upscale atmosphere with knowledgable staff and seafood that tastes like it was just caught. I was here for an event so our menu was limited to the appetizers but between the lobster roll, oysters, octopus and different rice dishes I didn't feel like I missed anything. The house red (Malbec? I can't recall) was also delicious.
(4)
Greg C.
Excellent. Expensive and pretentious but worth every penny. Atlanta finally has great seafood. A must visit for anyone who appreciates good food. Highlights were octopus, tuna, and lemon tart.
(5)
Shawn R.
this place has an awesome atmosphere, the snapper with excellent, the chef personally visited the table which was an added bonus to my first experience. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone would like to experience seafood at its finest. I will be in Atlanta again in February, and this will be on my list of places to eat. Thank you very much for the excellent service Adam Evans.
(5)
Sarah M.
Due to my most recent experience at the Optimist, i am forced to update my review. Has this place jumped the skate wing? Service has gone way downhill in the months since the restaurant opened. On a recent Saturday night, we were essentially ignored by our server who kept playfully saying upon his return "wow, I keep saying I'll come back, but then I never do". Yep, we agree. Opting to share small plates, imagine our surprise when every. single. one. arrived at the exact same time. Including Oysters that had been ordered first 30 minutes ago. Our table looked like a scene from Dr. Suess - things dangling off of the edges. And last, dessert. We opted for key lime pushpops "to go" - and when they came they weren't even remotely lime - they were coconut, and warm and gooey and cloying. We told our server, and he didn't even take them off the bill - just said "I'm glad no one was allergic." I still adore the space, but the shine is off the penny for me....
(2)
Courtney M.
Fish House Punch is something I'd come back for! Grab some at the OysterBar while you wait for your table!
(4)
Katy S.
Solid seafood joint but expensive (we are inland afterall). Oysters were very good but the home-made crackers they offered were bleh (just suck it up and give out saltines if you can't make a cracker better than that). Both the vinegar dip and hotsauce were delicious. The veggie sides were all quite good as were the cocktails (servings are small in both cases). While I enjoyed the hushpuppies, I wouldn't order them again. They're trying to do too much - lots of savory and lots of sweet. One should be a hint to complement the other, either way you do it. The Grouper Cheek was very flavorful. The swordfish was the stand-out. Excellent flavor and accompaniment. The sauce the mussels were served in was super tasty but the mussels themselves were small and rubbery. When you make a sauce that good you gotta give something for sopping. I would return but not with a non-seafood lover. The non seafood options were sparse and uninteresting - a bummer for good sports who tag along anyway. Decor and ambiance were industrial and loud, meh. Patio looked very nice though and the mini golf was a nice touch.
(3)
Laurie F.
One of the Cougar's favorites - everyone needs to just go. Get the Lobster Roll and have a cocktail. Heaven.
(5)
Peter L.
One of the best presentations of snapper I've ever had - whole fish, Asian spicy sweet garlic sauce. Licked the bones clean. Sinful homemade Hawaiian yeast rolls. Fresh oysters- just right. Nice bar. Will be back!
(5)
Erica J.
came on date night without a reservation hoping to snag 2 seats at the bar but it was packed. so we decided to sit in the oyster bar tapas section for their lighter menu. we ordered a dozen oysters, clams with pancetta, raw himachi, and cooked halibut (not my favorite dish that night, thick and tough). everything else was DELICIOUS! oysters were so cold, fresh, and melted in my mouth. can't wait to come dine here in their restaurant and order more food!
If you're a seafood lover this is the place to go. The first time I went there I was amazed by their ways of cooking great place to enjoy some delicious foods.
(4)
Jay M.
A legit 5 start restaurant. The west coast oysters I had were seriously the best I have ever had. Mussels, excellent. As was the charred octopus. Our server steered us very wisely when ordering and the whole fried bass was a gift of the gods. The swordfish was the best I've had other than McKendrick's. All of the sides were awesome. Run, don't walk, to the Optimist because it kicks all kinds of ass.
(5)
Evelyn-Anne C.
Bottom line- you pay for what you get here, but what you get is a dining experience that ranks up there with a place like Bacchanalia, but in a much more casual and approachable atmosphere. The bartender and server we had were incredibly knowledgeable about the entire menu, including all of the wines and other beverages. We received great service from the time we walked in and the food was elegant and unique without feeling pretentious. Reccomendations: cocktail- Beach Shanty: a mix of Allagash White Ale and liquors, perfect for warm weather, highly alcoholic, but delicious appetizer/starter- Oysters: My husband sampled both the West coast and East coast selections. They come with homemade saltines and a house-made cocktail sauce. main dish- Swordfish: cooked in duck fat and finished off with crispy pancetta, this fish was amazing flavorful and rich dessert- Grilled Pound Cake Sunday: perfect for sharing, the ice cream is homemade and wonderful and the grilled pound cake had a really interesting smoky flavor.
(5)
Ande T.
Wow, after reading such glowing reviews, I was really optimistic about my experience at the Optimist last night. However, from the moment we walked in the door, my party of 5 had a fairly pessimistic experience, and we walked away giving the restaurant a C grade overall. First, we called the night before to make a reservation for our group at 7:30 PM (a Tuesday night). They couldn't find our reservation right away and when they did, they didn't have a table available for us until we'd sat at the bar until after 8PM. (D) So we ambled towards the bar and had a few pretty darn good drinks, so our spirits were lifting somewhat. From the reviews, I figured I'd try the Port Antonio. My friends had the Salty Dog and the Mother of Pearl. I liked their drinks much better than mine, which really only tasted of rum and nothing else in a glass that was so filled with ice, it made it extraordinarily difficult to taste the liquor until it became quite watered down. (B) When they finally had a table for us, they seemed to forget that they also needed to assign a server. Really? I understand the restaurant is pretty new, but you should NEVER have your guests wait nearly 30 minutes for someone to come to your table to give you more than water. AND we only got someone to come wait on us when we had to ask another server to track someone down. My friends had brought their 2nd drinks to the table but I decided I'd wait until our server took the table's drink order to get my 2nd. Boy, did I regret that decision. (D) Finally, we ordered food. Oysters on the half shell and a couple of starters (Oysters on Horseback, Shrimp a la plancha, and salad with meyer lemon/anchovy dressing). The server brought out the peel and eat shrimp instead of the al la plancha because the place is very loud and he clearly couldn't hear very well. Otherwise we all greatly enjoyed our appetizers, especially the Oysters on Horseback where the smokiness of the pork belly really melded with the fried oysters well. The one thing they could improve on is to not bring the crackers and the homemade cocktail sauce 20 minutes before you bring out the oysters. (A) The noise level. It's very loud in that space. It would be accpetable and easier to talk without raised voices if it wasn't for the loud music they had playing. The level fluctuated a few times throughout the evening, so I don't think I was the only one to ask my server to turn the volume down. Who turned it up in between is a mystery. Entrees. Of the 5 of us, none was particularly enamored with their entree. Skirt steak had so much sauce that it really drowned out the steak, which was very good on its own. Halibut was just basic, nothing to write home about, with one little hen of the wood mushroom. Seared tuna with octopus, like others have said, had one TINY LITTLE PIECE OF OCTOPUS. Why? Octopus is relatively cheap, especially compared to tuna. Not so many Americans are keen on octopus, so when someone orders octopus on something, it means that they like it. Scallops. 3 scallops and you want to charge $28? They weren't that good to justify the price. And the swordfish sounded really incredible on paper, but just didn't deliver. (D) With tip, our party spent nearly $100 per person and neither of us got dessert. While I still remain optimistic about the restaurant, for the money and our experience, we have so many other great places to dine in Atlanta. We all concluded that if we were to go back to The Optimist, it would only be for drinks and appetizers and we'd sit outside on the patio so we could actually talk.
(2)
Patti D.
I had driven past here several times and was dying to try it. My darling had a tough day at work so I suggested we unwind here after work. Made a reservation through Open Table and off we went. When we got there we decided to sit at the oyster bar. Great choice. Our adorable server Sara took amazing care of us and the food was wonderful. Chose 1/2 doz oysters and split them between West and East coast. Both fresh, briny and delicious. Eric decided on the gumbo, which was filled with yummy seafood. Loved the charred octopus and butter roasted rolls. Even the crackers (they had to have been house made, right?) were super yummy - both sweet and salty. The chardonnay and beer were great ways to wash down fabulous seafood. We even opted for dessert, which is rare for us. The salted caramel ice box cake was so good I'm surprised we didn't lick the plate. But that would not have been polite. The lemon drop cookies came home with us. They are still in their sweet brown paper bag, but they won't be for long. Go. You will adore it. It's the closest thing to being at the beach you can get to in Atlanta. And ask for sweet Sara.
(5)
Kevin M.
Ehh. The atmosphere here is very Westside ATL, which is fine by me. The oyster bar looked really cool though we opted for seated service in the main dining room. The food here is as good as the reviews say it is. The bread at the start, the hushpuppies (beignet-style), etc., it was all very good. It gets a 3 because it's dramatically overpriced for what you get and nothing we had was "knock your socks off" good -- which could have potentially justified the steep prices. Upwards of $3.50 per oyster is just way too much money. Also, most of the fish dishes are served a la carte and although they are prepared simply and executed properly, the dishes don't have any "wow" aspects to them. Again, it's very good food, but when you end up spending $9 for the gumbo or she-crab soup, or $9 each for one of their side dishes to accompany the a la carte fish, the bill adds up quickly and unnecessarily as compared to other quality seafood options out there. If you're not serving side dishes with it, I can't possibly justify more than $18-$22 for a lone grilled piece of fish (rather than the $28 price tag of the swordfish). A few dollars per dish doesn't seem like much, but that's 25% more than it should be and it adds up quick when you have to order multiple items to complete the meal! If they bring their prices down by 20% or so, my rating would immediately jump. Until then, I'll get my oyster fix at Steamhouse or Fontaines', and I'll buy my fish from the likes of Fresh Market and cook it myself. Several tables positioned toward the middle of the restaurant, including ours, were packed too tightly together. We were uncomfortably close to the tables on either side of ours. Also, our server collected the completed bill while we were still seated. Even though both complaints are completely avoidable by the restaurant, I'm not one who gets worked up about that kind of stuff (the server was otherwise great). Neither instance affected my rating. Overall, I honestly don't think we'll be back.
(3)
Kim C.
Amazing! Fresh seafood and gorgeous atmosphere.
(5)
April C.
The space is really nice. Industrial, but still warm and not loud at all. The food was pretty bland. I had the tuna and octopus entree and a side of the mushrooms. The mushrooms were excellent. If I ever go back, I'd certainly get that again. My entree was not very flavorful and there was only one small bite of octopus. Certainly not worth $26. My friend did not love her soup or halibut - again, nothing exciting and overpriced. The other thing I noticed was that it was nice and busy for a Tuesday night, but most of the guests were in suits. Is this the new business dinner spot? As I was leaving, I looked across the street to Bocado and wished I'd gone over there for the burger and saved $60. Probably not a good sign that I'll ever go back.
(2)
Mere C.
O.M.G. This place is to die for! I had heard wonderful things from friends, coworkers, complete strangers, etc. so my boyfriend and I went one night to celebrate his promotion. First, let me start off by saying very cool atmosphere. It was open and airy and definitely had a beach vibe even though Howell Mill is far from it. The staff were all very friendly, and they were able to seat us right away even though we didn't make a reservation. The cocktails rocked, and we started with the fried oysters... un...be...lievable!! They were so good, and I am very particular about my oysters. For our entrees, I had the skirt steak, and Steven had the scallops/glazed pork. Of course he tried mine, and I tried his, but everything was delicious! It was by far the best scallops I have ever had (even compared to beachside restaurants). They were so fresh and tender. The steak and vegetables also blew my mind. It was cooked medium just how I like, and the sauce had an incredible flavor that complemented the steak to perfection. I wish we would have had room for dessert but we were the right amount of full. Overall, it was a wonderful dining experience. We had a very romantic, carefree dinner that satisfied our taste buds and our stomachs. We will definitely be back for more!
(5)
Brian C.
Pretty cool place. Had a good cocktail, and great apps including the lobster roll and a dozen oysters. Entrees were ok and fries were very salty. Thought it was a little overrated.
(3)
Zaire F.
The most amazing lobster roll ever! Add the fresh squeezed lemonade to your lunch as well. It's a Maine lunch right here at home.
(5)
Chris W.
This is a great place. The vibe is great. Trendy, but not pretentious. A nice modern, laid-back feel. I ate at the bar and had a great time. We mostly ordered small plates and all the food was good. I believe it was valet parking only, so that sucks. But that's the only thing I can complain about. Oh yeah - the restrooms. They're like private. Different. Definitely check out the restrooms before you leave.
(5)
Belinda S.
JCT is one of my favorites in Atlanta so I was really excited to try The Optimist. Went last night for a 6:30 reservation. First the positives. Service was fast and knowledgeable. The fresh made bread was delicious, hot buttery and a great start. Got a half dozen oysters half east coast, half west coast. They were wonderful! Without a doubt overpriced but they are so fresh and tasty that I really didn't mind. Unfortunately we went downhill from there. Followed with: -Frothy She Crap Soup - very very buttery, wads of oil floating on the top... yuck. Shrimp toast that accompanied it was DELISH though -Little Gem Salad - essentially a ceaser, nothing to write home about and started a trend for the rest of the meal of everything being overly salted. I am not at all sensitive to salt so this is a lot for me to notice. For entrees we had the Scallops and Skate wing, again very very salty but once we gave them a splash of lemon they were very tasty. The real downer was the sides. We had the roasted beets which were tasty and standard to many other restaurants around town. We also had the gnocchi and potato puree. They were both TERRIBLE. The gnocchi were so soft, literally boiled to death and very little flavor. The potato puree had been whipped to death and literally dripped off a spoon... like soup. Disgusting. We then followed with literally the worst dessert I've ever had. Grilled pound cake with ice cream and fried peanuts. The pound cake was so dry, it was below grocery store quality. The cake had no warmth but grill marks.. how long had it been sitting around? Ew! The thing that really made me lose it were the two floor hostesses who I had perfect view of all night. Clearly neither have been trained on how to serve because both of them had their fingers in peoples plates all night. One of them would not stop playing with her hair, eyes, teeth everything and then taking plates from the window. I meant to call today and complain on this matter because it was truly disgusting. Bottom line - so many kinks to works out, expensive menu, lots of potential. I hope it gets better!
(2)
Jen K.
Honestly, I do not understand how this place is so highly reviewed. The food was mediocre at best. I took about 10 people here for lunch during the week. We ordered the raw oysters (the only good thing I tried), the peel & eat shrimp (mediocre with old bay seasoning), the bisque (not good), some sides to share (also mediocre) and then our entrees. Not a single person in our group loved the food. Not ONE. So I know it wasn't just me. I had the lobster cobb salad. Frankly, I don't know how you mess that up. But they managed to do it. The salad sucked. The lobster looked limp and was just dumped on top. The dressing sucked. Just overall, the taste and presentation was mediocre. I will not be back.
(2)
Tom D.
Delicious! The hush puppies are worth the trip! We had a party of 12 and everyone loved what they ordered, service was a bit slow, but like I said "we had 12 people" and it is a busy place! Get there early and have a cocktail.
(4)
Barry G.
I'm kicking myself for not writing this review sooner. I actually visited the Optimist late in the summer 2012 and I was realllllly impressed. I'm a big fan of the Westside (my office is right over there) and the Optomist is an excellent addition to the fancy places starting to define the neighborhood. First impressions are huge here. the restaurant is beautiful. There's a huge dining room, huge bar and a smaller what appears to be a fish bar. We visited for an anniversary and were glad that we chose this restaurant. The menu is a perfect size offering several choices but not offering too much as to confuse or dilute the theme of the place. You're in a seafood restaurant. We found a table that worked out well for us (my fiancee, didn't like the first table....not sure why) and were introduced to our server. The food was excellent, we ordered oysters to start, as we tend to do wherever they are offered and were very impressed with the quality. As I recall 2 different types were on offer when we visited. One from the east coast and another from the west. It was great to really sample the difference and compare the texture & flavor of each. At this point it's worth noting that it was not cheap. Oysters are sold individually. This seems like robbery to those of us accustomed to the gulf where you can likely order them by the weight or half-dozen at very least. The premium cost was fortunately born out by the quality and selection of the oysters. Sadly I don't recall the entree selections of the rest of the tabel but I ordered swordfish which was fantastic. Everyone at the table was really impressed with their entree selections and the atmosphere of the place. Sadly I can't go into more detail as this was a few months ago BUT writing this review has helped me decide to visit again very soon. Look for an update soon.
(5)
Will F.
Best restaurant in town. I've sat at the Oyster Bar 5 times and have always LOVED the food, my favorites are the Hush Puppies and the Swordfish. James, behind the bar, is great to talk to...my wife loves the specialty drinks he makes. One of the best bartenders in town hands down.
(5)
Erica A.
I absolutely loved this restaurant! My boyfriend and I had reservations on a Sunday and they were surprisingly pretty busy since they were just voted best new restaurant in Atlanta. The hostess was warm, friendly, and greeted us right away. We got there early and she offered us to have a drink at the bar, or to be seated immediately. We decided to sit but it took a few minutes to be greeted by our waiter. I didn't deduct any stars for that since we knew they were busy. We loved that we could bring our own wine for a $15 corking fee. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was fun, the menu was diverse, and the service was friendly and not too "in your face". I would definitely recommend it to anyone going on a date or even just for a gathering of friends.
(5)
Paul S.
I am a native Floridian. Seafood is my middle name. My wife and I went to The Optimist with very high expectations. We are light eaters so we shared some of the Oysters - which we phenomenal. The horseradish was not the normal creamy stuff, it was the true root and it was a perfect compliment to the homemade cocktail sauce that was served with the oysters. We then moved to a single main course, Redfish with cornmeal crust (very light dusting) with brussel sprouts. The side dishes were hush puppies (ridiculously good), beets with blue cheese and brussel sprouts. We had the beignets with a unbelievable sauce. They have a very reasonable corkage fee. The Service was some of the best ever. Excellent Meal - Will repeat!
(5)
Johnston O.
Went for the first time last night, the food and atmosphere are excellent but our service was borderline awful. The food gets a 4.5, but the service was a 1. I go to restaurants for the food and very rarely rate for service; adequate service is all that I expect, but this was so bad it substantially affected the experience. Food: Oysters - half and half East Coast/West Coast - both were delicious and extremely fresh, it's nice to try both and really taste the difference Octopus starter - this was awesome, possibly my favorite part of the meal. Very spicy and cooked perfectly Mussels - these were great and fresh, but the bread was good for sopping up the sauce. More of a classic approach to mussels, nothing unusual. Monkfish - the monkfish was excellent - well cooked and great flavor. The description on the menu did not accurately describe it - I believe it only mentioned pickled fennel and onions, but it was served over tomato sauce with olives as well. Kind of a monkfish provencal, which I liked but was much heavier than I anticipated. Cocktails - very good and well mixed Service - It may be a product of a new or bad waitress, but we were ignored for the first 20 minutes after being seated. The junior server/bus girl brought us bread and poured water promptly, and luckily came back 15 minutes later when she saw that our waitress had not been by yet. This is understandable if the restaurant is crowded or understaffed, or if you're with a large party, but there were 2 of us, with plenty of open seats around and no one outside our area appeared to experience these problems. The service from our waitress was generally slow the rest of the night as well , with long lulls of being forgotten. This is only remarkable because she did not deliver any of the food, other staff did. I enjoy a long meal, but spending over 2 hours for 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 cocktails and a beer is a bit much. I plan on going back sometime in the not too distant future, hopefully this was just bad luck and if so I'll update.
(3)
Keith B.
Two visits to The Optimist. Oysters are good also the mussels. Main course (Fish) was very tasty and presented well. The building has a modern, beach house feel. Service was adequate, the waitress was a little over-tatooed, but what are you going to do? Be prepared, the food and drinks are pricey and it is has been very crowded. I guess it is the typical Atlanta rush for a new spot. I did not stop at the bar, but it looked about 3 deep at 6:30 on a Friday night.
(4)
Kevin W.
What was Bon Appetit thinking when they included this place on their Best New Restaurants list? And then to put it on the cover?? Please. The Optimist is a terrific space with a good vibe and a very of-the-moment wine list. (The staff may be a little too hipster-coolio but that's par for the course.) The cooking, however, is ham-fisted. Great quality fish and shellfish gets clobbered with too much fat and too much salt in dish after dish. This is trendy dude food excess at its most dispiriting, and it spoils perfectly good ingredients. Ford Fry, who opened the place, is apparently a fancy chef, so it's too bad there's not a good cook in his kitchen. The Optimist leaves you wanting less.
(2)
Foodie F.
Was expecting to not like this place after the disastrous dinner I had at King & Duke but here I am writing a glowing review. First off, the space is beautiful & very comfortable, like visiting your wealthy uncle's beach house. The food is also very good - for some reason I've found that brussels sprouts at most restaurants taste like gasoline but these guys are doing them in fish sauce & have managed to turn me into a full on enthusiast. I had some oversalted collards once but I am willing to overlook that on account of it being a singular experience. I will however shy away from a 5 star review because the bartender seemed a little disorganized & inattentive both times I sat at the bar which was a bit of a mood killer.
(4)
Chataun D.
With nearly 600 reviews, mine isn't all that necessary but here-a-goes. We had the fish and chips (sweet potato steak fries), almond crusted trout, the collards, hush puppies, and lemon pot dessert. Everything was absolutely amazing! The food temperature, seasoning, and even the cocktails were exceptional. Despite our positive experience with the food, the parking valet was not so positive. There is very little self parking. And my husband was disappointed with the amount of dust and dirt that was left on his car mats, on more than one occasion. When busy, the valet suffers from incompetence.
(5)
Locals O.
I feel like the place is overly hyped. I didn't expect it to be so busy on a weekday so make sure you have a reservation. Oh, and only valet. The atmosphere was nice with the mini golf course in front of the restaurant. The bread they give you was buttery and soft. We let our server be in charge of picking 2 dozen oysters for us. The crackers that came with the oysters were good haha Starters - Fried gulf oysters - the horseradish mayo really complimented the taste Charred Spanish octopus - very tender and flavorful Mussels- theses were a miss for me. Some of the shells were missing the actual mussel meat. Entree - Duck fat poached swordfish - a lot of flavor going on in one plate. George's bank scallops - had to be my favorite the asparagus gave it a little bit of a crunch. Sides - Bok Choy- very pickled!! Beets - were okay didn't really have much flavor just a lot of color Mushrooms - yummy but a bit salty For dessert we has one of everything but brown sugar cake had to be my favorite!! The cake itself was soft but had a bit of a crunch because of the brown sugar The sour cream icecream was a miss for me it was too tart for my taste.
(3)
Carter B.
Came here for lunch with a colleague. The atmosphere is nice, with a big roomy feel to it. Started with the grilled octopus. It was very good. Never had a tentacle before but it was great. Wouldn't recommend for more than two people, kind of tiny. I had the blackened fish sandwich, colleague had lobster roll. Fish sandwich was good, nothing spectacular. Lobster roll looked great and was delicious. The French fries made the entire meal, I could've eaten a plate of them. Service was okay, a little slow. Our food was cold by the time we got it and there was a LONG gap between appetizer and entree. We valet parked, and it took about twenty minutes to get our car. Not a very efficient system and not worth the $2 to valet. Valet is very rude too, kind of ruined the dreamy lunch we just had. Overall the food is great, but the parking is a nightmare and kind of ruins the experience. Would recommend ubering if you're going to try it!
(3)
Rodney A.
Bring $200 for two and you'll be covered for a full course meal and a bottle of good wine. This place is exceptional. Food is phenomenal, and ambiance is spectacular.
(5)
Mara K.
When in Atlanta - EAT HERE! I was in Atlanta for business but luckily stayed with friends during my trip. My friend suggested we go to dinner at The Optimist - it's in an up and coming neighborhood, decorated insanely cool, and the food is first class. I ordered the scallops and was very pleased with the preparation and presentation. Scallops can be dicey and unsatisfying - NOT the case at The Optimist. Delicious. I also had the beet salad - tasty with a great dressing. Good accompaniment to the scallops. My friend ordered soft-shelled crab. I had a taste and thought it was purty darn good. Great selection of draft beers and wines. Dessert sealed the deal. WOW. I had the toasted marshmallow on chocolate cake. This is the fanciest (and tastiest) marshmallow I've ever had. I had complete dessert envy over my friend's choice of salted caramel icecream. It was amazing on many levels. I love the layout and decor of The Optimist. Modern in a beachy way. Also - really cool single bathroom situation - with several to choose from. I wish every restaurant had bathrooms like this.
(5)
L P.
There's nothing negative to say at all! The food was out of this world, and the service matched! Five of us went for a Mother's Day outing and it was the best meal I think we all have ever had, and specifically in Atlanta. The seafood was spectacular (mind you we are from Daytona Beach and I don't want to pat myself on the back, but we know good seafood). Do NOT pass up on dessert! The cookie ice cream sandwiches and home made ice creams were all divine!!!
(5)
Jordan D.
I came here for my boyfriends birthday--my treat. AMAZING! The atmosphere is awesome (minus it being a little loud). We sat a table by the window overlooking the incredible modern bar and oyster bar next to it. Some tables have velvet couches and there are big tables good for groups. Great wine list. We started with raw oysters that were heavenly. They came with your typical cocktail sauce, vinegar, basil and homemade crackers. Yum. Swordfish was delicious. Highly recommend. The hush puppies with cane sugar butter were to die for!! Monk fish was amazing as well.
(5)
Jenny L.
Can I say OVERSALTED OVERSALTED SAUCY SAUCY? My friend and I ordered about 5 small plates, a dozen oysters, and an entree. Every dish was SALTY SALTY SALTY and OVER-SAUCED. Octopus leg? Not impressed. Curly Kale? Not impressed. Beets? how is it pink rather than red? tasted like potato wedges. Mushrooms? Grilled and salty. Scallop entree? came out lukewarm and scallps were overcooked and salty. Chefs in this restaurants must have no tastebuds. They just mask the dish with hella salt and not much flavor. Perhaps they're trying to mask the not-so-fresh seafood taste. I was excited about this place after reading the reviews but every dish was a disappointment. What was more frustrating was that for some reason, there were 2 servers to our table and they took turns every 5 minutes to come by and bother us about whether we were finished with our dishes. My conversation got interrupted literally every five minutes with 2 servers alternating and coming by the table and pointing at the dishes that still had food left in it asking "are you finished with that & may i take that out of your way?"......dude, if i still have half the food sitting on the plate, we are probably still working on it. The question of whether they can take a dish away was soooooooooooooooooo freakin often (literally every 5 minutes) that i was beginning to wonder if they were running out of dishes in the kitchen and perhaps they needed to get the dishes from the table back to the kitchen fast. I had no clue why they were being this way. It was super bothersome and after about 20th time of 2 servers coming by the table to take our plates away that still had food on them, I just gave up, mentally threw my hands in the air in disbelief and said "yes, we are finished with everything" when we still had 3 plates of food that we were still munching on occasionally while conversing. What the fuck was up with these servers? There is a fine line between good service and straight up annoyance with too many interruptions by servers. I've never had to be bothered so much by the servers before and this place just went way beyond over the top. Buy some more plates or stop having 2 servers man the table with just party of 2! It was beyond ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Overpriced, overhyped, no good food, creepy servers who try to take your plate away every 5 minutes, valet guys who don't even open the car door for a lady while taking hefty tips, men coming out of women's restroom with piss all over the seat and unflushed toilet. Are people crazy thinking that oversalted oversauced seafood is GREAT seafood?!?!?!?!?!!? Never again! I woke up the next morning and my eyelids were so puffy from salt or msg or whatever the hell they sprinkle on their food that i could not open my eyes. Food here is poison for your kidneys and liver. Even chinese food with msg hasn't made my eyelids this puffy the next morning. I looked like pufferfish the next morning and couldn't even put on eye makeup cuz my whole face was so swollen from this restaurant food. Ladies who don't wanna get bloated, DO NOT EAT HERE!
(1)
Chuck Z.
Dannnnnnngggggg...... A bit pricey but the food was excellent. Service was impeccable, awesome interior, great desserts. Not sure if the salted Carmel ice cream is a staple on the menu but it was outstanding. I could rub that stuff on my abs and PRESTO! A six pack! Will dine again on their nom noms.
(4)
JAN k.
Five stars is not enough for this exceptional seafood restaurant in a land locked town. The six star items we had were hushpuppies, halibut cheeks, swordfish, and the mushrooms. The five star items we had were mussels, steak dinner, squid salad,octupus,, scallops, gumbo and peel and eat shrimp. This was a seafood only gumbo. The mere 4 star items were the rest....collard greens, porgy , fried potatoes, and yeast rolls. The two icecreams we had ..salted caramel and burnt sugar were simply out of this world. We had a gluten free cake that we brought with us from a bakery on collier rd. Doesn't matter about the cake when the icing is chocolate fudge. Service was outstanding. So glad someone else was paying as this place is too expensive for a little old lady on a fixed income. My husband said it was the best seafood dinner he has had since he was born...71years ago. This man knows his seafood. Our reservation was 6;30 on a Friday night so we sat down and ate for at least 2 hours. Loved it.
(5)
A B.
My girlfriend and I went to the Optimist about a week ago for early dinner and oysters. We read all the great reviews, the Esquire Magazine praise, we wanted oysters real bad, so it was a no-brainer. The place wasn't busy, yet the service was lacking, The servers seemed scattered and absent minded, and it took a while to get anything. Also, they kept repeatedly bringing us dishes we never ordered, after we had already eaten...obviously meant for other tables. Ok, now the food and drinks... We ordered two cocktails and a beer...they were truly amazing (although it took forever to get them)....compliments to the bartender. We had a dozen oysters, 6 east coast and 6 west coast...they were really good and tasted fresh. However, they weren't properly shucked since we kept biting into pieces of shell. We had 3 small plates; bok choy, beets, and salad with anchovy. Bok choy was okay, beets were disappointing, salad tasted good but it would be nice to have more than one tiny piece of anchovy. They also served a couple of salted bread rolls, which were fine. And now for dessert....4-5 hours after eating at the Optimist, my girlfriend and I were both shitting our guts out. We spent the entire night on the toilet, taking turns. Since we didn't eat the same things at the same place for breakfast or lunch, it had to be from the Optimist. Sorry Esquire, Yelp, and Atlanta, but this place isn't very good. I'd give it ONE STAR, but the cocktails were great. Besides the food poisoning, nothing tasted great or unique, and the oysters, although tasty, were probably the culprit of our murdering of the toilet.
(2)
Katie C.
I came here in November and everything was superb. I would recommend anything on the menu. If you can't get a reservation that night or if you just want to come by yourself, bellying up to the oyster bar where you'll still be able to get the best The Optimist has to offer.
(5)
Roxanne C.
The Optimist was a huge disappointment. In summary: * Overpriced everything. The oysters are each approx. $1 more expensive than they should be... seriously folks? $3.50 and $3.75 a pop? At that price, I'm looking for pearls in each and every one. Also, the most affordable fish entree (aside from the fish & chips entree which is a steep $20) is $24 and not only is it a tiny portion, it comes with absolutely nothing save for some lemon juice and olive oil... i.e. nothing. * Service was extremely slow. It took forever for our drinks to arrive and our server seemed to have totally forgotten about them. We had to remind her about them well after our appetizers arrived. Then it took, no joke, approx. 30 mins for our entree to arrive after she cleared our appetizers plates. * Extremely limited oyster selection for an oyster bar. If you're going to say that you're an oyster bar, I expect a decent selection. And, no, a decent selection does not equal one East Coast option and one West Coast option which if you close your eyes while eating taste pretty much the same. Where's the variety?! * Cramped seating. For such a large building, the tables were extremely close together. Forget having a romantic dinner here, at least if you're seated at a two-top, unless by romantic you mean that the folks at the tables on either side of you can easily hear everything you're saying and could easily join your conversation without remotely having to raise their voice. * For the price, the food isn't that great. The she-crab soup was extremely salty, as was the octopus, and the $24 fish was overcooked. The hush puppies - which are intended to accompany savory entrees - were drenched in powdered sugar... really? fish and sugar?! And the beignets, which our server assured us were light and fluffy, we anything but. They were incredibly dense and soaked in an overly sweet syrup. Also, two things that probably wouldn't have bothered me if everything else was spot on... * Our server highly recommended the shrimp small plate, but did not convey just how much of a pain in the arse it was, in fact she downplayed it. We specifically mentioned that we hate peel & eat shrimp because we never find that it's worth the effort plus it tends to be ridiculously messy. Well folks, this shrimp dish is that to the nth degree. Because of the sauce it is particularly messy and for some reason it was practically impossible to remove more than three-quarters of the meat from the shell. At the price they're charging, I think it's only fair that I get everything I'm paying for. * At the end of the evening, we asked whether they offered Irish or similar coffee drinks. Our server said yes, so we ordered two. Well, their version of such coffee drinks is to bring you coffee and then a shot of the alcohol separately. I know, this is a really small thing, but at this point I had had it. I have never been anywhere that offered such drinks where I had to mix my own beverage and it didn't come all nice and frothy from either the addition of whipped cream or steamed milk. So yeah, a huge disappointment and I would not return in the future nor would I recommend it. There are other restaurants in Atlanta that offer seafood on par with or better than the Optimist and that don't hurt your pocketbook nearly as much.
(2)
Seyna B.
We've dined here 3 times in the last month. Yes we like it that much. First 2 occasions was for dinner and the last time was at lunch. I personally prefer the dinner menu and atmosphere. The food is great. The staff are lovely and the wine list (by the glass) is decent. Highly recommend.
(5)
Shannon J.
The entrees we had (swordfish and scallops) were average. The sides (sweet potatoes and corn muffins) were divine. Desert, cheese cake with pomegranate seeds was wonderful. We took Marta, bus was on time and drops you off right in front. Great overall experience
(3)
Lauren M.
Not at all what I expected to be writing in review the day after having dinner at the Optimist. The place itself has a cool vibe and the staff was friendly.... beyond that, the service/meal was awful. I was pretty much in shock and thought maybe someone in the kitchen was playing a joke on my date and myself.... I was expecting a fantastic meal. First of well we had a 7:30 reservation (tuesday night.) Arrived on time and sat at the bar to wait for our table to be ready. At 8:30, my date finally asked one of the hostesses what was going on-- to which she said, "oh, I thought since you were sitting at the bar that you didn't want your table any more..." Umm... what??? We ordered the octopus appetizer at the waitress' suggestion. It was salty and spicy and basically tasted like a hot wing (in flavor.) Not good. Then I had the grouper-- terrible and basically all salt-- and my date had the skate wing (which was highly recommended) and he didn't like it at all either-- was basically a fried mess with way too much sauce. The only good thing I ate was the a piece of bread before the meal.... once I realized I wasn't going to eat more than 2 bites of my dinner I asked the waitress for another piece of bread, and lo and behold they had run out. The seating situation was abysmal. the food was virtually inedible, and it took forever. waitress/bar tender were nice but I don't think that alone justifies any more stars! Would come back here to the bar just because the place has a cool vibe, but I wouldn't pay $40 to eat here for dinner let alone $200.
(1)
Melanie S.
Very good food, especially the salmon, fish and chips and shrimp and grits. The service is great. The cocktails are excellent get a hurricane. I love the mini golf courses in the front. The east and west coast oysters are good, fresh, good home made oyster crackers and sauce. A bit overpriced, thus four instead of five stars. The yeast rolls are the best. The sides like mushrooms, fried rice, hush puppies and squash are well worth the $6. Kids meals are $7 and really great.
(4)
Kiki J.
Cool atmosphere. First time eating there. We ate on the oyster side on the patio by the putting green. We were on our way to a concert at Terminal West and just wanted to get a small bite and some drinks before the show. The oysters did not disappoint! Good service. Friendly wait staff. Definitely going back to try the other side of the restaurant which is slightly more formal with an extensive menu, in which to our dismay, was not an option since we were sitting on the 'oyster side' of this eclectic joint. Did I mention there was a putting green?
(5)
arlene d.
Went for an Anniversary lunch with my husband. We had a great lunch. The service was good. We had the she crab soup more like a bisque but I like the creamy smooth texture. Would have liked to seen a small garnish of crab on the top. Shrimp today was very good pretty heavy though. We had a mixed salad, the mussels which were delicious quiet spicy . We did get the lobster roll based on all the reviews but that was the one thing I was disappointed in the lobster was water logged and the flavor was lacked .Would pass on that . Fries were very good.
(4)
Ilene Silverberg B.
My husband and I went to The Optimist last night for the first time to celebrate our anniversary. While there were some hiccups with the valet, we were immediately greeted by two smiling faces and super friendly hostesses who, upon giving my name for the reservation, cheerfully said, "Happy Anniversary!" We were seated at a nice corner booth by the kitchen by a very nice host, and were immediately greeted by one of the managers with two glasses of champagne for our anniversary. Our server, Ben, was absolutely fantastic! He knew everything there is to know about the restaurant and menu, and even made suggestions for each section with his favorite dishes. My husband had Ben let the raw bar chef choose 3 of his favorite oysters, which he said were all very good, and we also ordered the octopus for an app at Ben's recommendation. He did not fail us - it was absolutely delicious! For our meals, my husband got the scallops and I ordered the swordfish, at Ben's recommendation, and both were cooked perfectly. We also got four sides - hearts of palm, fried rice, hush puppies and bock choy, all of which complimented our meals perfectly. The hush puppies were lighter than other places, and I really enjoyed the hint of salt that meshed so well with the sweet flavor. We were so full at this point that when the dessert menu came, we graciously said no thank you, but Ben brought over a cup of the salted caramel ice cream for us anyway, which was just as good, if not better than Morelli's. As we exited the restaurant, we thanked the hostesses and told them how wonderful the service and food was. They flagged down the front-of-house manager, Scott, so we could give him our praises and we ended up having a really positive and memorable conversation with him for about 20 minutes. The experience, decor and food all made it worth celebrating our anniversary at The Optimist and we will definitely return very soon.
(5)
Calvin H.
Great great restaurant! Had a wonderful time. The space is very cool, brick and high ceiling, like a warehouse. Terrific menu / lots of great fish options. I had the snapper and one of the fish opportunities of the day, both were delicious. Server was very friendly / pleasant, great experience overall, looking forward to going back.
(5)
Jonathan M.
This is my favorite place in Atlanta to go for fresh fish. Even though it always seems to be too busy to get exceptional service, the food is always outstanding. Plus, as long as I get my food and drinks in a timely manner, I don't care if the server treats me like I'm part of the royal family.
(4)
Aun' S.
I went here with a group of foodie friends a few weeks ago. I really liked the ambiance and how they have lots and lots of tables. We didn't have a reservation. It was Friday night around 8pm and we were seated promptly to my surprise. We didn't even have to go to the bar and have a drink until our table was ready like most Atl restaurants on the weekend. I had the scallops and they were cooked perfectly!! We each ordered a side dish and were able to share them between the four of us. I had the sweet potatoes and they were amazing!!! I also enjoyed the fried basmati rice and brussels spouts. My friend did order oysters and enjoyed the variety available there. She said she liked that the oyster selections were different than other oyster bars in the area. Service was great and valet was quick on a rainy night! The only thing that I didn't like was the chairs were a bit hard but who cares when you have great food.
(4)
Jeff M.
Chef Ford Fry can do no wrong and it is always delicious. This place has nailed down the modern, trendy, southern, spacious, comfortable, and stylish look, inside and out. Not unlike Empire State South, Miller Union, or even JCT.Kitchen in its decor yet somehow better. You actually have the sensation when you're inside that this restaurant is located right on the water. For those you not native to this city, Atlanta is not on the water. I've been for lunch and dinner now. Ever since I spent a week in Portland, ME subsisting on a diet of lobster and more lobster, I'm always craving lobster yet become disappointed due to the high bar Maine has set. The lobster roll here is authentic and damn delicious. I will not tell a lie; I briefly considered ordering a second one on the spot. The freshness of the lobster is key. As is the roll. Fantastically simple and it shows. It is the best lobster roll in the city. The shoestring fries are the PERFECT side. The salads here are excellent as well. The little gem salad, with anchovy dressing, parmesan, and croutons had the people at the next people drooling. When I went for dinner, we had the garlicky tiny clams & pork belly with hand-torn croutons and chili, a dish so fantastically tasty and spicy, that the only thing comparable and the only thing that bests it is the angry mussels at Fry's other restaurant JCT.Kitchen. The Pacific wild cod with corn, corn puree, and shishito peppers is another example of beauty in simplicity. A wonderful dish. Most seafood places start to fall flat come dessert time. Not here. The buttermilk doughnuts with muscadine and lavendar and blueberry ice cream is the perfect sweet that is needed at the end of a meal like this. The lemon pound cake is something out of a grandmother's home recipe book. Ridiculously good. I want to thank The Optimist for coming along and addressing the anemic seafood scene in ATL. It is a transfusion the city desperately needs.
(4)
Kevin K.
It's nice to find something so familiar in a different town. You know the place locally sourced fresh fish, knowledgeable staff, great atmosphere, and most importantly great food. We got to this place around 9pm on a Thursday and pulled up to the bar and ordered five apps a bottle of white and waited for our table. Every app here is good I would go for the whole roasted shrimp ala plancha(didn't order it but saw it and instantly got envy). When we sat down we order the entrees. Man we played musical plates, rotating every few minutes and again everything was phenom. I have to say that this was probably the best meal in ATL. Don't miss out on the hush puppies....I love these pillowy treats. I love coming to the south but sometimes you need something a little lighter to feel good about a meal. This was that meal. Desserts were to die for the chocolate cassoulet was my favorite definitely a chocolate lovers dream and the lavender and lime tart were highlights. Great place and not too pricey as well. If you were closer I would be here at least 2X a month. For now I will see you a couple times a year but can't wait to get back. Cheers and Happy eats!
(4)
Claudia R.
LOBSTER ROLL. Mmmm-mmmm, lobster roll! Actually, the most amazing lobster roll I've had in a long time...so fresh I could have been in a seaside town instead of Atlanta's Westside. It's not the traditional, mayo-based recipe...I think it may just be the fresh lobster and butter, which really lets you taste the sweetness of the lobster meat. This yummy goodness is heaped onto a perfectly toasted buttered roll. Yeah, butter butter ALL over. Totally worth an extra 15 minutes on the treadmill the morning after, promise! Went with large group, so I got to sample a lot of the lunch menu...among the things I want to try in the future: fish and chips, blackened cod sandwich, butter burger (for the non-seafoodies), lobster cobb salad, shrimp loaf. The fries were good, too. I think we ended ordering one of each dessert, and all were very good. The decor is great, very bright and airy...very easy to forget you're on Howell Mil Rd. Need to come back to indulge at the oyster bar, or perhaps to sit outside for some cocktails - I'm curious as to whether anyone actually mini-golfs out there.
(5)
Troy D.
Had an amazing meal. We had a ton of small plates. Damn it was delicious. The shrimp la pancha was crazy good. The fish chowder was incredible. Michael Dobbins our server was a rock star. His recommendations made the meal. Thanks!
(5)
Karly G.
i love the bright and openness of this place. it's very rustic. i didn't care for the food so much. i didn't mind the price but everything i ordered today was really salty. i had the peal & eat shrimps, $12 for 6 large shrimps and the cajun seasoning was too generous. i didn't like the tartar sauce that came with it and opted to eat with the lemon wedges. it helped with the saltiness a little bit. the shrimps were considerably huge and very fresh though. i had the lobster roll and subbed for the Brussels sprouts. i was more than elated when i got it but was disappointed because it was just too salty. the flavor were extremely delicious if it wasn't overly seasoned with salt. my lobster roll was a little bit salty, but bearable because the roll sort of soaked in some of that. the lobster tail was fresh and yes, there were chunks of lobster topped on a grilled roll - i can't tell if it was brioche, but i don't think so. it tasted alright, it wasn't something i would come back for second. they forgot my sweet tea... luckily it wasn't on the check... it wasn't a big deal but i have to admit that the food came out really fast. which was a plus because we were short on time. all in all, it's a decent place for seafood but i can't say that i'll make my way out here again.
(3)
Santo P.
Another hipster joint. Where are the mason jars? Three of us came here because they had a decent Zagat rating but we found the restaurant itself is overrated. For those who say this is the best restaurant they have ever been to I would recommend you get out more often! While the food did not suck it was not excellent either, the service was slow. I am from Los Angeles so forgive me if this is below my standards but it is and we will not be going back. At least I gave them two stars, it could be worse.
(2)
LeRue C.
The optimist is definitely optimistic! Reasonably priced seafood in Atlanta, not so easy to find. The optimist is not the exception. The restaurant is really cute and summery and reminds you of a seaside restaurant on one side and a fine dining open air restaurant on the other side. Me and a foodie friend popped in without a reservation so we ended up eating outside and could only order off the bar menu. We ordered the crab, crab cakes, octopus, and the mussels. The crab was 12 bucks if I am correct and it was just two small crab legs. The crab cakes while really good were similarly priced and they were maybe a tad larger than a quarter. The octopus and mussels were well prepared. The opitmis also makes fresh watermelon and strawberry cocktail that was really refreshing and delicious. Total tab about 70 bucks after tip. We were both satisfied but not full. I really wanted to try the soft shelled crab I had heard about but we were told they were out when we arrived at 6:30pm. I hate when that happens. Soooo... I will have to go back one day with a reservation or at least earlier than 6:30p. The soft shelled crab has been calling my name. If you're on a budget, and are looking for large portions, the Optimist is not for you. I am basing my review on the bar menu but the portion sizes and the prices do not commensurate at all.
(3)
Vanessa R.
4th time here but again another atlanta chef takes a perfectly good basic and tries to hipsterize it. Please leave my shoestring fries on my fish and chips alone!!!!! Why mess around with a standard FRENCH FRIES. Did a child make these fries. "Well the chef wanted to add texture to the dish so now we have hand torn potatoes" ...wtf.....what did you say. Did you say that with a French accent. Atlanta you do basics well...stop fighting it. It's fish and chips.. So these hand torn potatoes came ot with the crust the texture of oyster skins. Either have a basic and make it pwefecrly or just take it off the menu. Let me tell you no one wants to be served potatoes ripped to shreds by a child and then deep fried....no fair optimist.
(2)
Lizzie L.
This is my new favorite restaurant in Atlanta. We went here for our anniversary dinner last weekend. We made reservations and were seated right away. We ordered a dozen oysters, she crab soup, fish chowder, shrimp a la plancha, and the scallop entree. Between the two of us, it was the perfect amount. There was a piece of fried shrimp toast that came with the she crab soup that I could probably eat 10 of if I was not in public. The oysters took a lot longer to come out than everything else. Not sure why. Even with that issue I'll still give this place 5 stars because I loved everything else. Decor, food, atmosphere. Perfect.
(5)
Lisa N.
OMG... I have been here 3 times, ordered a ton of different dishes and I am always both surprised and delighted. My favorites .. The Mussels, the Mahi and this apple cake with cream sauce yum.
(5)
Tim H.
Went for lunch and sat at the bar for faster service. The gumbo was so so. The lobster roll was also ok. Did not think it was anything amazing like previous reviewers.
(3)
L S.
Visiting from Chicago and planned to visit the Optimist after clients of ours told us it was the "Only restaurant we need to go to while in Atlanta". With a recommendation like that- and limited time in town- it seemed to be our best bet. Since it was brunch time, we started with Bloody Marys- which were outstanding- just enough spice and perfectly balanced. Our waiter was extremely helpful in guiding us through the menu, so after discussing our tastes he recommended we try the grilled octopus (crispy potato salad, chorizo, herbs, creme fraiche) and the head on ga white shrimp a la plancha, ("sopping" toast, arbol chile, lime ), and the east coast oysters (fresh horseradish and mignonette). The octopus was very good and was an interesting play with the texture of the petite crispy chips and creamy creme fraiche. The oysters were fresh and tasted as oysters should. But wow-sweet Lord- the shrimp- That was an experience all on its own. I would honestly say that dish alone was the greatest thing I have tasted in at least 3 years. It was perfectly done and went so well with the deliciously made in-house crackers they had on the table (which btw they should sell in stores because we would eat them everyday they are so delicious!) Okay so all of that sounds great right? So, we decided to order more food as we were settling in. The next round began with a lobster cobb salad (dijon mustard dressing), 2 cups of seafood gumbo w/ potluck bread and rice, and another round of Bloody Marys. Okay-now I'm not sure what happened from our first set of dishes to the second- but honestly and quite surprisingly it wasn't even in the same realm as the first. The lobster cobb- even though the lobster was cooked perfectly- the butter lettuce was sopping wet from the amount of dijon- so much that no other flavors could be tasted. We actually just picked out the lobster and left both salads on the plates. The gumbo was attractively presented with individually wrapped bread servings, but the gumbo itself was lifeless and felt like the roux had been rushed therefore lacked any real depth of flavor. And finally, and most sadly- the second rounds of Bloody Marys had clearly been made by someone with less care and attention as the firsts, as they tasted bitter and overly spiced. One came with an olive and one didn't, and the lime wedges were both dried out. I know that can sound sounds overly picky- but as we discussed during the meal- the change in quality while dining, etc flavors would have been the difference between a Michelin star (or two) and nothing. We were poised for a shoo-in and left feeling slightly disappointed. Probably best they don't offer that rating system here. Anyway- overall it was a positive experience- simply because I was able to taste their shrimp dish. I really think my life might actually be better as a result of those flavors! The dining room, bar, and exterior seating area were beautifully designed, and the wait staff could not have been more pleasant. But the turn in taste half way through almost guaranteed we won't be dining again the next time we are in town.
(4)
Kate M.
I was really excited to visit The Optimist for my birthday dinner after hearing all my friends talk about how great it was. Overall it was just OK - there were good and parts to the meal and experience but I don't know that I would necessarily come back here again to celebrate a special occasion. They had an awesome area outside with putt putt on the lawn. On the Saturday I went they had live music that was fun and folksy and a really nice touch. all the doors were open and the warm night air breezed into the bar easily. It was neat to see the oyster bar and wood fired hearth where they made all of those style plates. I think if I do return it would be to grab a few cocktails and some apps. Not only would it be more laid back, but the price point would certainly help my wallet. The staff was welcoming, and the restaurant was still very busy at 9:15 pm which was the earliest we could get our reservation. The valet was not complimentary which was surprising, but it was only $2. The hostess had great attention to detail and while seating us flipped out our napkins from white to black so we wouldn't get any fuzzies on what we were wearing. Definitely a good eye! The space itself is industrial chic with a cool beach atmosphere. They have a beautifully stocked bar and open concept kitchen where you'll see the chefs at work and flames shooting up every once in a while. Now, on to the food! I absolutely love seafood, but was a bit disappointed when our waiter told us they were already out of multiple dishes and if we wanted a dessert we better order it now since they were running out of most. We hadn't even looked at the menu yet! We got some drinks (They were delicious! I highly recommend the Jolly Roger.) and perused at our leisure. For apps we got the frothy she-crab soup and the salmon "opportunity." The soup wasn't made with actual crab meat - just crab roe. It was very frothy as the name implied but it had the viscosity of water. The flavor was good and I could have drank the whole thing in two minutes. That being said it was described as a bisque to me and I really prefer them to be thicker than the dish we got. The shrimp toast with it was very tasty but super greasy. You could see the oil spreading all over the napkin it was placed on top of. The salmon opportunity was four bites of raw salmon with peaches, oil, and marcona almonds on top. It was just an alright bite. I don't think it was worth the $10 price tag since the oil really overpowered the fish. For entrees we got the monkfish and the skirt steak. The steak was incredibly tasty with a lovely demi-glaze on top. It had roasted zucchini and squash underneath which really soaked up the flavor. The monkfish was in a creamy tomato broth that paired nicely with the dish. Both of these were solid and I would order them again. The plates were small but well presented. We didn't order dessert because almost all of the choices were already sold out. Our waiter was nice enough to at least attempt to cajole us, but we were ready to go since it was getting pretty late. The Optimist was a solid three stars. I'd love to go back at lunch to see what their offerings look like or for a happy hour where I could get a few cocktails and maybe some oysters to munch on. Fingers crossed they won't be out of much then!
I really, really, really love the lobster roll here. Granted it's the only one I've tried so far but based on photos, I really love the large chunks of meat here vs some other places that do smaller pieces. Also, the housemade potato chips in vinegar or lime (something acidic/citrusy) is the perfect complement to it. I ordered lobster rolls for my mom and I from here once and she loved it so much we went again with two of my friends. This time we tried some cocktails and apps and entrees. Everything was A-OK but I still thought the lobster roll was the best thing I had. My friend greatly enjoyed her oyster and both fish entrees (we had one poached in duck fat that I had been so excited about) but I ended up finding both of them lacking in flavor. I would have loved to take them home and add some more seasoning. The corn hushpuppy app was pretty good but nothing amazing. I will def be back for the lobsta roll!
Went for a birthday dinner. The place was cool. Drinks were creative and well made. We had the lobster soup and gumbo. Lobster was a 10. Gumbo was a 5. The gumbo was really soupy, which is not what I'm looking for in a gumbo. I had the Ciopinno for dinner and it was fantastic! Tres Leches cake was to die for. Overall great meal!!
(4)
Shannan J.
This is my favorite restaurant in all of Atlanta. The service, food, atmosphere - everything - it just can't be beat. Try it once and you'll come again and again!
(5)
Jenny H.
I am disappoint. A friend of mine and I decided to go out and enjoy some fine cuisine. Like most folks in Atlanta, we'd heard amazing things about this place, and were very excited to try it out. Firstly, I like my wine, and I was disappointed in the selection. Not that it was bad or subpar, but it wasn't great, and our server didn't really seem to have a ton of knowledge about the wines. I asked for his help pairing, and was underwhelmed by the results. We started the night with a hamachi sashimi dish and some oysters. While delicious, I felt like the sashimi was way overpriced for the portion. The oysters, as expected, were amazing. We then each ordered a soup. I didn't see sizes on the menu (cup vs bowl), and our waiter didn't mention any either, so when we received our soup, I was surprised by how large the portion was. There was so much soup that I was almost full by the end. It seems strange to complain about, and certainly I could have eaten less, but I've always been told to clean my plate. Anyway, I think I would have been happier with cup or something. My friend ordered a gumbo and I ordered a chowder. The flavors were okay, but nothing special. Our main dishes were the scallops and the halibut. I was surprised by how small the scallops were, but my friend seemed pleased. I think these were the highlight of the evening. Great, obviously fresh, perfect seafood. The halibut was...not what I expected. It was a whole fish - head and all - and it was fried. I asked the server to fillet it for me, as I didn't know where to start. It came with a tangy bell pepper side/sauce. Because it's a whole fish, there were obviously plenty of bones to be had. I wish I'd known, as I probably would have ordered something else. I felt like our experience was pretty mediocre. Nothing stand out, but nothing offensive - which to me, after hearing so many wonderful things about this place, made it a let down. So, not a great experience for us, but I hope to try again someday. At the very least, I'd love to visit the oyster bar.
(3)
Leang C.
Seafood, seafood, seafood! If you don't, you should be ashamed. JK! The seafood here is done really well. Oysters are fresh and very tasty. Octopus, shrimp, fish, you name it. Larger than most list of custom cocktails for those with adventurous taste buds. Service was attentive and knowledgeable. Make a reservation if you can as it does it pretty busy.
(5)
Tamara G.
Everything I had was amazing. The seafood was fresh and the cocktails were refreshing. I'd definitely return.
(5)
Regina R.
Delicious!! My husband and I bellied up to the bar tonight after a day at the park and we were not disappointed. Michael took excellent care of us - recommending the classic punch which is akin to a top shelf long island ice tea and east and west coast oysters to enjoy. The wood roasted oysters were so plump and full of flavor. And what a surprise that they make their own saltines- waaay better than Nabisco! Great service, comfortable setting (The Optimist is fine dining, but the adjacent Oyster Bar is laid back, Miami Beach feel) and delicious food. Not a cheap evening, but certainly quality for the dollars spent. We will return!
(5)
Trevor W.
Undeniably one of the best seafood houses in the United States. Ford Fry opened this magnificent Fish Camp in the Spring of 2012 to accolades that included Restaurant of the Year and 7th Best New Restaurant in America. After two years, The Optimist (a type of sailing dinghy used for teaching kids) is still sailing strong, impressing both new and return visitors alike. Your experience begins as you dock your car with the friendly and swift valets in front of the restaurant. Valet is now $2, but there is street parking a block away on Marietta and free lots in the Brickworks complex. From there, you walk past large putting greens designed to keep you busy in high traffic times and enter the the building. The restaurant is divided into two main sections: an Oyster Bar that also serves as the reception area and main dining room featuring a separate cocktail bar in the center. You may choose to relax at either of the bars and the friendly hostesses will fetch you when all is ready. The dining space is reclaimed wood Savannah chic with massive floor to ceiling windows, filament lighting, and coastal themed decor. The open kitchen sits in the rear of the dining room with individual bathrooms down the side of the kitchen space. (and incidentally I love their restrooms: individual doors, white hexagonal tile, pedestal sinks. Gorgeous!) Service here is on point and regal without the pretentious feel of fine dining snobbery (black linen also available upon request). When seated at the table, they offer an Oyster tasting menu paired with their lunch or dinner menu. If you are price conscious, I cannot recommend the lunch menu enough. Half the cost, all the goodness. We've done numerous lunches here and it is a great way to do The Optimist on a budget. Otherwise, it commands a price commiserate with the quality of the ingredients and preparation of the food. You'll easily spend $30-$50 a person on dinner, but they have a surprisingly affordable cocktail and wine list to match. The Oyster menu rotates out with the seasons and is split fairly evenly between Atlantic and Pacific options. I'm partial to the wonderful, large oysters of PEI, but you must try some of the Pacific fare as well. Oysters are ~$2-3 a piece and come with in-house saltines, cocktail, shaved horseradish, and vinegar ingredients so you can dress your oysters your way. The Dinner menu features starters that range from salads to shrimp and octopus, progresses to wood fired seafood mains, and has a separate section for sides that serve 2-3 per dish (We tend to order the sides and share them family style with the meal). I've yet to have anything here short of delectable. The presentation is as beautiful as the meal tastes with everything served in unique pans and ceramics to match the preparation. Standouts: * The Lobster Roll. For $15, you won't find anywhere better in Atlanta short of the late night menu at The Octopus Bar in EAV. Always available at the bar or your table (it is off the main dinner menu, but just ask), a generous amount of claw meat overflows a warm, buttery roll. * Sides: Beignet hush puppies, beets, brussel sprouts, succotash * Mains: the servers are very knowledgeable. The monkfish, octopus, and scallops are some of my go-to favorites The Optimist, redefining a gourmet seafood experience in landlocked Atlanta!
(5)
Amanda W.
I have had the pleasure of eating at The Optimist several times, and each time my meal has been excellent - actually some of the more memorable foods I have ever had. Since I'm a raw oyster lover, I always have to sample a few off of their daily selection. My preference is for the cold water oysters. The oysters always taste fresh, and they even come with homemade saltine crackers. The cocktails are also always top notch. The cocktail menu is always different every time I have been, but the drinks would put some of the other fancy cocktail places around Atlanta to shame. As for the main course, everything I've had has been delicious. Though if you're not a seafood lover, there is usually a beef or chicken dish available. Since my husband isn't much of a fish person, he has gotten the beef and it was good. I got the Crispy Whole Flounder once and it was phenomenal. I got a whole fish to eat. It was a pain in the ass trying to work around the bones, but it was so good. However, the best part of every meal I've had at The Optimist has been the dessert. The 2 desserts that stand out most to me is Apple Pie covered with melted, sharp, cheddar cheese. This may sound gross, but the salty / sweet flavor was insanely good. Another dessert I had was an ice cream sandwich. What sold me on the ice cream sandwich is that the waiter described it as tasting like Captain Crunch Berry cereal. It had homemade cornmeal cookies filled with homemade berry ice cream. And yes it did taste like the cereal.
(5)
Veronika D.
I tried their oysters from different states and some bass with grapefruit. Fish was ok, nothing special but the oysters were delicious!
(4)
Loan N.
Must try the scallops and oysters!! Like taking a bite into the ocean with the fresh seafood.
(4)
Nicole O.
Super cute place! The bar and the restaurant so full of character and charm, Prawns ala plancha! They are served with the head and tail, but worth every bit of work to eat. The bread, the sauce...altogether delicious.
(4)
Victoria V.
My boyfriend and I were blown away. Food, service, drinks are all amazing. Ian was our server and his service was impeccable. I had the snapper which was fresh and full of flavor. We will most certainly be back again.
(5)
Annie J.
Our amazing server Chris, combined with the phenomenal menu, made our family lunch absolutely wonderful. YOU MUST TRY the Grilled Octopus and the shrimp starters!
(5)
Laurie A.
I have had a great experience the two times I have visited this restaurant. The staff has always been very attentive and friendly. The food has been amazing. I especially enjoyed the shrimp appetizer over toast.
(5)
Gayle B.
Okay I have been wanting to try The Optimist for a while. We walked in and sat at the oyster bar, just thinking it was the only bar. We then switched to the bar inside the restaurant. The service at the bar was bad. The bartenders were right next to us. They never asked us if they could take our order. I ordered wine (3 times) that was at the "other bar" and they didn't offer to get it. Ordered the lobster roll (that too was at the other bar and we had to ask them to get it). It was delish! If I ever came back here, I would have a lobster roll and drinks. Dinner was meh. I had 3 scallops (thats's how many were on the plate - and they weren't huge). I've had better at lesser hyped restaurants. The bok choy (ala carte) was excellent. I honestly don't know what everyone else had, but the consensus was that it was another "trendy Atlanta restaurant." No dessert. I would try lunch here. Dinner wasn't bad, it just didn't live up to all the hype.
(3)
Nush Y.
Considering all the great reviews I read for this restaurant, I was deeply disappointed by the quality of the food. Although the atmosphere was energetic and the staff knowledgeable, the food itself did not warrant the $100+ cost of the meal. The fried oysters we ordered for the appetizer were very over salted, and both of our entrees were just "okay." My boyfriend had the fish and chips, and I had the cornmeal crusted red fish. The fish and chips was heavily over breaded and over salted. My red fish meal, on the other hand, was incredibly bland. There was simply too much fish and too little red pepper jelly to flavor the meal. Dessert was good, we had the lemon tart with lavender meringue, but again it did not warrant the final costs of the bill. Perhaps we caught this place on an off night, but most likely I will not return anytime soon.
(2)
Anne O.
Went to the Optimist a few days after their opening and was impressed! The staff was all very friendly and a great amount of teamwork was obvious. Kudos to the staff on that! As it is a new place, the service was a bit slow and wordy as they explained the concept, etc. It was also a bit difficult to tell who the servers were as there doesn't seem to be any uniform except an apron. Now, the food...It is so NICE to see a seafood house that truly has that as it's focus. Each entree is offered steak house style...protein on the plate and you order shareable sides. You can tell just how much love, time & attention went into concepting this menu. My faves were the duck confit swordfish. AMAZING!! The meatiness of the swordfish paired excellent with the confit, who knew?? The scallops with oxtail marmalade were another huge hit at the table. The oxtail was prepared perfectly and was not too heavy to cover the delicate flavor of the scallops. We ordered pretty much every side and the winners were the mushrooms and the gnocchi. The mushrooms were prepared K.I.S.S. and were perfect. You also can not go wrong with the lobster butter and corn the gnocchi was soaked in. Yum! I will be back again and again. Thank you, Ford!
(4)
Brian B.
Wow is all I can say. It is expensive, but it was very very very good. The lobster roll was excellent. The beat salad was full of flavors and excellent. If I had to have a complaint it was the soup with whitefish had a salt sprinkled on the top that made it a little bit too salty, but still very delicious.
(5)
Brian P.
Very good restaurant. Worth trying. I've now been twice and can recommend it. It is a little pricey, but the quality is excellent. The hush puppies and the Brussel sprouts alone are worth the trip. The octopus appetizer is spicy, but too small and not worth the $13 price tag. The mussels are very good, but the portion size is smaller than expected. The peel and eat shrimp were excellent. The seafood gumbo excellent. We had seven there for dinner this past Saturday night. The scallops were excellent, the trout excellent. The fish and seafood entrees were all terrific. Service though, was weird. Our waitress was really very nice, extremely articulate and friendly. We really liked her, but she made some garish errors. For example, my friend only ate a few bites of her fish, but the waitress didn't offer to box it up. Instead she put a dirty plate on top of it and took it away. When we pointed out her mistake, she got defensive, but did have a fresh one made to take home (only after some gentle prodding). Then, there were over $40 in desserts on the bill even though no one ordered desert. She said the prior party at the same table had ordered desert, but none of us understood this excuse. She took the deserts we didn't order off the bill. Overall we liked her a lot, and said nothing to the manager, but it was bizarre. Back to the food. Better than The Fish Market. Oceanaire has better portions, but I'd say the food was better at Optomist. Kyma is probably the closest comparator, but the Optimist is better because the room is more hip, not as stuffy, and the energy is significantly better. Overall, I'd say for a great place for a date, birthday celebration, or for business.
(4)
Sara B.
amazing!!!
(5)
Daniel T.
This place has two of my favorite things: a wood fired oven and seafood. I ate twice last week. They have only been open a few weeks. The service is very friendly and they are eager to answer my questions. My favorite items are the angels on horseback, fried oysters on little slabs of pork belly with mushrooms and a red wine fish bordelaise sauce: the garlicky clams are awesome with pork belly garlic broth, hot peppers: roasted carrot salad with a ginger vinaigrette: chilled roasted beets with horseradish and apple: beignet style hush puppies: and the soft shell crabs! All were really great. The duck fat poached swordfish was ok, but a little dry in spots. It was also a pretty small portion without sides so much as garnish and it was $24. Everything else was not only good, but a good value. There are two restaurants here, an oyster bar and a more elaborate restaurant. They have different menus. The oyster selection is better in the oyster bar section. The wine list is nice and varied. The bar selection is good with some interesting whiskies and tequilas. The one thing that raised an eyebrow was I was overcharged both visits. The angels on horseback were listed on the menu at $9 but rang up at $13 and the second time the bill had two bottles of wine and one glass when we had three glasses. Both times it was taken care of without incident or attitude. I am certain they were innocent mistakes but it is something to watch out for. I will certainly be back for more. With knowledgable selection, this place is a great value and can be a regular haunt.
(4)
Tracy F.
Freshest oysters you can get in Atlanta!!! Great atmosphere. Attentive and knowledgable waitstaff. Def going back soon.
(5)
Alan K.
It's not often that you have a perfect evening following a hectic few days but we had a terrific evening at The Optimist as much because of the terrific food as because of the unwavering customer service and attention to detail shown by each member of the staff. The experience with The Optimist actually started earlier in the day when I called from New York where I had been stuck because of airline delays for two days. I had dinner reservations to celebrate our anniversary and with the connections and returning home there was no way that we could make our reserved time. Without hesitation the staff member on the phone offered 7:00 or 7:30 or whatever else would work for us. We arrived and everyone from the person who first greeted us to our wonderful waitress, Katie, we were treated like VIPs (although to be honest it appears that this is what they did for everyone). I spotted not far from our table another table where a noted Atlanta chef and restaurant owner was sitting with his party and the attention paid to them by the staff was no different than what we were treated to. The cocktails were fabulous as was their beer and wine selection. One of our favorite cocktails was the MOTHER OF PEARL, a combination of Death's Door Gin, Fever Tree Tonic Water, Fee Brothers celery bitters, celery salt/black pepper, fennel frond and celery leaf. Our server did a wonderful job steering us not so much away from some dishes as to some truly outstanding ones. Going back to the staff again, as we have all experienced at one point or another - you have wonderful meal only to have the experience ruined by one or multiple staff members who are just bad or perhaps having a bad night. Dinner at The Optimist was like visiting the Apple Store if it were a restaurant ... stay as long as you like ... talk to the staff ... meet your neighbor ....even play a little golf or Disney where the staff is always on since it is always someone's first time. The design and atmosphere were awesome as you can easily transport yourself to the beach or anyplace near the water that you want to be. As I said before, the food was perfect. Each dish came out hot, beautifully presented and delicious. We had oysters, figs, halibut, striped bass, mushrooms, hush puppies and dessert. I can't really describe the food other than to say it was excellent -- you really need to experience it yourself. In this day and age, especially with little kids (and having to pay a babysitter) no evening is inexpensive and when it's all said and done you hope that with all the money you spend that you have a great time ... we most certainly did here. Not only would I recommend The Optimist without reservation I would tell you just come and chat with anyone on the staff ... it will make you feel better about your day. The Optimist is clearly in our top five all time. Congrats to the staff and thank you.
(5)
David B.
Ford Fry of JCT kitchen, Optimist has been recently ranked #1 esquire magazine restaurant in US. The design of this place is A+ and I heard it was done by local design firm. There is a putting green outside, raw bar area near the entrance, long drink bar in main dining area. The atmosphere is light and airy. The fish options on the menu were impressive. I have never seen speckled trout before at a restaurant. For appetizers we ordered bacon wrapped figs which were excellent and shrimp la plancha which were overcooked, chewy, and difficult to peel. I had a skin on red snapper with a simple salad. A rating on the fish and salad. I went back last night for drinks. I will definitely be back to this place. It has more to offer in atmosphere and menu with similar concept to Miller Union.
(5)
K S.
perfection in every way. service: bustling restaurant, crowded and all but our server james was wonderful... attentive, wonderful recommendations, on top of it all. f ood: perfection. seriously we were a large group and therefore were able to taste a bit of everything... the she-crab soup was spectacular, the spicy grilled octopus was spectacular, the oysters were good, the wedge salad as good as it gets but unless you are craving leafs get seafood... and for the entrees... every bite perfection! the fish and chips were the best we've ever tasted. no joke. the seared tuna cooked just right. and the desserts! omg you can't go wrong!!! i'm not a merenge fan but at the optimist i am, and the apple strudel - wholly molly. don't forget the banana pudding... ha seriously you can't go wrong with anything on the menu here. oh yeah and even the design of the restaurant is perfection. pricey but worth it
(5)
Ashley R.
Great atmosphere, friendly service, and solid menu. While most offerings are seafood-related, pretty much everything is cooked in butter or fried. So...no heart-healthy plates here. Overall, we were pleased with the quality. The mussels were somewhat overcooked and came with only one small circle of toast for sopping the green curry broth (but the waitress happily brought us extra). Fried oysters were well-breaded and tasty served with pork belly and mushrooms. Skate wing "schnitzel" had excellent lemon-capery flavor, but was a tad on the greasy side (breaded and pan fried, then served with a butter sauce). Shoestring fries side were perfectly salted and crisp. Hushpuppy beignets with brown butter were a sweet surprise paired with the savory entries. Buttermilk cake donuts with sweet corn ice cream were so-so (pass on the bizarre hot pepper jelly accompaniment). Go for the key lime "push pop" instead!
(4)
Richard G.
Took the Optimist out for a shake-down cruise Saturday evening (6/2/12). Although our reservation was for 7:30, our table was not ready until almost 8:00. The most remarkable feature of this new restaurant is that the kitchen can turn out excellently prepared and presented food in the midst of such utter chaos. One guest's appetizer arrived after all others had been served, eaten, and the plates cleared. Wine orders, after 1 or 2 follow-up requests, eventually showed up after the course they were to accompany was served and eaten (choice: warm food without wine, or cold food with wine?). Although the food product was uniformly interesting and delicious, the quantities of some dishes were skimpy: the tuna and octopus combo appeared with one morsel of octupus, and in response to our inquiry, a runner later appeared with a saucer bearing one embarrasingly smaller piece. The grouper appeared to be a scant 4 oz. for $28.00. Maybe worth another try in a few weeks, to see if they have worked out the kinks.
(3)
Greg A.
We found the Optimist to be a creative seafood venue with great service and nicely prepared meals. The octopus was probably the best we've ever had and we regularly try it since it's so difficult to get right. Morimotos was number one but the Optimist's preparation and presentation took over with room to spare.
(4)
Carrie B.
Finally went for my birthday earlier this month for more than just the bar and cocktails and I really am sorry I didn't give this place a shot sooner. I'm a huge seafood-lover and tend to be pretty disappointed with my overall experience at a particular Buckhead seafood establishment. Not only is The Optimist way closer to me, but the service and food were spot-on. The octopus appetizer was amazing as was the cobia and tuna. Don't waste your time on the fish & chips, anyone can do that, branch out and explore this amazing menu, I promise you won't be disappointed! Oh and the place is stunning and they must have great sound-baffling since even though it is a huge place, we didn't have to elevate our voices to hear each other.
(5)
Doug L.
First the good. Our server was attentive and when we had an issue the manager came over and tried to make us feel better Not sure I have been more disappointed with a restaurant than here. I am a vegetarian and they acted like I was from Mars. I get it, I'm not Mainstream but most places here one choice. They did a vegetable plate. The sauce the beans were good, I love horseradish. They had little peppers that were flavorless and a pile of mushrooms that were, just mushrooms. My wife had a fish and she didn't like the sauce, it was supposed to be a ginger sauce and almost no ginger. They did bring her a rice side that she loved but Order a crab which was forgetful. The decor is nice but based on this I can think of 50 other restaurants I would send you to first
(2)
Abhi K.
We went for lunch on a weekday. The space is large and since it was an off-time, there was no wait. Walking in, I was immediately impressed with their wall of liquor. Not only is it comprehensive, but it is aesthetically pleasing. The main dining room looked like a converted warehouse with exposed piping. I know that's super trendy and it's really un-hipster of me to say this, but that stuff still impresses me. There is also an oyster bar, which was closed during the day. I got the filet-of-fish sandwich, which was pretty good. It was a good chunk of fish between two buttery pieces of jalapeno texas toast. The jalapeno gave it a little kick, but was not overly intrusive as I only placed what the taste was halfway through the meal. I also had a side of hush puppies, which were amazing. They were little balls of cornmeal with whole corn niblets, deep fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar. They came with a brown butter, which was like crack for a foodie. Do not order the burger (the fact that its the only non-seafood entree on the menu should've been your first clue). It is greasy and nothing special. Parking is a $2 valet. I'm against places that charge for valet parking, especially when there is no option to self-park. Economically, people would probably be willing to pay more than $2 if it was a voluntary gratuity. This really hurts the drivers since I'm sure they keep less of the $2 than if they received the same amount as a gratuity.
(4)
Lilly Y.
After a long wait, I finally stopped in with a work colleague for lunch. The Optimist has been on my list for some time now, and it was worth the wait, for the most part! First off, they have a really small parking lot. Like they can only fit maybe 10-15 cars in it, and have access to an overflow lot somewhere else. I didn't see where, but we waited for a bit to get our car back. Once inside, the atmosphere was really cool. Classy, clean, not overpopulated, and slightly nautical without being cheesy or gaudy. We sat in a corner booth and got to look at the whole restaurant. The chef was walking around and making sure all the food was prepared properly before going to a table, and the servers were quick and efficient, without being too quick or overbearing. It seems they found a happy medium and are sticking to it. I ordered the gumbo to start with, and it came with some bread wrapped in parchment paper held together with twine. The gumbo was fantastic! I could come back and eat it as a full meal. A little heat, but not too much, and the consistency of the roux and other flavors were spot on. For my entree, I had the red snapper over sauteed okra and bok choy. The snapper was good, and served with the skin on. I could tell it wasn't super fresh, but I have to admit I'm a little biased and rotten from spending time on the Gulf Coast. My boyfriend is from Mobile and his family always gets us the best, freshest seafood when we go down there. I knew I would take a gamble when I got snapper at The Optimist, but wanted to try it anyway. The flavors were good, and they did a good job with it. Bottom line is that it doesn't compare to how fresh the fish is when I order it in Mobile. Moving on, the bok choy was hard to eat. It was sauteed in oil, I think, and it was chewy and wouldn't break apart easily. The leaves were soggy and hard to tear with your teeth, so we ended up chewing on them for too long (my colleague got the same entree), and just it was not a pleasant experience. The okra was good, and I ended up eating around the bok choy just to get the okra that was cooked properly. For dessert, I had the chocolate creme brulee with Oreo whipped cream, and it was heavenly! Rich chocolate flavor, and the whipped cream was even better. I don't think I've had a chocolate creme brulee before, and I think the bar was set pretty high. My colleague had the banana bundt cake with ice cream and caramel sauce (can't remember the exact description, and the menu on their website isn't the same as the restaurant, at the time of writing). I had a small bite of the cake and it tasted like my mom's homemade, from scratch banana bread fresh out of the oven. In other words, good with a touch of nostalgia. My least favorite part of the experience was our server. He was too formal for our liking. We both prefer bubbly servers who take the time to get to know you, whereas this guy was all business. He was stiff, and didn't have much personality, but did everything technically right: kept our water glasses full, checked on us when our food hit the table, etc. So, I can't say he was a bad server, but it would have been nice to see more of his personality while we were there. I'm definitely coming back, but probably for a drink with boyfriend and to split some gumbo and dessert if we're hungry.
(4)
Tanna L.
This review is technically for the oyster bar, not the main restaurant ... which kinda sucked because I wanted to try the regular menu. However, I was alone so I plopped into a seat at the bar and ordered. Just note that their bar is the oyster bar which has a limited menu. The gumbo was good. I'm not sure I would call it gumbo though--not a classic roux, definitely not dark (really a light brown color) and on the watery side as others have suggested. However, it was still tasty with a decent rice ratio, sausage, shrimp, etc. Warning, it is a bit on the spicy side (fine with me and my Korean taste buds) but if you're not accustomed to the heat, it might be a little too much for the standard palate. I also got the seared scallops. These are cut thin, seared and almost quasi-sashimi style. The scallops themselves were a little lacking in flavor (and I love me some sashimi scallops) but in combination with the vinaigrette it was fine. I was hungry. Wood roasted oysters were next. Very good. Definitely worth a try. Briny, woody, garlicky, yummy. If you are ever in New Orleans, go to Cochon and get their wood roasted oysters. They are freakin' ridiculous. These were very good but not at that level. Lastly (wife not a huge seafood fan so gotta maximize) I ended with the speckled trout. Served skin up which was nice and crispy. Good flavor, well-cooked, nice texture, another good dish. Worth a try. Drank some beer, Uber-ed it home. Service was not a problem as the bar is not too large and the bartender was easily accessible and assisted in making it a good night.
(4)
Nelle C.
Classy, clean, and vibrant restaurant with good, fresh seafood. The first time I went, I went for lunch and had the lobster roll. My colleague recommended it and it was really tasty - even for a person like me who rarely enjoys lukewarm sandwiches. The lobster was expertly prepared with flavors that made for a good few bites. The shoestring fries and roasted brussel sprouts were excellent sides. The 2nd time, however, I went with friends for a snack and tried the wood roasted oysters with herbs and parmesan cheese. Not good at all. I had expected the oysters to have way more flavor, but it seemed like the herbs and parmesan were just resting atop each oyster, and the oysters weren't truly roasted. I like the vibe of the Optimist, though. It was transformed, it seems, from an old warehouse of sorts and that history makes for a uniquely charming and unexpectedly cozy place. I'm curious to try some other dishes, but I'm steering clear of the oyster bar.
(4)
Jon U.
On a southern road trip, we decided to stop here as we passed through Atlanta. Despite the valet only parking and huge construction site behind the restaurant, this place is amazing. They have a selection of specialty cocktails as well as local and highly rated microbrews. The restaurant is laid out beautifully and vary spacious. Our waiter was extremely attentive and offered a ton of advice on the menu, as well as some good conversation. I ordered the butter poached swordfish. It was the best swordfish I've had. Get the hush puppies if you can, they are amazing with maple butter. Collard greens were great as well with chunks of ham. Had the guava sorbet for dessert as we had stuffed ourselves at dinner, it was a refreshing end to a great meal. I recommend this to anyone with a couple hours to kill and an appetite in Atlanta!
(5)
Mahtab R.
Been here several times now, and I can't say that there's another place in Atlanta like it. I dubbed indoors a few times, but nothing beats sitting outside in the summer with the sun barely touching your face and eating kumamotos in a gentle breeze- okay, maybe that was too Thoreau-esque. The Optimist has a great selection of oysters and small bites available outside. I usually get several dozen oysters and pretty much everything on the menu stone they're all in the $10-20 range. The service is also fantastic: ask for more lemons? Here's a fuckton. Need some simple syrup for making crack sweet tea? Here's a gallon. The service is here to enhance your experience however they can. The beignets here are also great- one of the few places I'll get dessert, but that could also be attributed to the fact that being outside and warms makes me crave dessert more. My only issue with the place is how the inside and outside are technically different restaurants. I've been able to get food served at the "bar" section inside, but have yet to be able to get the mains available inside served outside. Either way, great place to just chill, drink, and destroy oysters.
(4)
Robert B.
Finally, a place in Atlanta you can take your out of town foodie-friends to and not have to hear them complain about how the meal is better somewhere else. This place is awesome. A super cool ambiance at the bar, phenomenal, punctual and prompt service, and excellently yummy seafood. This place is a must. Go here now. Seriously. Stop what you are doing. Put the computer down. Grab a friend and go have a great time and better meal. You will not regret it. In fact, you are reading this on a smartphone at another restaurant, ask for the check and head there, now, mid-meal. Order the lobster roll when you arrive and it will all make sense. First, when you walk into to the West Midtown space, you're immediately impressed with the uber cool bar. It has this great vista from the windows and a California, 1970s, Brady Bunch gone surfing theme. (And music to match.) I may head back just to be in that space again. The main dining room has vaulted ceilings and blues and whites around the bar. Very nice space. The meal. Here's what sets it apart: The details. The hot sauce and saltines are homemade. And excellent. The hot sauce, yes that same stuff most seafood places replace with Crystal's or Texas Pete's, is homemade and refined. It's sweet, fresh and hot. The saltines are made with care. That's the difference between this and where ever else you've eaten the same food. Someone took time to think about all of the little details. We ordered the East Coast Oysters -- good and fresh with a homemade vinagrette that makes all of the difference, Fish and Chips and the Lobster Roll. GET THE LOBSTER ROLL NOW. Honestly, its the most awesome one you've ever had. Slightly sweet toasted bread, fresh lobster claw, a slight bit of acidity. It's the best small nearly $20 sandwich you'll have. The fish and chips is a beautifully fried piece of Cod? Great taste as well. But the Lobster Roll is exceptionally good. The service was impeccable. The Apple Cake with Cinnamon Ice Cream could have used with some more ice cream, but that literally is the only complaint. The only other complaint is that this place is about 20% pricier than you'll expect. But listen, it's the A, and that kind of meal is going to come at a premium. So you are looking for a good seafood almost bar food restaurant, go here. You have friends you want to impress, but don't want them to know you tried to impress, go here. You are hungry, then go here. After the you have the lobster roll, you'll feel great the rest of the day.
(5)
Chad D.
Love to sit in the bar and eat oysters. Always the highest of quality. Dinners are nice, but a bit over priced... still a pleasure
(4)
Jacky M.
Absolutely wonderful experience from when we walked in and throughout the meal. We were greeted right away and show to a booth overlooking the restaurant. Our waitress was highly knowledgable on everything on the menu; fish to oysters to pairing the perfect cocktail or wine. Every dish we got was outstanding in taste and presentation. I would highly suggest the octopus appetizer and the scallops entree, both will knock your socks off. Happy eating!
(5)
Elaine L.
Love this restaurant. Definitely recommend it, the seafood is cooked perfectly and they are delicious. I came here for lunch and ordered: grilled calamari, she Crab soup, fish and chips, lobster roll and beets on the side plus hush puppies. The grilled calamari is cooked perfect lubut it's not my favorite (on well). The she Crab soup is thin and have nothing inside, but we were warned about it, so it's all good. Just wish it's a bit thicker, but still really delicious. I love it. For the main entree, I got lobster roll, omg, so good!lobster is not rubbery or undercooked, the seasoning is delicious. The only thing I have to say about this is that it's not the healthiest of entree. The bread is super buttery (like time to work out), but so good! Fish and chips are really good as well. All in all, it's a really good place to go and it's delicious. Want more of the beets! (Btw, hush puppies is pretty interesting dinner it's dusted with powdered sugar and with a sweet butter, still pretty good).
Tonight I went to the Optimist for the second time. The first time was subpar, but I thought it was because of my high expectations as a result of the hype surrounding the restaurant. I was wrong, this experience was worse than the last. We were seated and served drinks and oysters promptly (both good) but then it took an hour to receive our food. I got the blackened mahi, a $26 dish which in my opinion was decent but not worth the steep price tag for a relatively plain piece of fish with minimal accompaniments - no sides come with this, you'll have to pay $6.50 per side. Not to mention, our service was not good. The manager acknowledged our poor service and provided comped apps as a result, but our server never said a word. Overall, the second subpar experience at a restaurant that's deemed one of the best in Atlanta. Save the time and money - there are several better to try.
(2)
Jang C.
The Optimist looks like a trendy place. Not only that, it has been voted 2012's Best New Restaurant of the Year in Esquire Magazine. It's also a seafood restaurant. I love seafood. So would this be my new favorite restaurant? Not really. Don't get me wrong, the food tastes good here. I tried their hush puppies, oyster loaf, fish and chips, brussels sprouts, basmati fried rice, and beets. Their Hush Puppies was the bomb. They do it beignet style with powdered sugar all over the place. If you're not careful, you might get a bunch of powdered sugar on your clothes and look like a cocaine addict. I liked how they fried the hush puppies and loved the sweetness. The Oyster Loaf tasted good. The oysters seemed fresh. I loved how they stuffed the tiny loaf bread with oysters. They breaded and fried the Oysters well. It's a great sandwich for lunch. It is a messy sandwich because the oysters were spilling out of the bun. I tried their Fish and Chips. It tasted okay. It seemed bland to me. Their vinegar aioli didn't give much flavor. I liked the tempura batter at least. I liked the "Chips" it came with. It was hand pulled potatoes. They seemed to have grilled it somewhere since I could tasted the grilled flavor. For the sides, I tried the basmati fried rice. I wasn't a fan. I didn't like the flavors, and it didn't seem fried. I guess I was expecting a more Asian styled fried rice. The brussels sprouts tasted good. It was one of my favorite sides. It had a nice flavor and cooked well. The Beets tasted okay. I couldn't get much of the beet-y taste. Also, it had cream. The cream added a nice layer of flavor, but I couldn't enjoy it much because of my lactose intolerance. As for the service, I got annoyed at my server. She assumed too much. First, she made it a point to serve the women first. Okay, that's fine. But it was annoying when she skipped over me multiple times just to serve the women first. I think she should just go in order of seating instead of having to do the whole, chivalrous, "ladies-first" act. In fact, when we came in, she served all the women water and left my glass empty. Then she asked the women if they want anything else besides water to drink while my glass was still empty. Also, it took her a long time to get our order. I didn't know she was waiting for our last party member, who never arrived, to show up. What was she waiting for? She could've at least come and ask if we wanted to order first. If we didn't say anything, she would have never served us because our last table companion never showed up. Then at the end, she assumed me and Angela M. were together even though we specified separate checks. If we were together, I would've told her were were together. I'm laid back when it comes to service, but for some reason, this woman irked me. Besides the crappy service, the food didn't seem bad. I wasn't blown away, but I enjoyed my meal.
(4)
Tran N.
This review is solely for lunch time. I never came here for dinner, but probably will one day. I've been here for lunch twice and had the famous lobster roll both times. The lobster roll is the best I have ever had here for it to be in Georgia. The huge chunks of lobster meat is satisfying, and half of the roll leaves me full but I will always finish the whole roll. I got mines with a side of the standard fries which were nicely seasoned as well. The hushpuppies I've had my first time here were yummy also. I believe one lobster roll entree is at $18, not bad at all considering the portion is pretty generous. The ratio for the sauce mixed in makes it better to. The service is wonderful, and nothing to complain about. There is a $2 valet fee out front, pretty reasonable as you should always tip your valet regardless.
(5)
Conrad M.
It's tucked away, so you have to look for it. And don't be deceived about the outside. It's huge inside and feels brand spanking new. Great atmosphere and service. YOU MUST HAVE THE OCTOPUS. I mean, really. YOU. MUST! Great wine selection, beers, a seafood. Good for groups and would work if you're looking for a great date spot.
(4)
Jackie R.
I have been here twice in the last three months. Each time I have had something different (never a bad choice). First time we had the spicy shrimp app (whole GA shrimp a la plancha, "sopping' toast, arbol chile butter, lime) which was amazing! We were fighting over the bread and sauce! The roasted brussell sprouts were so yummy. My friend and I tried several of the cocktails (with names like Highway to Hell and Stairway to Heaven how could you not) She had flounder and I had Mahi mahi....we rolled/stumbled out of there!! I thought at the time it was the best meal I have ever eaten!! About two weeks later my husband and I went back for our anniversary We tried mussel for appetizer that was suggested by our waiter Topher. He was awesome by the way!! The mussels had a curry sauce that was delicious. We had the snapper and halibut for our main and sides were the confit fingerling potatoes, pork belly, chile oil, scallions and basmati "fried rice", smoked fish, curry, peanuts, cilantro, egg. The manager brought us asparagus to try. I swear this restaurants apps and sides is what make it!! The snapper had a jalapeno sauce that was just the right amount of spicy and with the fried rice side it was soooo yummo!!! I love the atmosphere her and we talked about next time sitting at the oyster bar and just doing oysters!
(5)
Beth P.
Some places live up to the hype - the Optimist is one of them! I love the putting green and live music they have outside and the huge windows and airy feel when inside the restaurant. I've sat on the patio, at the raw bar, main bar, and in the dining room. Eaten during both lunch and dinner hours. The service is consistently great. The food is fantastic and ingredients are high quality, especially the seafood which can be hit or miss in Atlanta. Also, the burger here is amazing -- in my opinion it beats a lot of the ones that were in Creative Loafing's burger smackdown!
(5)
Miranda G.
I've had friends telling me for quite some time now to check this spot out. I love King + Duke so it didn't take much convincing on their part. First off the mussels were absolutely amazing. Whatever broth that is served with them is to die for, definitely ask for an extra side of bread with, you won't want to waste a drop. If you've never dined here order the hush puppies, not typically my thing but they are fantastic. The snapper was perfectly cooked, drinks are tasty. I definitely keep this on my list of restaurants that I frequent often.
(5)
Terry M.
The decor and atmosphere really help The Optimist reach 3 Stars. The portions are small, the prices are on the high side. Atmosphere....great. Restaurant/food....average at best. Bar.....solid. If there is a restaurant graph out there where "trendy" and "kind of shitty" cross, you will find "The Optimist."
(3)
Crazy E.
The Optimist- What a great name for a business especially dealing with food. I decided to see what the hype is about at this restaurant. I didn't have reservations so I sat at the oyster bar for starters. I started with a variety of oysters, which were good but not any more special than the local oyster bar. Surprisingly I ordered around 9 oysters and recieved 4 crackers. (really) The peel and eat shrimp were very sweet and juicy but unfortunately, it seemed like they dropped the shrimp in an Old Bay seasoning bucket. I love spice but that was over the top. I then had the lobster roll which was good but definately not worth the $21 price tag. I have had better or comparable lobster rolls in Atlanta for less. The star or the night for me was the grilled octopus. This had flavors bursting throughout my mouth. The drinks were very good especially the shots with the oyster.I tried the pickle juice shot and it was surprisingly very smooth. The biggest issue of the night was the staff. The bartender had the personality of a saltine cracker. She was not rude but not engaging or having a personality. I tried to engage her in conversation and all the time thinking- how did you get this job? I had to ask for water 3 or 4 times and she was right in front of me. She actually filled her own water glass a couple of times before filling mine. Go figure. The guy who was cooking was creepy and all the time staring making the stay quite uncomfortable. maybe I was looking for a different vibe based on all the reports of this place being the "IT" place to be. Maybe I will check it out on the weekends and it may be different. I might suggest giving the bartender a shot or two to loosen up a bit.
(3)
Jessica B.
Really cool place in the west side area! Everything was really good, we had the west coast oysters, mussels and shared the monkfish. Service was also on point. We had a reservation (that I made 2 weeks in advance) and they seated us right away. If my table wasn't 4 1/2 inches away from the strange couple next to me, this would've been 5 stars. Definitely worth a try!!
(4)
Ashley S.
I went with my husband and best friend last night and left not as impressed as I had expected to be! I ordered the Tuna (which is a staple on their menu) and the sauce it is with just doesn't go well with it. I wouldn't order it there again. My husband ordered the Scallops (it comes with 4 of them) and again wasn't all that great. Now my friend did get a good one, she got the Short Ribs with bone marrow. And the hush puppies side was amazing. We also ordered the Octopus appetizer, and was cooked just wonderfully but the sauce was a bit overkill, although still very good. PROS: Very cute ambiance, great Octopus appetizer, AMAZING HUSH PUPPIES, and good Short Ribs CONS: Tuna entree was not great at all (so many other places that do this better) & Scallops entree was again not anything worth going back for.
(3)
Emily B.
Great overall experience and would definitely go back. The decor and ambiance is warm and inviting, a little loud, but I prefer that over stuffy fine dining. Our group had one of just about every appetizer and were specifically fond of the she crab soup and grilled octopus with bone marrow aioli. The menu was fresh and creative, and the wine selection was great. They are a little pricy, but I think worth it. I will definitely go back.
(5)
Yane Y.
(I usually review after at least 2 visits, but I reviewed after the 1st visit so I can recall what I ordered and what my thoughts were.) Due to the rave reviews, I ordered the lobster roll. Call me asian, but when I read lobster roll review after review after review, I was thinking it was a lobster (sushi) roll! I didn't have time to look at any pics, so just went by the reviews. I was surprised to find that the lobster roll was a texas toast bun (in 1/2) with a lobster salad. The chunks of lobster were fresh - props! (By the way, did I mention that I told me entire table that the lobster rolls got rave reviews, so everyone ordered it? It was our first visit.) Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it! Personally, I just do not like "cold" dishes. Even when it comes to subs/sandwiches, I always prefer a hot sandwich over a cold ... because this was a cold sandwich, I didn't like it as much as I thought it was. However, I can recognize quality, and I tell you... it was real, quality lobster meat. It wasn't too salty nor sweet, it was fine - just cold ... (but normal!). Also ordered the she crab soup. It was delicious as others mentioned. I read in a couple people's reviews that they were disappointed that the soup did not have chunks of crab meat. It was a puree. Regardless, the soup was delicious. Very thin puree, so don't expect anything too thick. Our server told us up front that the soup did not have chunks of crab. She did good! Service was excellent ... she was at our table refilling our waters every few minutes. While she was over every few minutes to refill our waters, she didn't interrupt conversations too frequently. She just came, refilled waters, and left. Our server was excellent. The amibiance of this place is way cool. I mean, they have putt putt while you're waiting. Can it get any better? (okay, so I'm sure it can. But putt putt is pretty darn cool.....) For any seafood lovers, everything tasted real fresh, so I'd definitely bring you here!!
(3)
Jillian V.
I can't say enough about my experience at The Optimist tonight. I was meeting for a casual business related happy hour with two others. Automatically I could gauge that the venue itself is great for business dinner or a nicer date night out. We had the pleasure of sitting in AJ's section. Long story short we were there longer than expected and didn't order entrees. We stuck with two beers, glass of wine and three appetizers - octopus, halibut cheeks and the shrimp (all AJ's suggestions). I'm a huge seafood person and the quality is beyond compare to the majority of seafood places in Atlanta. AJ was spot on with knowing when to stop by and when to just let us be. The entrees were definitely something to be desired. The fact they had cobia and tilefish on the menu was a pleasant surprise to me, but all and all I'm already planning my next visit. Not only will I enjoy their amazing venue, but I will definitely be asking to sit with AJ again.
(5)
Jennifer L.
Another fun spot on the Westside. I've eaten/drank at the bar a number of times now. Cans of beer in koozies and boozy punches are fun. The crowd here seems a bit too "Real Housewives" (OC version, NOT Atlanta version) for me, but it makes for good people-watching. Have yet to dine in the real dining room- but the oysters, lobster roll and mussels at the bar are top notch. Right when the city is inundated with fancy burger joints, the Optimist provides some much needed variety. If only they could bring us a beach to go with that seaside vibe!
(3)
Devon O.
My new favorite restaurant in Atlanta. Deeeelish. I've only been for lunch, but posting up at the bar for a long late afternoon boozy lunch on a cold day is sublime. Get a glass of the Albarino and start with the shrimp a la plancha. They do have hot lemon-scented hand towels to clean your hands from the delicious messy sauce, ask for them if you get too greasy/gross. I also love the lobster roll, easily comparable to what you'd find in New England. Served with the crunchiest ungreasy matchstick fries in existence. Seasonal sides also never disappoint. The fried green beans, though? Yuck. Not feeling the cold dill sour cream sauce that goes with it. I love that they have for real oysters from both coasts, not the gloppy cold tongue gulf oysters that you have to chew in several bites. Ew. Service is laid-back, competent and knowledgable. Bathrooms are plentiful and stall-free, which is always nice. Looking forward to springtime when I can play putt putt on the lawn.
(5)
Liesa G.
I was here last night with some friends. None of us had ever been here but had heard great things about The Optimist. We tried two different kinds of oysters (of course with the homemade crackers and the hot sauce) - yum! They were delicious! All four of us had different entrees: the halibut (good), the salmon (good), the snapper (really good) and the fish & chips (eh .. just ok). There were a few highlights to the meal. The "scurvy scoundrel" is an awesome cocktail - refreshing but not overwhelming. The hushpuppies are probably the best we'd ever had, and the chocolate creme brulee was amazing! It is very expensive (about $350 for the 4 of us) so this isn't a place I'd go regularly, but for a special night out, it's a good place.
(4)
The Food Abides W.
If you didn't catch wind of it, Esquire Magazine named Ford Fry's latest, The Optimist, the "Best New Restaurant in America." If this is America's best, well then Amurica is facing more problematic times than the presidential debates would let on. I'm no longer standing on my chair screaming, "USA! USA!" Needless to say, my meal last night at The Optimist left me an enormous pessimist. In fact, it was the worst meal I've ever shelled out one hundred bones for. Putting my credit card down, I felt duped and knew that I could get much better meals in Atlanta for much less money. If you're reading this review, well then you have certainly heard about The Optimist. You've heard about its gorgeous dining room and inviting bar(s). You've heard about the masterfully appointed lighting and stylishly tasteful touches. And all of these things are absolutely, in the fullest sense, true - the design team for this restaurant knocked it out of the park. And perhaps you've heard about the food. And that's where I'm taking a stand - if you heard wonderful things about the food at The Optimist, you heard wrong. If I had to sum my meal up at The Optimist in one, brief phrase, if would be, "Nothing tasted like anything." The dishes overall were devoid of any flavor with the exception of a salty Monkfish entree. I adore the scope of the menu and had a hard time deciding on anything because everything sounded so interesting, refreshing or delicious. The service, I should mention, was flat - not particularly friendly and nobody ever came to check on us after we got our food. The Optimist has fresh oysters on the regular and I feel like oysters are omissible from any review. The truth is, if you have a fresh product and a good shucker, oysters are going to be good. And they were. We also ordered the $9 cup of gumbo. With ample amounts of seafood (including a crab claw), I suppose they can get away with the price. The broth was nothing special, however, and lacked thickness and depth of flavor. The accompanying "Potluck" garlic bread was absolutely unnecessary and didn't even deserve to be called garlic bread. The mains were the real let down of the evening. My monkfish entree, with a tomato broth, pickled fennel and hen of the woods mushrooms was simply not good. The monkfish was cooked appropriately but the accompanying broth tasting like nothing but salt with no tomato flavor. In fact, after a few bites, I couldn't eat any more of it. The pickled fennel kept to itself and didn't compliment the dish in any way while the the hen of the woods mushrooms were kept to a minimum - there was only one in the dish. Kins ordered the yellowtail tuna dish which was supposed to feature a charred octopus & potato salad. The yellowtail was cooked properly with a nice sear to the outside. The potato salad was even interesting - fried rather than boiled (think well cooked home fries). However, the charred octopus was much like the mushrooms in my dish - non existent except for one, measly piece. I'm sorry, but when you shell out $26 for a dish, there needs to be more than one bite of the ingredients mentioned on the menu. And like the monkfish entree, this dish didn't really have any flavor. The corn milk hushpuppies fell into the same category of everything else - no flavor. They were also entirely too dense - hushpuppies from a modest fish shack are worlds better. Nothing at the Optimist was revolting or inedible. The problem was that nothing tasted great or even good. While a modest home cook may not be able to prepare a piece of monkfish to perfection, they could surely impart more memorable (or in this case, existing) flavors. The best bite I had all evening was the complimentary bread - fluffy, buttery and topped with some quality salt, it was a nice bite to kick off what I (at the time) suspected would be a great meal. But alas, it was the only bite I fully enjoyed for the rest of the evening. I began wondering if I had burned my tongue severely on the gumbo because after that, I didn't taste much of anything. P.S. The valet parking here sucks - they have a huge lot, with tons of empty spaces, yet it took us about 10 minutes to retrieve our car. When will restaurants stop using valet?
(2)
Joanne B.
Love the atmosphere of this place..it brings the city more alive with Intown excellent places like this one! Took clients for lunch and everyone enjoyed the food. The only item I wasn't crazy about is my fish sandwich..it needed to be cooked more. I ate around it as the slaw and salad delicious but it is a seafood place after all. Regardless, I will be back as the service, scene and overall experience great.
(4)
Alan R.
Nothing specail. Really dont understand all the hype and how this palce is considered a top 50 in USA. Esquire, you are slipping. Just nothing at all to remark about. Wine list ok, service slow and not friendly. Went at lunch and not crowded and very slow service. Hard to get the wine ordered, even harder for that second glass. Menu very limited and just not the wow factor. I prefer Lure.
(2)
Sharon B.
The Optimist is owned by the same company that owns JCT Kitchen, which is also in Atlanta. The food at the Optimist was great! I had the fish and chips and the size of the fish that was served was huge. Great ambiance and a good location. I would definitely suggest you give this restaurant a try if you like seafood.
(4)
nancy m.
This was not our first dinner with The Optimist, however, with each dining experience my opinion goes down a notch. We had reservations with friends on Friday night, and agreed to go early to meet at the bar and have a drink. The bar service was very slow. When my friend's glass was empty, her glass was taken away instead of asking if she would like another one or something else to drink. My glass sat empty on the bar until we were seated at our table more than 15 minutes later. We reviewed the menu with our server and asked him what he recommended. He stated the swordfish was his fav, so 2 people ordered it. He came to the table a few minutes later, and informed us they were out of swordfish. My husband asked for the next best, and he recommended the snapper. A few minutes later he returned to the table and informed him they were out of snapper too. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AT A RESTAURANT OF THIS CALIBER-AND NEVER TWICE! Our meal was "meh". Then our server asked if we would like some dessert. We all declined and he responded "your loss". Not appropriate. In the past, we have raved about this place. But not now. We expect better service and food, especially at this price point. I'm not sure we will give The Optimist another chance.
(2)
Oliver B.
Esquire magazine doesn't get it wrong. Best new restaurant in the country. This place is phenomenal. Been there several times including lunch and have been overwhelmed with the food. The service is good but highly recommend the bar for dinner. The mixologist is amazing. The food is bullet proof. Everything I've ordered has been off the charts. Having lived in many other major city's it's nice to feel like I'm in one. Prices are on par if not less than expected.
(5)
Jerry R.
We absolutely love their lobster rolls and fries! Unfortunately you can only get that combination at lunch until 2:30. If you want it at night you have to order it from the cocktail menu and sit in the bar area BUT you are unable to get the fries that are so delicious. It is only served with chips which are no where near as good as the fries. Now if you want the fries you can order them in the main dining area. What a convoluted mess that is! Just be customer-friendly and don't make your customers jump through hoops that you have created to make your kitchen staff happy. Is it the staff who are paying to keep you open? I would have given them a very high rating for food alone; however they have a long way to go in being customer-centered! When discussing this particular issue with a manager in a very cordial conversation she was not willing to budge for the convenience of the kitchen staff. "They just get so busy," she said. Hmmm. Providing fries to the bar area? Sounds like a restaurant that doesn't have priorities in order. Pleasing kitchen staff OR customers. Go figure.
(1)
Gregory D.
Some of the best scallops I've ever had. Bread was like crack cocaine I couldn't stop eating it. Even the veggie sides were incredible, try the Bok Choi. One of the best restaurants I've been to in Atlanta.
(5)
J B.
Hard review to write. Some parts of our meal were stunning others less so. On the bright side, the service was great. The young lady who waited on us was attentive and helpful and still not overbearing. Continuing on with the positive, dessert of chocolate mousse was great. Rich and flavorful but still light. Cocktails were very very good. My wife loved hers so much I had to go to the liquor store to get ingredients to replicate at home. With respect to side dishes, the hush puppy beignites with honey butter were very, very good. Jerusalem artichokes 3 ways was interesting, not sure we would order again but was interesting enogh that we are glad to have ordered them. Our entrees were very good with respect to flavor but very small. So while the flavor was definitely worth the price the small portions gave us pause. Neither of us were too impressed with our apps. Based on other reviews I should have gone with my gut instinct and ordered the she crab soup. So to sum up, I'm looking forward to my next visit.
(4)
E B.
Another try at the request of friends. Same server who was excellent once again. Everything this visit was perfect and went off without a hitch.
(5)
M T.
Was really excited to try this place based on all the media attention. Not sure if my expectations were too high, but it did not blow me away. I'm going to chalk this up to a lunch meal vs. dinner. The service is professional, the oysters were some of the best that I've had in memory and I'll be back to try the dinner menu once the crowds settle down a bit.
(4)
Lolo H.
Having been on a bit of a restaurant tour of Atlanta for the past few months, I can say that the Optimist is the best of the bunch. Decor is pretty standard for Atlanta - that sort of hip industrial look. Service was excellent and not overly attentive. Drinks were fun and delicious. The food well prepared and extremely fresh, which is so important for seafood. NO ONE SHOULD SKIP THE SHRIMP A LA PLANCHA. It is amazing. Lobster roll was so good. I was not a big fan of the fried rice, but it is probably just a palate preference. We were stuffed but had desserts, which were also fabulous. Left the restaurant happy and full.
(5)
Jane S.
My sister and I went for dinner on Wednesday. The oysters were great, but I would suggest the oyster happy hours. The entrees were also great, we got the scallops and swordfish in duck fat. The portions were pretty small so we got the basati fried rice as a side which seemed to be a little too salty. The dessert, smores cookie sandwich was good, but not great. I was expecting something to blow my mind. Our waiter Christian was so nice and hospitable. Enjoyed my experience here.
(3)
Shauvik R.
This is a Nice and fancy seafood restaurant!
(5)
Chapman S.
The Optimist.. It's a rather appropriate name for the place because you have to be optimistic that you will be ordering a dish that this place happens to make correctly. Oh where to begin. I was coming to The Optimist on the invitation of a friend, my boyfriend, and several other friends for a party of 6. Apparently a friend said that they called ahead and were told that the earliest seating they could get us in on would be around 9:30; but we walked in around 7 and were told we could sit in either the 'tapas' styled menu bar area or the main menu dining room. We chose the dining room. The menu is small and gives you the option of the major seafood options. You will however find when you sit down, the menu is well ... rather pricy. Oysters well run you about $$2.50$$ A PIECE. Shrimp is 12 dollars for a half a pound. My boyfriend elected on getting the fish and chips (18$). The fish was very rich and if you like fish as such, you will enjoy it. The fries were made in a shoe string fashion and could be described as rather crunchy (to the determent of the dish). I had tried some myself and thought I have had much better; the bf also felt he has had much better as well. Fish and Chips should be served with steak fries anyway. More on this in a bit. I had elected to order the Seafood Gumbo with something called "pot luck" garlic bread. It was needless wrap in a busy piece of paper and string. The garlic bread was rather substandard. The bread was good but the garlic flavoring just came across as lazy. The gumbo... OHHH THE GUMBO. The gumbo was not gumbo. Some people might have reviewed this dish on here and liked it. More power to you but it was not gumbo. The moment I took a bite i could tell something was rather off. As a fan of Creole/Cajun, I believe they were going for the more Cajun variety in which the roux is almost burnt. A few bites in and the imposter 'gumbo' was giving itself away. It was flat and bland; I believe the chef (whom I can say for certain has NEVER been to Louisiana kitchen) tried to compensated for imposter gumbo by over spicing it. The issue the spice only kicks in the after bite and it fell flat on its face. I explained, along with two companions in my party our opinion of the imposter. They fessed up the roux was made with OLIVE OIL..... AH HA mystery solved. Roux is made with butter... and only butter. If this chef cannot make a good roux, he has no business putting this on the menu as gumbo. It was needless to say a major disappointment. Ok on to my next course. Shrimp. I got the half pound for 12 dollars. Sigh.. Ok well lets see here. The shrimp was very tender but sadly WAY over spiced. So much over spiced that I did not finish. Shrimp do not need to be this spicy.. they have quite enough flavor to stand up on their own. I would have complained but frankly I thought I might be pushing karma if I sent a second dish back. The highlight of the evening was some very delicious hush puppies with a very yummy sweet butter dipping sauce. They were the least expensive thing we ordered and because the wait staffed seem rather slow, we got them when we were pretty much finished with our food and they elected wisely (saving their tip) to not charge us for them. IF you get the chance be sure to order the push-pop key-lime pie, its rather yummy. A member of our party knew the pastry chef and we were given the range of their desserts on the house. They were all excellent. ALL and ALL, this place (other than the pastry chef) is run by a guy whom would rather serve you something complicated like over spiced shrimp or shoestring fries over the more correct steak fries and charge you something crazy for it than give you good down home seafood, made the way seafood should be. Skip it guys!
(2)
Mary-Nevin H.
First off, I'm giving the atmosphere\service a 4.5 and the meal I chose a 3 so i'm being nice and bumping this review up to a 4. I'm not a huge Ford Fry junkie but I generally like what he comes up with so I recently hopped up the westside and checked the place out. The building itself is beautiful. High ceilings, putt putt if you're so inclined, a raw bar and a regular bar and my all time favorite part of any restaurant *an open kitchen* People like to tease me about that one but I've worked in one too many restaurants and it just works out better for everyone if you can see what's going on. Our server was attentive without being overbearing and was knowledgeable, nice and a few other good adjectives. The noise level is a bit loud but not to the point where it's distracting. Our food was out much faster than I thought it would be. I ordered the peel and eat shrimp and it was WAY overseasoned, as was the sauce. I had to ask for cocktail sauce just to balance the suckers out. I thought I was being dramatic but my husband tried it and he loves all thinks salt, and said it was a bit much for him. So i felt justified. Everything else I had was good, hush puppies, mushrooms and bites of everyone else's dishes(Scallops, Grouper and Lamb). I'm hoping I just ordered wrong but for what you pay here, you want it to be good. I'll make my way back eventually, but this definitely isn't a place that was so amazing I want to go back next week. However new restaurants have to find their footing so I'm definitely looking forward to giving this place a second chance.
(4)
Maria T.
What's that you say?.. the ATL is bringing it on the foodie tip? That's right ladies & gentleman its not just all about fried okra & baby back ribs down here in Georgia. (some of my favorite things on the planet by the way, but I digress) Now, for those of you who know me, you know I'm a sucker for a lobster roll, french fries? Yes please. So the best place to go is definitely #TheOptimist. Start with the gumbo then sit back and adjust your belt. The buttery brioche is toasted to perfection. The freshness of the maine lobster is poached to perfection, thus making this sandwich.. perfection. Certainly reminiscent of your summer's spent on the Cape.. that's Cape Cod if I've lost you. * "Maria's Don't Miss" The Lobster Roll
(5)
William K.
Had a chance to eat here finally and I am going to go out on a limb and say this may very well be my new favorite place. We split a dozen cold fresh raw briny yummy oysters mignonette, then split the sear sea scalloped over the candied braised short rib, and also split the completely delicious ahi. This is a short review because I do not know what to add. The food, the service the interior... all of it. Top notch. Sensational.
(5)
Billy T.
Atmosphere and food were great! Waiter was not very attentive. We were trying to have a few drinks with dinner but never even got the chance to order another one after the first one at the beginning of the meal. Back to the food, we ordered a dozen oysters, scallops and the halibut and everything was wonderful!
(4)
Wendy G.
We may be land-locked, but The Optimist by famed Atlanta chef and restauranteur Ford Fry (JCT Kitchen and No. 246) will make you think you're sitting beach side. I'm just going to say it - I love everything about this restaurant. First, I love the easy parking. That may seem odd, but I've gotten a bit tired lately of valets in tiny, packed lots, or worse, hard to find street parking. Nice sized lot off Howell Mill (big sign so you don't miss it) and lots of parking off 8th Street. Oyster Bar at The Optimist is the casual bar that I can see myself spending many a post-work early evening at sipping a cold beer or glass of white wine (highly recommend the Beach Ball) and indulging in some briny oysters or peel and eat shrimp. Step into The Optimist proper and you will be amazed at the attention to detail, the great service, the fun little touches that don't hit you over the head with a nautical theme and better still - the amazing food. They start you with delicious house made rolls topped with maldon salt. Some of the dishes cry out for these rolls to sop up the savory broths, including the garlicky tiny clams & pork belly with hand-torn croutons dish - so save some for that or just order more. The fried clam roll with kimchi vinegar and house pickles was also a winner on a Holeman & Finch bun. They also feature of course, oysters on the half shell. East and West Coast oysters made you feel like you were seaside with various accompaniments including crackers, hot sauce, cocktail sauce and real horseradish. While the restaurant features skirt steak, wood roasted half amish chicken, roasted heritage pork and lamb belly, the focus is definitely on seafood. We enjoyed the alaskan halibut, wood grilled hen of the wood with red wine fish bordelaise and the skate wing "schnitzel" with brown butter, charred lemon, and capers. So delicious The sides are also amazing - I wanted to try them all! Ended up with the potato gnocchi with lobster butter and corn and the sliced local heirloom tomatoes with louie dressing.I'll be back to try the buttered spring onion potato puree and corn milk hushpuppies. One of the cooler things I stumbled upon on the way to the restroom were two racks of old school hotel style keys. Puzzled, I thought maybe I needed one to open the restroom door, but the doors had no key locks. Chef Ford Fry happens by as I'm looking very confused about these bright orange keys and explains that they printed 1,000 of these keys and they are for the patrons to take. Score! I promptly scooped up #177. What I'm hoping is that eventually when all 1,000 keys are taken that those keyholders will be able to bring them back to 'unlock' a special plate on the menu. Appetizer, entree, dessert, doesn't matter. I cannot forget dessert. I was leaning towards the fried pound cake with ice cream, fudge and fried peanuts, but went with the ice box cake of the day - lemon. Cool and refreshing! My boyfriend (a chef!) was a bit more adventurous and got the buttermilk doughnuts with sweet corn ice cream and hot pepper jam. I mentioned earlier in this post that I loved everything about this restaurant and it's true. An amazing experience from start to finish and a huge addition to the already great Westside food and bar scene. Look on the bright side and go visit The Optimist.
(5)
guido s.
This place doesn't need another positive review, but it so deserves one! Excellent food all around, perfect everything. Portion sizes were larger than expected. Nothing bad to say! It's one of those few Atlanta restaurants where I pine to come back again and again.
(5)
Amanda G.
Warning BIG, HEARTY EATERS: This place is 'a la carte' -- so portion size is refined (small), so you don't feel like a busted can of biscuits after your meal....lol:P Food Quality: Excellent I ordered the: American red snapper, Lime broth, Herbs Light dish. The snapper was very lightly seasoned and thankfully had no fishy taste. The flavor combos in the broth (lemon, mint, grapefruit) made the dish superb. There are no sides with this dish, so it's recommended that you order side dishes....you need at least 2. Side Orders: corn milk hushpuppies, "beignet style," cane sugar butter ---------- the hushpuppies were excellent! I wasn't really feeling the sweetness of the powdered sugar or the cane sugar butter. The cane sugar butter was great, but in my opinion, its best suited for plain bread instead of hushpuppies. spanish roasted fingerling potatoes ---------- good. the end! Service: Excellent! The waitress was extremely friendly and knew how to interact with us without overdoing it :) Ambience: Love it!! It was so great! I adored the industrial, lofty feel. Great for groups or a cute date night! Location is off the beaten track on Howell Mill. I would go back to this restaurant again to be wowed by the amazingness of the flavors of the unique dishes!! Thank you Optimist!
(5)
David W.
Tremendous place...I was blown away. The food was as close to perfect as it gets, and the service was incredible. I had lunch: 3 raw oysters, she-crab soup, and the fresh fish sandwich. Every single thing I ate was exceptional. My server was fantastic, friendly, and attentive from start to finish. This was one of the beast meals I've had in Atlanta in recent memory.
(5)
Oscar R.
I saw this on Unique Eats on the Food Network last week and I had business at Georgia Tech so, being an optimist, I took the chance to take a professor out for dinner. We were both amazed by the food! Between the two of us we had the oysters, octopus, fat seared swordfish, codfish, beet salad, watermelon salad, cheesecake ice cream, blueberry-chambord sorbet, and a few local beer. The food was amazing, the decor was great, and they have a putting green for when you are waiting for you car. The server was a little slow but not annoyingly so.
(4)
Danielle F.
I have been here 3 times now and I have yet to be disappointed! I am a single mom with a 2 year old toddler!!! I really didn't see many children on any occasion that I visited but I will say they were happy to welcome us with a coloring childrens menu.. crayons included! Every dish I have tried as well as the dishes of the people who accompanied me were delicious!! I have tried the muzzles, Kale salad, fish and chips, Cod filet of fish sandwich, & fried oysters. All satisfying and delicious and reasonably priced! Great service. The valet was greatly appreciated! I will say the drink availability is a little limiting, but it did make me try something new..so no worries!
(5)
Roy L.
I usually don't write reviews based on just 1 visit, but for this place I'll make an exception. The services was excellent. Our server was fantastic. The interior is nice and open. These are the only 2 good things about the place. They charge $3 and $3.50 for oysters now when oysters are in season. That's a total rip off. They also over sauce all of their dishes which is a clear indicator that the quality of the food isn't as great as they try to make it appear. You can tell because this is an semi-upscale joint that serves Tilapia, probably one of the most cheapest fishes you can buy wholesale. My friend ordered the Tilapia and I ordered the Short Ribs, better rephrase that to short rib since it was only 1 pathetic piece of meat that was over sauced and looked very familiar to the Korean Short Rib dish that I eat all the time. They charge $25 for this dish. At a Korean restaurant you can order a whole pan full of this for $25 and it'll come with about 3 or 4 pieces, not just one, and it won't be over sauced. We did have the Beignet style hush puppies, which were awesome. Being form New Orleans I always respect a New Orleans style or flavored dish. Now everything above was not that big a deal since my friend decided to pay for us. We had a group of 5 friends and she was in town for the holidays and decided to treat us because of her new job and new digs in Chicago. No the real complaint comes when I buy my friends a round of drinks. Only 4 since 1 guy is a moron and can't drink BC he has 2 dui's. So I order 4 Patrons. The bartender says they don't have Patron. So I ask, what do you have similar to Patron, he replies with Don Julio. So I order 4 shots of Don Julio. Very smooth until I got my check. $53 for 4 shots of Don Julio. I'm sorry, but is this a restaurant or a club? I know most of my complaints about this place is about the price, but I'm a dude trying to ball on a budget, not live like a spendthrift like most of The Optimist's customers. Also when you compensate quality with sauces, then that tells me the quality of food is not that great, unless of course the dish warrants such saucing. If you don't mind paying $3 or $3.5 for an oyster that tells me you're a spendthrift. So I checked in on my Yelp App which is connected to my Twitter feed. They tweeted me a few days later thanking me for checking in. Everything above was mentioned. So they tweeted back with this generic response: @roylee1 Sorry to hear you weren't pleased with your experience - please call a manager at 404-477-6260 if you would like to discuss further Actually I really don't want to discuss any further. I was planning on giving them another shot, but when you respond with less personality then a mannequin then I'm assuming you really don't care. I also don't like to be treated better after the fact, but if you look at my whole post you won't see a complaint about the service, because it was great. The food however, not justified for the prices they charge.
(2)
Pam C.
Ok, I've given another star...because my meal was so much better this time. We arrived early and had a cocktail in the Oyster Bar...the Cilantro Crush....AWESOME! For starters this time we had the fried oysters again...OMG they were so much better this time...and plumper! We had the mussels and they were delicous. For my entree this time, I had the Confit duck leg, poached egg frisee and duck ham...OMG it was so good!!! Hubby had the swordfish and liked it but thought it was a little dry...but swordfish tends to do that...but great flavor. I was much happier with our sides this time. Had the roasted beets w/ pine nuts and blue cheese. The carrots with a herbed ricotta. And the roasted vidalia onions with sherry a jus...they were what you would expect.
(4)
Staci W.
Will go here for lunch anytime because the chopped salad was AMAZING perfection. When I took my husband back for our anniversary dinner, that's all I wanted, but alas, they do not serve it for dinner. I had fish which was excellent, but listen, they listed artichoke as the side. OK, not artichoke hearts, so to be fair, I got what I ordered. But really? Half an artichoke broiled or grilled or whatever it was? It looked good; however, it was impossible to eat, and I hope they remove it from the menu. My husband's fish and side was excellent. The atmosphere is superb -- a mix of artsy industrial with coziness (the bar? the putting green outside?), somehow. The staff at the door couldn't have cared less whether we came or went. But hey, go for lunch, definitely!
(3)
Sara E.
Service: Patient, attentive, helpful. When our cab was late, they gave us free drinks and real Southern hospitality! Atmosphere: Beautiful and open. White tile, steel, wood a nice fire to keep it from feeling too sterile. Food: Delicious. The oysters (5 East Coast, 5 West Coast) were lovely and fresh. The octopus was well seasoned and fried to perfection. The aioli was great. Green curry mussels - the most succulent mussels ever and extremely well flavored. The basil, garlic and onions were plentiful. Scallops: Extremely well cooked. Cornbread hushpuppies: the perfect mix of savory and sweet - fried like a donut with powdered sugar. Brussels sprouts: How can I cook mine like this?! Eat here often!
(5)
Rachel M.
Fantastic meal! We came here for our 3rd anniversary. We assumed we didn't need a reservation because it was a Tuesday, but were surprised how busy they were. The hostess told us it would be an hour for a table, which worked out since we were in no hurry and wanted to go to the bar. There were no seats at the bar, but we ended up with a table within 30 minutes. So, get a reservation! Our server recommended the octopus and shrimp. Both were incredible, but the octopus was pretty spicy if that's an issue for you. The shrimp were deliciously sweet and the spicy tomato sauce a great compliment to that. We had the cod for our entree and the jasmine fried rice as a side. We'd actually ordered the raw scallops but tag server forgot them. Since we were stuffed with what we ordered, we were not upset that the scallops never made it to the table or our bill. In sum, the meal and ambiance were fantastic. We will definitely be back.
(5)
Azim D.
Went with a big group for my brother's birthday(13 or so) and the service, all things considered, was fantastic. My grouper was great and they were nice enough to bring out fried rice(which I swore tasted exactly like biryani) and brussel sprouts for the table. The food received mixed reactions from the group, ranging from good to great, which is why I didn't give them 5 stars but I think it's a 4.5 star establishment. The only competition for seafood in the city is Atlanta Fish Market and you can't go wrong either way.
(4)
Keisha B.
I loved everything about this place. Their food was so good that I thought and talked about my meals for days after. Crazy huh?! Yeah I know! I finally decided one day to recreate their devil eggs. Not quite the same but nevertheless delicious! Great after shopping spot with the girls, date night, to take your parents or for food lovers like myself.
(4)
Allie L.
I had a beautiful experience here. The boyfriend and I ordered Oysters, Seared Octopus, and fish. Everything was superb. I love that they have a rotating menu-meaning, the menu changes every day. And that bread. To die. I will definitely be coming back!
(5)
Will P.
What do hog trading, meat processing, a late-night club, real estate office and a spiffy Atlanta fish restaurant have in common? They all used to operate in this historic building now occupied by The Optimist, one of the city's best new(ish) eateries. Our server, Christopher, was well versed in the history of the building - which is probably on the minds of a lot of the diners there since the interior is so stunning. See my pics for more. Todd P's point that this is a "gem" is spot-on the money. The setting is upscale but it strikes a really cool balance with a casual flare in its servers and overall vibe. I could show up in cargo shorts and a polo shirt and not feel out of place. Pretentious places, unless you *intend to have that experience, are just that - full of pretense. I had the frothy She Crab soup, and while not as good as South City's, it's a totally different take: light, run through a sieve (yes, I'm a nerd and asked our server how it was made) and more brothy. I missed the chunks of yumminess that SCK's version has. Still, it was good. For dinner I had the duck-fat poached swordfish. It was good, but the cut was small and the duck fat colored the flesh of the fish to a brown point that didn't seem right in my opinion. This dish could have been better, but I loved how tender it was. I cook swordfish all the time and would have made some adjustments to it. but hey - I ain't slavin' away in the kitchen there. My dining co-conspirator, Jason, had the relished cornmeal-crusted redfish and this, by a mile, was the dish of the night. Highly recommended. There is a savory complexity to this dish that you'll remember for a long time - and, in this case, the portion was large. If you don't get the hush puppies as a side I will hunt you down and slap you. So good, as were the multicolor beets. SO fresh and perfectly complemented by the dressing. Run, don't walk, to this joint. It's a high bar for me to rate at four stars right off the bat, but if I go back and it's just as good, I'll up to 5. enjoy.
(4)
Kristen D.
Wow, wow, wow. Great food, wonderful vibe and friendly service. Sometimes a restaurant with so much hype can be disappointing, but The Optimist is literally one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. It's in this neighborhood that you know used to be shady... then you learn, the building itself is an old pig processing plant. But it's been revived into this wonderfully open, majestic space where you feel like you're outside even while you're inside. We sat at the bar, and our bartender was really friendly. I ordered a gin martini and she suggested Farmers Gin, which is organic. It was so different and unique - I can't wait to find it locally to have at home. We started with the mussels, which were divine. Green curry and with a nice little piece of toast to enjoy the curry sauce. Then, we had our entrees... the most perfect fish preparations. Pan roasted snapper that was incredible. We never ever eat dessert, but could not resist and had the fried fig and peach pie with white pepper gelato. Truly amazing. Every bite. I highly recommend this awesome establishment.
(5)
Jon P.
First of all, I love JCT kitchen, and last year when I heard Chef Ford was opening a Seafood restaurant, I couldn't wait for it to open. I was able to try the Optimist for the first time and it was one of the best dining experiences I've had in Atlanta. The wait staff is very knowledgeable and our waiters suggestions were spot on - we were able to have a short business meeting before dinner and we never felt rushed - the manager came out and insisted we take our time because they want everyone who comes in to feel relaxed. The dining room is impressive, lots of space that is modern and open. Outside is an oyster bar that I didn't get a chance to spend any time in, but the massive bar inside is impressive. I had the fried oyster appetizer and Caesar salad to start - and the oysters were cooked perfectly. The salad was a true Caesar with traditional Anchovies. The Cornmeal Crusted Redfish melted in your mouth with each bite - this is the best seafood I've ever had - I highly recommend. If you make reservations on their website if can sometimes say no tables are available, be sure to call and double check.
(5)
David H.
Saturday dinner before Los Lobos concert at nearby Realto...research all looked good, so we decided to try The Optimist. The rolls with the salt on top starrted things off great - my bread loving wife gave high marks. 1st, dozen oysters, malpeque. Navy reds, and Rocky Reef were all really fresh tasting and impeccably shucked. Very high grade for them on the oysters. I also tried the Baked Oyster" and it was fantastic, albeit a small one for the price. The homemade saltine crackers are worth ordering the oysters for if you're on the fence at all perhaps because of price. They are addictive. Apps... Mussels-curry broth was great, wish I had a spoon it was so good, the one piece of sopping toast wasn't quite enough to get it all... The mussels themselves were very small and perhaps a little over. Clam Roll-maybe the best thing I had in the meal. Perfectly, and I mean perfectly, cooked fried clams in great brioche roll with nice lemon aioli..a must repeat App for any return visit for me. My wife had a salad she was pleased with. Sides- Brussel Sprouts-not executed well. They were charred, as opposed to caramelized, on the outside, and under on the inside. Black, not brown, on the outside but still very crunchy on the inside. I guess cooked too hot and too fast. The candied bacon in it was nearly enough to make up for that, though. Succotash-very good. Nicely prepared and peas were particularly good. Hush Puppies-very good-wife (the bread expert and beignet lover), liked them and the butter quite a bit. I would have ordered the mushrooms but they were not on the menu, I even asked our waiter to confirm they weren't available. Entre- I had whole founder. Very good. Very satisfied. Wife had halibut-fresh but slightly over. Center of fillet was nice. Dessert-Salted caramel ice cream. Thumbs up. The line of couples tables parallel with the kitchen are pretty shoulder-to-shoulder...Like some Manhattan restaurants, but their dining room is pretty big and this ain't Manhattan, so I wish the table layout was different, to give couples a bit more comfort. The waiter must have had to say "excuse my reach" a dozen times to me. All things considered, a solid 4 star restaurant. I will say the oyster bar itself deserves a 5 star rating for the quality of the oysters and their preparation.
(4)
Daniel S.
This is the only place I know where they give you an oyster bar menu with oyster names. The fish was fresh, the food was fantastic. One of the best seafood places to chow down in Atlanta. The only complaint I have is regretting to order more oysters.
(5)
Crystal Aura W.
I have to give a shout out to 'Unique Eats' on the Cooking Channel, because they gave some amazing dining suggestions for Atlanta! From the second we walked in the door, we were super welcome. I briefly mentioned we came in from Chicago, and we got extra hellos at our table from management! Our server was super amazing too! As we were leaving, I wanted to buy a souvenir shirt, everyone jumped in to help me out! Host helped me dig for my size and bartender came in to help ring me up on my way out. Service for sure is 10 stars.....if I could give that! My amigo who has traveled more often than I, swears this was one of his top meals of all time! Super fresh, well seasoned, perfectly cooked......just perfect. Smoked White Fish Chowder, it's just so savory and rich, I could have just sat there and ate this all night! Positively THE best peel and eat shrimp I have ever had. You will measure other shrimp according to those served here. Now I look at other shrimp with sad disappoint.....Optimist, how you have spoiled me. The seasoning really sticks to the shrimp and gets so deep, but will also do the same for your fingers! Not that I mind, but for those more fastidious, watch for that. Basmati "fried rice", I had never heard of this. Was an awesome idea, not nearly as salty or oily as other varieties of 'fried' rice. Was really a nice touch to add some Indian flare to the meal! Duck fat poached swordfish.....how can you read that and not be excited??? Was everything I hoped for! My only regret was that that I had to leave.....but I have a shirt to remember you by!
(5)
John H.
Went for dinner. Sat at the bar. Never left the bar because we kept eating their amazing apps and sipping delicious cocktails! Wow! What a treat! The octopus was fork tender and the fresh oysters were excellent. Also recommend the fritters. Check it out if you are in Atlanta. Can't go wrong. May even see a celebrity while you're there. Enjoy! PS Valet only. $$$$ but worth it!
(5)
David L.
I would pass on this place for a premier seafood restaurant in Atlanta. The dish that I had was dry and not flavorful. The ambiance was like an upscale cafeteria feel. For fresh seafood, I would still stick with the ATL Fish market, or just go get some fresh fish from wholefoods and make it your self. Def beats the prices here for sure.
We went to The Optimist our first night in Atlanta and loved it! That atmosphere is trendy but cozy and welcoming, and the staff are professional but fun. We ordered a couple of their seafood dishes along with hush puppies and the fried rice to split and everything was delicious. Before our meal arrived we were brought bread to the table and it was amazing. I could've eaten it all night! For dessert we shared the key lime trifle - and ordering dessert was definitely the right choice. If I lived in Atlanta I would have definitely already been back by now!
(5)
Pourina R.
I'm not going to go off on a rant and rave about how magnificent the food was. Truth be told, I'm really not much of a fish guy. But I came in with an open mind and attempted it - again. I've tried almost everything; Sea bass, grouper, salmon, trout, crappie, tuna and many other fish that escape my memory. Most recently I tried the monkfish and swordfish. Another $240 meal later and I think it's about time I stop living in denial. I must admit defeat. The fish was great (I think)...don't get me wrong...I'm just the wrong person to ask. YOLO! If it isn't fried or raw - just say NO. The decor is somewhat of a reclaimed industrial farm warehouse in what appears to be some kinda gentrified neighborhood. The waiters are extremely nice. Our waitress was funny, personable and a little flirty (bomchickybombom). Oysters were fab, just fab. I'm not going to claim to be a connoisseur, but I've had my fill of these mouthwatering mollusks. Enough to formulate my own perception. Briney, salty with lots of umami. Say it with me, "ooooooooooooooooooh-maaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhmeeeeeeeeÂe". Semi-pro tip: skip the champagne mignonette thingy. It covers up too much natural flavor. Eat them straight up or with just a drip of lemon & homemade hot sauce. My favorite thing on the menu? The cocktails and octopus. That octopus was OMFG amazing. Seriously. What I really gained out of this dinner was an experience. And hopefully a money saving life-lesson. Sometimes it's the little things that accompany the dish. Sometimes it's the prep, man hours and love that's instilled into the food. I might not have enjoyed my entree which is no fault of The Optimist, but I did enjoy the experience and epiphany I left with.
(4)
Nancy N.
Food was pretty awesome. Service. .. not so much. Bday celebration. Would have been nice gesture for a candle and dessert with almost $250 check for 3. Waitress never introduced herself. Many great restaurants in Atlanta and love to try when in town on business but may try others before coming back.
(4)
Lauren P.
Way to go, Ford Fry! I loved JCT so much I got married there. and when my dad heard there's a putting green at The Optimist, he was ready to play! On a Saturday night, it was my parents + the hubby. Although we had a reservation for 7 p.m., we had to wait at the bar for a few minutes. So we started with a round of cocktails. The Fish House Punch does indeed pack a punch. It was a great way to kickstart the night. As soon as we sat down at our table we ordered a round of oysters (6 East Coast & 6 West Coast) and these are the only reason I can't give The Optimist five stars because the oysters were a bit of a letdown. I've never paid $3.50 an oyster before coming to The Optimist, and I wanted them to be great. But they were teeny little things, and albeit the housemade cocktail sauce was the quintessential topping, the oysters weren't worth the $40 a dozen. Granted they're outta season...so I'll have to give 'em another try when it's a month ending in "r". So onto the rest of the meal! Appetizers: Octopus - Mama raved! Mussels - we all loved the green curry She Crab Soup - it was amazing but I would have liked just a tiny topping of crab meat Entrees Fish N Chips - the biggest piece of fish I've ever seen, and perfectly fried Grouper - Dad cleaned his plate Scallops - perhaps only the Rocket Farm would've thought to served these with braised oxtail as a new take on surf 'n turf. I loved 'em. Dessert Way to go, Tiara, the chocolate mousse is outta this world Make a reservation, whether its for lunch or dinner. I'll be back again when oysters are in season.
(4)
Art V.
Just left the restaurant. Hosted 1 business guest. We had a really chatty Asian waiter (english accent). He disappeared after each course was served (by a food runner). Never followed up to check if all was ok. We shared an order of fries with clam chowder served atop. The chowder made the fries instantly soggy. I had a piece of fish. It was served with, honestly, 2 tablespoons of sliced garlic perched on top. It reeked of garlic. It so overpowered the fish. Despite shoving that rank pile of garlic to the side of the plate, it's all I taste now, an hour later. Small wonder. Had Chatty Kathy materialized I would have sent the dish away. My guest ordered an espresso for dessert. 10 minutes later, no espresso. We flagged down a hostess to find Kathy. A minute later a manager served a cold cup of espresso. Kathy finally appeared to deliver the check and also asked "How was everything?". We told him about the cold coffee which he replaced. I also told him about the noxious garlic served atop my fish. He replied that that entree is new and that they are still "tweaking" it. Great. Happy to be your Guinea pig. I'll be sure to bring a bottle of mouthwash should I visit the Optimist again.
(1)
Sarah S.
My absolute favorite restaurant in Atlanta. Every time I return to Atlanta this is where I want to visit. The service is flawless, without feeling stuffy or uncomfortable if you get honey butter on the table. I personally find it hard to find good seafood in Atlanta, but the optimist makes if feel like you're at an ocean side restaurant with the freshest fish around. It has been awhile since I've visited now, but last time I had homemade poptarts for dessert that were absolutely amazing. Being in the Westside also puts The Optimist is a great location to explore a unique area of Atlanta as well.
(5)
Lindsay J.
Hands down- the best restaurant in Atlanta. I've been here a few times and sat outside near the putt-putt lawn (get the lobster roll) and inside at a table and at the bar (get the scallops). Each time the service/food has been impeccable. One time our waiter was a few minutes late greeting us (literally- maybe 3 minutes after we sat down), and quickly apologized and brought us Chocolate Sea Salt ice cream for desert. Little shows of appreciation always make me want to go back. MUST try when in Atlanta.
(5)
Henrik C.
Went here for date night. We have talk about for a while going to the Optimist. The ambiance is open, inviting. The acoustics is also excellent. We have a great waiter that gave us just the right level of attention Had the apple & arugula salad for appetizers. It was really tasty. Had the redfish with brussels sprouts and bacon as the main dish. Finally had chocolate mousse for desert. My better half had maine lobster roll, the george's bay scallops, oxtail marmalade, brown butter-chicken jus for main course and the apple buckle for desert. All dishes were very well prepared, great presentation and very tasty. Had the vouvray (chenin blanc), chateau moncontour, loire valley 2010 with the meal. Overall a very nice dinner experience we are certainly going back.
(4)
Paige N.
I have an awesome boyfriend. And yes, his awesomeness does relate to this review (although I would say it even if it didn't apply). Last night was the 11 month anniversary of our first date (roll your eyes all you want, you're just jealous), and we'd been talking about trying The Optimist sometime soon, so this seemed like a perfect opportunity. Except we had no reservation. This is where he becomes my knight in shining armor: he called the restaurant after they reopened for dinner after 5 PM, after ascertaining there were no reservations available at 7:30, launched into a story about how "it was our anniversary" (the actual number was unimportant), we both wanted to try it so much, could they possibly squeeze us in? And lo and behold a reservation at 7:30 PM for that very evening materialized! How great is he? Super great!! So this was going to be a 5 star meal no matter what just because of him. We arrived right on time and as promised, the table was ready. The restaurant is very cool - the main dining room is one large, airy room with an upscale 'warehouse feel' due to the exposed industrial ceiling (it's trendy and the kind of thing you'd expect in the Fourth Ward or West Midtown, for sure). A giant bar occupies one end of the room, and the semi-open kitchen takes up the other end with tables, booths and banquettes scattered throughout the middle. As soon as you enter (next to the putting green outside - where I've heard putters are available by request), there is another bar near the hostess stand for people waiting for a table, or those who are looking for a quick drink or appetizer. We were seated and quickly our waitress came over to wish us a happy anniversary, and give us a little history about The Optimist. The deal is that all the fish is fresh daily, wild caught and what happens to be in season, consequently, the menu changes on an almost daily basis. Good deal. Service was excellent all night, from the moment we sat down until we got back into the car handed over by the valet. Everyone was friendly, warm and attentive. After we'd had a chance to look at the menu, I had a Sparkly Motion cocktail (a mix of Cava, pomegranate grenadine and pomegranate seeds - bubbly and yum!), and my boyfriend had the Winter on Cape Cod (vodka, cranberry juice, cranberries and spices - also yum!). Then, we got down to business: I knew we had to order the shrimp a la plancha with sopping toast (even though it was messy, so many reviews said to get it), and for main dishes: the duck fat poached swordfish and glazed short rib (we shared these two), with a side of bok choy. Before the shrimp arrived, we also were treated to some of the best yeast rolls I've had in recent memory - I don't know what kind of crack cocaine was in these, but boy, were they good! And the shrimp were indeed messy, spicy and absolutely worth it. The 'sopping' toast was covered in all of the sauce and spices the shrimp were sauteed in and it was delicious too. Apparently, everyone gets equally messy attempting to eat this because our waitress brought around a plate of hot towels with lemon for us to wipe our hands off with afterwards (I, naturally, nearly gave my fingers third degree burns trying to unfurl the steaming hot towel too soon, but it worked very well once it had cooled to a handle-able temperature). Our entrees were equally fantastic - the swordfish (which is a very firm fish) was artfully presented on a bed of celery root puree and a garlic chili relish - it was great. The chili sauce was a perfect touch of spice to the mildness of the fish and celery root. And the glazed short rib was tender, juicy and rich with perfectly roasted pearl onions accenting it. Even the bok choy, which both of us are a fan of already, was uniquely prepared. Only tiny baby bok choy were employed and prepared in such a way that they were flavored with chilis and ginger. So tasty. We were both quite full by the time we were done but then the dessert menu was revealed. Damn. You only have an 11 month anniversary once, right? The apple buckle won out, and when it was presented to us it came complete with a candle. So sweet! And the dessert was top of the line: a little dish of apples, cinammon and cake was layered and covered with a streusel crust that included a hint of sharp cheddar cheese (great combination of sweet and tart) and baked until piping hot, then a scoop of sweet cream ice cream was added to finish it off. Fan-freaking-tastic!! Everything last night could not have been better. It really was perfect. Great job The Optimist, and a big thank-you to my boyfriend for making it happen.
(5)
Kimberly J.
I came here to accompany my friends on a city wide burger tour. While the burger was tempting, I opted for the lobster roll. IT WAS DELICIOUS!!! Best lobster roll I've had! It's very hearty with nice fattening buttered bread. I did get a chance to taste the burger and it was tasty. It tasted very fresh. I must admit that when I return, the burger will probably be the last thing on my mind. Every dish that passed us looked delicious. The service was great too. My only issue was the uncomfortable chairs. They just weren't suited for me. Thankfully our wonderful served exchanged the type of chair for me. The decor of the place is really nice. Prior to my party arriving, I sat outside in the blue chairs and enjoyed some sun. I could definitely see myself eating outside here.
(4)
James T.
Food = 4 Price = 3 Experience = 5 Very cool setup... not cheap. Get ready! I thought it was worth the money. The hushpuppies were great... the watermelon ahi was very minimal for 9.00... the lobster roll is good, but expensive.
(4)
HyeWon K.
We ordered lobster roll, clam for the starter, Grouper, tomato as a side dish. I felt eating the salt except Lobster roll. This is the 5th visit and I realized I expected better food every time because I loved the interior but no more....
(1)
Dani L.
Every time I come to this place I find it why I really love seafood Absolutely incredible cooking skills! Cheers to Chef Adam and Tonny for their absolutely great menu options. The octopus is absolutely to die for and the whole GA shrimp a la plancha is probably the closest thing to perfect you can find out there. Very New Orleans style dish, spicy, creamy, Yummy! If you have a chance to drive to that area in Atlanta please do yourself a favor and visit this place. They also have some oyster specials
(5)
Yai V.
Octopus is amazing and the pork shoulder fell right off the bone!
(5)
Jeff V.
Bon Apetit! Food and Wine!! How could I not love this place. Ok, seriously, this place is on a huge roll. And it is somewhat deserved, but I think it's gotten out of control. The food is good but it's not great. The haddock was impressive - an entire fish on the plate, nicely seasoned and perfectly cooked. But I can't say the same for the red grouper, which was underseasoned. The hush puppies are winners, the fingerling potatoes delish, but the carrots were meh. I've been twice now and both times, I've come away thinking "good, but not great." The interior is fantastic, the service is friendly, and the drinks are inventive and tasty. It's a can't miss place to bring mom and dad (especially if they are paying) or impress a date. But if you're expecting the best seafood you've tasted, you are probably going to leave disappointed.
(4)
Allison K.
So after hearing so many people rave about the Optimist, I had to experience it myself. First, I have to admit that I'm not much of a seafood eater - if it's not tuna, salmon or crab I'm not a fan so the menu was a little limited to me. We started with drinks at the bar - which they have a great drink list! I started with a Carboy - it was so good! My date just went for a beer, boring! Anyways when we got to the table they immediately brought us bread - which like everyone else said was delish! Big fluffy rolls with some butter with sea salt on them already. Moving on, we shared a she-crab soup and each got an oyster since it is an oyster bar after all. The soup was really good - and they even split it for us! I wish I could have had more of the shrimp toast though - that was amazing! For dinner I got the tuna which came with a small side of crispy potatoes and charred octopus - everything was really good! My date got the duck fat swordfish and he said his was really good -- he ate the entire thing! We got a side of the hushpuppies to share. Definitely get them! It's like dessert with dinner! Everything we had was great and service was spectacular - I'll definitely return!
(4)
Belle E.
Best Seafood in ATL.
(5)
Stricky T.
The Optimist left a number of question marks after all the...............I went for the lobster roll but we decided to try a number of dishes and I wasn't impressed..........well lets say it didn't have the same impact JCT had...............the service was little sloppy, the lobster roll lacked flav, the basmati fried rice was ok......and the grouper was just ok.......????.......maybe it needs another try...........
(3)
Dan K.
The space is fab - I love the warehouse look and feel- the wine is good- the arugula salad was mediocre- worth $3, not $12. The heralded lobster rolls are mediocre at best- scallops are served with parsley and blackberries- strange! Scallops have little flavor- hush puppies are tasty- with powdered sugar and butter - but what isn't tasty with powdered sugar and butter? Oh well- another atlanta night- another wasted $100- you yelpers may never hear from me again- I don't think I am going to dinner anywhere in Atlanta ever again - except to my beloved bacchanalia- the optimist was a huge disappointment
(3)
Joe C.
Octopus appetizer, OMG grilled to perfection and the sauce... Wow. Fried oysters and mussels with green curry sauce will have having sopping up every drop of sauce with the amazing fresh baked rolls. Entrees were equally amazing and they change almost daily. I confidently can recommend that you will enjoy whatever you order as this place does not disappoint.
(5)
William H.
Excellent. We had a group of 4 to dine on a Monday night. If you would rather eat and share a bunch of small plates, I would suggest eating at the bar or tables outside. It a different menu than the main restaurant with smaller portions and price for more variety. The wood fired oysters were excellent. I would also suggest the mussels. The broth was outstanding in flavor. The lobster roll, while pricey, was popular at our table. I would definitely recommend.
(5)
Bailey B.
Customer service was TERRIBLE!! Had a table of 3 girls and we ordered 2 bottles of wine all together, when we wanted to order one more the waiter told us he would not serve us anymore alcohol, this was after waiting about 45 min. to even get his attention! I would have understood if we were being obnoxious, but honestly we were just having a causal conversation on the patio. I think he was just tired of us and was ready to close out his table since it was a Sunday and business was slow. I was so humiliated that they told us they wouldn't serve us any more drinks, and not to mention we ordered about $100 worth of food that day! That has NEVER happened to me before, not even in my college years!!! My concentration in college was hospitality management and I must say this was one of the worst customer service situations I have ever experienced. Will not return.
(1)
Ken D.
Having just arrived to my hotel in Atlanta, I quickly turned to yelp to find a good place to eat. Given the good rating for the optimist and my desire to have good seafood and oysters, I decided to give it a try. We ordered the simple salad and fried oysters for starters which were both really good. I had the swordfish with mushrooms and beets as sides. The food was super fresh and flavorful. The optimist is doing something unique and different, and doing it well.
(4)
Eva H.
Truly the best dining experience I have had in Atlanta upon moving here last Summer. Every single part of the meal hit the mark. The East Coast oysters had such a clean flavor and the clams with pork belly are addictive. For my main entree, I had the tuna and charred octopus and I ate every single morsel on my plate The atmosphere is quite enjoyable and had a refined easiness to it. Service was right on par. Cocktails were everything I hoped for and more. Easily my new favorite!
(5)
Victor R.
How do you spell delicious? "Speck wrapped mahi mahi, braised escarole, calabrese peppers, preserved lemon" with side of roasted Brussels sprouts in fish sauce vinaigrette. Yummy
(4)
Jessica G.
I had heard that this restaurant was the best in Atlanta for some time and I finally had the occasion to visit when my foodie best friend was in town. It was delicious! I order the cornmeal crusted fish, smoky bacon and pepper jelly dish. It was hands-down the best meal at the table (others ordered the tuna (which was ok (the grilled octopus tasted more fried) & the triple tail). My two favorite, ok, three favorite sides were the mushrooms, hushpuppies and heirloom tomatoes. YUM yum yum the service was also very friendly and helpful. i would absolutely recommend this for a date or a fun night out with friends. Enjoy!
(4)
Johnnie S.
Out of all the fancy restaurants I've been to in Atlanta, this is my favorite. And the hush puppies beignets style: get them.
(5)
Gabriel B.
Cool location for the trendy downtown foodies. Grouper is definitely the winner, superbly cooked. Wine seemed a bit over priced though.
(3)
Jordan R.
I was disappointed with this place especially after seeing that it got a 4 on yelp. The Shea Crab soup was more of a broth and for $9 I was extremely disappointed with my $9 craby steamed milk. Maybe this was just an interesting style they were going for but I would much rather have had at least some crab in the soup. The bread at the beginning was amazing, sweet rolls buttered with sea salt on top was probably the best part of the dinner for me. The clams were also good but nothing to rave about. I hear that if you sit at the lunch bar or that area of the restaurant they have a mean lobster roll but we sat in the normal dining hall instead of the bar and were disappointed that they would not serve us he lobster rolls anyways.
(3)
Nancy R.
We came here again and this time I was pleasantly full from all the tasty foods. Our server was well informed of the menu and gave great suggestions. FOOD: We started with the Whole GA white shrimp a la plancha, with "sopping" toast for the arbol chile and lime sauce / 11. ...(messy, but worth it). It's definitely a messy, eat-with-your-fingers kind of app. that they give you wet towels to clean up after wards. We even asked for extra bread to sop up all the sauce. Also, we got the Crispy long beans, sea salt, buttermilk-dill mignonette / 7. Another finger app. that's crispy battered covered beans enough to share. For dinner I got the Monkfish, tomato broth, hen of the woods mushrooms, pickled fennel / 23. I wasn't sure I'd like monkfish, but our server sold me on it and I loved the dish. The tomato broth really accompanied the mild monkfish taste. I didn't know that monkfish had a thick bone in the middle of it. We had 2 sides Assorted mushrooms w/shallot confit and Fingerling potatoes w/blue cheese & garlic cream sauce. The mushrooms are tasty goes with any dish. Potatoes were ok - nothing too fancy. It was a great dinner that we all finished our foods with everyone complimenting their dishes!
(5)
Ben D.
When I took a bite of the fried oysters, I felt as if I had gotten laid and drunk at the same time. The server asked, "How is your grouper, sir?" All I could manage was, "Fuckin A!" Go here. Eat the fishes.
(5)
Tom C.
Yessir. This place is really, really good. Here's what's so awesome. 1. The service is top-notch. The servers, hosts/hostesses are all professional, thorough, and really effective. There is absolutely nothing to complain about on this front. 2. The food is very, very good. Really, it's good. No, I mean it - it's good. This is a seafood place, and what they do with a piece of fish is remarkable. As an appetizer I had fried oysters, which were outstanding. Not overcooked, well fried, HUGE, and with a smoky mayo that was just wonderful. This appetizer comes with house pickles, which went perfectly with the meal. As a main course, I had halibut with garlic cream and celery. This was truly wonderful. The fish was cooked so perfectly, I'm still thinking about it days later. I also had dessert, against my beter judgment. I went with the beignets, which were so freaking good I ate the whole thing. Here lies the only problem - I wanted to shoot myself after. I ate way too much. But, I'd do it all over again. 3. When you arrive, there's complimentary valet (which is oddly much further away from the entrance than it needs to be). As you walk in, the place is just beautiful. It's got a great, spacious layout, with a killer raw bar area, a huge dining room, a nice bar in the center of the fining room, good lighting and a comfortable feel. It's expensive, but it's worth it. Really, this is a tremendous addition to the already great set of places over there on Houston Mill. I'm going to go back, hopefully soon.
(5)
Taylor A.
The Optimist is a worthy addition to the westside dining scene, but I wasn't as enamored with it as many others seem to be. Starting off, the space is beautiful. While it's large and lofty, the space doesn't feel empty or cold, but modern and comfortable. Maybe along the lines of Two Urban Licks... We sat at the bar for a drink before dinner. I wish they had dedicated bar-service bartenders as those behind the bar were too focused on filling table orders to be friendly and efficient with those sitting at the bar. Based on Katie W's review I had the Port Antonio and it was truly wonderful. The first drink I've had where cinnamon was a welcome addition. They certainly know how to make a drink. For dinner we started with the crab soup ($9) and gumbo ($9). The crab soup was light and creamy and I could eat it all day. The gumbo was spicy and filled with goodies like mussels and crab claws. Too spicy for me to get again though. About 30 seconds after the soup arrived entrees came out, but thankfully there was a kitchen miscommunication and they weren't our entrees, but they looked great! I had the swordfish ($24) with some pickeled peppers that I would say should be considered garnish. I would say you should always order some sides, because many of the entrees don't come with real sides. I had two pieces of swordfish. One was raw in the center, which I still can't tell was an error or not. I've never had seared swordfish, but maybe it's a thing. The second piece was cooked through and I wasn't as concerned about eating. Flavor was good though. My date had the striped bass ($25) which she only ate about half of. The crust was chewy and not crunchy, which was a little weird. I had a crispy peanut sundae which was excellent. A nice finish to the meal. Overall, I loved the decor, and drinks, but the food was hit or miss for us. Entrees and overall cost is relatively high. JCT Kitchen nearby is a much better value (lower cost, higher quality).
(3)
Vicki N.
I've heard a few people raving about this place, so we went ahead and made reservations here. Parking can be difficult if you don't want to valet. We found a spot a street or two over. They seated us right away and in front of the kitchen, so we can watch them bustling around. For the food, we ordered the spicy charred octopus appetizer, hush puppies and the crispy haddock. Each dish was very good! While we were ordering, they placed a plate of bread on our table. It was basically a toasted Hawaiian roll, basted with butter and sprinkled with coarse salt. My favorite dish would be the octopus appetizer. Usually octopus is very chewy, but this dish was soft and easy to eat while being very flavorful. The hush puppies are fried using a beignet batter then topped with powdered sugar and served with a honey butter side. It was extremely good! The crispy haddock comes out as a whole fish, so it's slightly difficult cutting the fish apart, but you'll get the hang of it eventually. The haddock was perfectly crispy while tasting of ginger and cilantro. The fish also contained a lot of meat, so it is fulfilling and worth the price! Service was a little slow that night. Our appetizers took awhile to come out. Other than that everything was great! I would definitely venture here again to try other items.
(5)
Tom G.
Outstanding! Has a really cool vibe. Was in Atlanta for a business trip and we went as a small group. The place has a lot of character. Putting green outside then when you go into the restaurant he see a large oyster bar that is quiet impressive. Has a warehouse feel in the dinning area an a large bar area. We had the octopus app, baked oysters and hush puppy's all great. I had scallops and others had the whole fish dish (little strange looking but they can remove meat if you don't want to look at a fish looking at you while you eat it!! Would highly recommend this spot. Enjoy.
(5)
Fefe P.
I realize there are hundreds of great reviews of The Optimist, but I promise you--they are well deserved!!! This is one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta. As a heads up, there is construction happening in the parking lot of the restaurant. You have to make a pretty sharp turn into the lot, which can be hard to see at night. Please don't let that deter you, as there is valet parking which is $2. Once you get past the construction, the restaurant itself is unassuming on the outside. When the weather heats up, there is patio style seating in the courtyard. Once inside, the atmosphere is always very cool. There is an oyster bar as you walk in and a large, open dining room. Service has always been outstanding and our last waiter (Chris from NY) was phenomenal in making our dinner experience amazing! Here are some tips: 1) Come Hungry--I guarantee you that there is not 1 bad thing on the menu...you just might be tempted to overeat, maybe :-). Also, they provide buttered, salted dinner rolls that have to be the best in the history of the world, possibly (hope you're not low carb). 2) Try the Starters--there are numerous Starters that will knock your socks off e.g. Mussels in green curry coconut broth, she-crab soup, charred octopus...to name a few. These will give you a nice variety to taste and share. Plus, portions are appropriately sized. 3) Corn Milk Hushpuppies--enough said 4) Leave Happy--the Fish & Chips and the Duck Fat Poached Swordfish were total standouts. If you leave room for dessert, it will be difficult to go wrong with anything on the menu (these usually change anyway). Happy Eating!!!
(5)
Tricia N.
My husband and I were visiting from NYC and we decided to have our anniversary dinner at The Optimist. I am so glad that we did. It was an amazing meal that we still talk about to this day. Our waiter was super friendly and knowledgable. He knew the menu and the ingredients very well and was able to make recommendations to us. The atmosphere is very modern and hip. They have a great, yet pricey drink and wine list. We started with some oysters, which were super-fresh, served with homemade saltines and horseradish. We shared the she-crab soup, which was amazing, as well as the shrimp a la plancha, served with an outrageous chile butter. I had the trigger fish entree and my husband had swordfish, both of which we really enjoyed. All of the food is presented very tastefully. They really know what they are doing with local ingredients. We sat near the open kitchen and liked watching the hustle and bustle. It was a great dining experience. This place is a little on the pricey side, but it was really worth every penny. I would absolutely come back on my next trip to Atlanta.
(5)
John G.
Definitely one of the best restaurants I've been too in years. 5 stars in every sense. Service, Atmosphere, Delicious Food, Amazing Drinks, and 100 % Clean. They've been open just shy of 2 years. I will be back.
(5)
caroline r.
Debating 2 or 3 stars on this one because the food was outstanding but the service was not good--spotty and terribly timed. We were at a table in the back corner and it sort of felt like they just forgot about us. It was 10min before our server came over and then our first round of drinks took nearly 25 minutes to appear. The waitress came to take our order before the cocktails had arrived, and one of us received soup about 10-15 minutes before the rest of the first course plates arrived. All said and done, we were there over 2.5 hours...a much longer meal than I had anticipated On a positive note, the food was so delicious. Between the 4 of us, we ate oysters, angels on horseback, scallops, halibut, sea bass, hush puppies, and beets. No complaints whatsoever about the food. On the whole, this restaurant has been open long enough to have worked out their service kinks by now. Had they opened a week or two ago I could be more understanding. If the bar and kitchen can't support service of a large restaurant at capacity then there are too many tables and the place shouldn't be so big.
(2)
Kira M.
I've dined here twice since they've opened and both meals have been excellent. The quality of the fish and seafood is excellent and the wine list has great selections for all budgets. While I didn't find any of the items tried mind blowing, surprising or overly imaginative, they were all very, very good. So far, we've tried the fresh oysters, bread, green beans, octopus, mussels, gumbo, tuna, whole sea bream (rare find!), and scallops. All dishes were a hit. The service is very good as is the atmosphere.
Very unimpressed with the food. Too much garlic on the fish. Sent it back for a new entree without the garlic and received the same piece of fish back. Will not return.
(1)
j s.
We must have been there on an "off" night, as there were several staff issues. Food was excellent with the exception of something that felt like a stone in my Brussels sprouts! I bit down on it and almost came out of my chair. Three people at my table loved their food and two people thought it was ok but not great. The space is beautiful and surprisingly quiet for a house 3/4 full. A sixth person got lost and when they called the restaurant there was only a voice-mail and no one called them back to help with directions. Earlier in the day I called twice to change the number in my party from 8 to 6 and got just a voice mail. When I arrived the reception group was in a snit because our table was set for 8. I could see their phone at reception had a red blinking light on it. Do you think it would be possible to answer the phone or check that blinking light to see if there are message there? Maybe reservation changes or lost patrons? The Optimist is supposed to be the best restaurant in Atlanta these days but I didn't see it on this trip.
(3)
Jason L.
Wow - had an outstanding meal here. Nice drink menu, tried some kind of twist on gin and tonic, and later some wonderful draught beer. Started with east and west coast oysters, then onto the (duck fat cooked) swordfish. The sides were good, and I especially recommend the fried rice and the mushrooms. It's possible there was crack in the mashed potatoes they were so go, but not certain. Our server was knowledgeable and always there when she needed her. And on a Sunday evening the place was hopping at 8:30pm. Great place, highly, highly recommended.
(5)
Betty R.
Took my folks here on Friday night in honor of Father's Day - but my super hip dad had already been twice (he loves the place)! The space is fabulous - really beachy and laid back but still upscale. Biggest non-food/drink complaint - the chairs are so very uncomfortable - I had a sore back for the rest of the weekend. Service was a little spotty, but generally available and helpful. Cocktails were good (I had a strawberry basil punch and the Old Salty Dog), and the wine list was surprisingly accessible. For apps, we had oysters (yum), the fried crab roll (really tasty), and the "angels on horseback" (parents loved, but for me, at a seafood place, you can keep the pork belly). We had four different kinds of fish for entrees - tile fish, skate, grouper, and halibut - and everything was delicious and cooked perfectly. The pickled ramps with the tile fish and the sauce with the halibut were particularly notable. We got shoestring fries, gnocchi, and carrots for sides, and they were all very good - the fries come in a HUGE portion, but somehow they disappeared (along with the tasty malt vinegar aioli they came with). Desserts were a disappointment all around - the only thing keeping The Optimist from a 5-star review. We tried the chocolate "pop tart," the blueberry pie, the grilled pound cake, and the grapefruit tart. I didn't try the pound cake, but everything else left me cold - they were technically perfect (for example, the crusts/pastries on everything had wonderful texture), and they were presented beautifully, but there wasn't a whole lot of flavor to speak of. The grapefruit tart, for instance, didn't taste like grapefruit unless you actually landed on a piece of the candied grapefruit garnish. Next time, I will skip the sweet stuff and order another round of cocktails and oysters!
(4)
Dillon O.
It's NOT all that. First of all the physical space is open, very loud and warehouse-like. I get it -- it's trendy; however, I just don't care for it. Service was excellent but the food was OK at best. I ordered the fish & chips expecting a couple pieces of fish and thick traditional chips. Instead there was one big piece of fish and the "chips" were shoestring potatoes. Both the fish & so-called chips didn't taste of anything much except grease. I'm sure I could have gotten better at any pub and probably much cheaper than the Optimist's $20 price tag. On to dessert -- I ordered the lemon meringue tart. It is a mound of overly sweet very heavy meringue with a very thin layer of lemon curd and a thick crust -- simply hideous. And I love just about any kind of dessert but this was by far the worst I've ever had -- at $8.00, no less. I would never go back to the Optimist -- it's your typical over-hyped, over-priced, trendy BS Atlanta restaurant.
(2)
Travis R.
The food was good, but the service was abysmal. 8:30 reservation, sat at 9:10, didnt get out till 11:45! It was brutal waiting 20-30 mins between courses and the server's attitude almost felt like we were the problem. Won't go back.
(1)
Kelly W.
My boyfriend took me to The Optimist for my birthday dinner, which I was very excited about since I couldn't wait to try this new hot spot. I have to say I was intrigued from the minute we walked up, spotting the small putt putt golf area for while you wait for a table- cool. Love the atmosphere here, feels intimate when you walk in, but when you turn the corner to head to your table the space opens up dramatically to the super tall ceilings, awesome bar, and open kitchen concept. It was packed on a Wednesday night so I was glad we had a reservation. We had probably the best table in the house, a large booth for the two of us, positioned in the back which was perfect to watch everything that was going on. Service was excellent, and I enjoyed looking over the fun cocktail list. I stuck with a classic, the salty dog while my boyfriend sampled a few beers. Everything we ate was fabulous. Started with oysters, of course, and they were fresh and came with all the fixings. Then we had the octopus with watermelon- I was hesitant about this but it was AMAZING. I also tried the she crab soup that came with these yummy shrimp toasts. For our entrees, I had the duck fat poached swordfish that I pretty much devoured, while my boyfriend tried the lamb belly. Also a winner! Overall we loved this place and had a great time. We will definitely be going back.
(5)
Richard R.
I was in the area for some research and development. As a chef from Louisiana, I have to say that the gumbo was incredible and authentic Cajun gumbo not New orleans gumbo. Oysters were so fresh and delishes. The price for the oysters seem to reflect that they are not gulf oysters but flown in from east and west coast. Ambience was great as well as the service.
(5)
Chris S.
I know they are a new hot spot, but i was really disappointed with the service here. We started out in the Oyster bar for a few cocktails before dinner and apparently they are not a full bar, if you want a cocktail they have to go to the other side, and they inform you this will add 5-10 minutes to you order. We started out with some oysters which were very fresh, Angels on Horseback which were a fried oyster with Pork belly and some Gumbo which were all very good. We ordered swordfish, grouper and fish and chips between the table that were all good, but a bit pricey. It all went downhill when we started to talk to our waitress, she made is seem like she just did not even want to be bothered with us, and she really had an attitude - this really set the mood for our entire meal. Very disappointed... at one point she mad mention that someone at our table was annoying. I also did overhear one of the other servers say they pool all the tips, so maybe that is why our server couldn't be bothered - she would still make good money for the night no matter how we tipped - which we still tipped 20%, but it really left a bad taste for me for the restaurant - all in all i think the food is 3-4 stars and the service for us was a 1. I will wait a while to go back and hopefully they will weed out the bad employees??
(2)
Christopher H.
I am not that big on seafood, so I wasn't looking forward to coming to this new restaurant in Atlanta's Westside (the best side). I was extremely pleased in every facet upon dining here though. First, the restaurant itself is beautiful on the inside. The ceilings are extremely high which gives the place a very open feeling. I can't think of another more appealing dining setting in Atlanta, perhaps Canoe outside by the river in the evening. Their soup selection, part of the reason I went in the first place, is good. I ended up getting the seafood gumbo. It's a starter, but I wasn't that hungry. The gumbo itself was delicious, my only complaint was that it could have used more seafood....but most seafood gumbos regardless of where you get it seems to be void of this key ingredient. Regardless, it was good. It was rather spicy as well. I like spicy, but the soup caught me off guard. It definitely tested my manhood in front of my date. LOL. I also had their beignet style hushpuppies. I thought the concept was intriguing, but the hushpuppies were excellent! Anyway, great place to dine.
(5)
Donald L.
I finally returned to The Optimist and it was great. This time, I sat at the bar and ordered oysters and a lobster roll. The lobster roll is amazing. If you haven't been, you should visit just to get it. It is still loud but doesn't seem to matter very much if you are on the bar side. I'll try the restaurant side again soon.
(4)
Mqew W.
OMG! I tried it once and got the Lobster Roll. Swung and missed. I've definitely had better. Ok. Fine. Not a problem. So I try it for lunch yesterday. STRIKE TWO!!!! How can you mess up a simple shrimp cobb salad? I know, a hair! I had no words. Mgmt asks if I want something else. I was hesitant but hungry, so I ask for it again. How about no shrimp on it.... REALLY???!!! WTF! I'm good. BYE!
(1)
Scott M.
To be fair, I've only eaten here once, but my wife and I were NOT blown away. Service was very good but the food ... unmemorable. After all the hype we were very excited to dine there, but at the end of the meal we were puzzled. Some of the food was ok and some, I would never order again. To critique every dish we ordered would be to give each one more of my time than it deserved.
(2)
Jon L.
We recently relocated to Atlanta and The Optimist has been our go to spot for incredibly fresh and delicious food!! Everything we have tried has been excellent and has us coming back weekly for our fix. The staff is very well versed in the food and cocktail/wine programs. Thank's for making us feel so welcome!
(5)
Suzanne W.
I had the most amazing experience here! It would have been plain old ordinary but thanks to out most fab server and the delicious food coming out ... The experience was extraordinary. :) I wish I remembered her name... But if I ever do... I will def update this. I ordered so many appetizers. I love this place more for a tapas kind of experience. I ordered the mussles, shrimp a la plancha (yes, def messy and def worth it), hush puppies (eh), gumbo (eh... But the bread that came with it was sooo yummy...or was it the spread?... Whatever it was... It was sooo delicious! I feel like I ordered more appetizers but I can't quite remember. As for the entrees... We had the scallops (quite small in size and not what was expected), swordfish (wanted to try something new... Never again, & a fish I can't remember (I just remember it being 30 something bucks! Lol... But well worth it). I still need to go back for lunch and the oyster bar. Can't wait!
(4)
Tomoy L.
The lobster roll is amazeballs. Fucking yum! It's light and refreshing, but filling. Not to mention the service. Staff had great eye contact and customer service. The ambience is great. New favorite. So worth the $24.
(5)
Lottie A.
Had dinner at the bar. We tried the octopus, flounder, snapper and oysters. Everything was perfectly prepared and expertly plated. The service at the bar was efficient if not overly friendly. Expensive, but worth it for a night out. May be the best "fish house" in Atlanta.
(4)
Vicky J.
Just love this place! My 'goto' restaurant for lunch meetings. Great parking is a big plus.
(5)
Marcel S.
I thought the food was ok. The rolls were yummy. Oysters were bad. And scallops so so. Last night must have been an off night. At least my company was entertaining.
(1)
Paul M.
Always a great time here. They know what makes people love a restaurant: responsive, friendly service that never feels pushy, a great wine/beer/cocktails list and original, REALLY well executed food that changes with the seasons. Thanks for another excellent night.
(5)
Philip G.
Just had a great meal with two appetizers and a side, not to mention glasses of two good rums. I had the octopus con chorizo y pepe, the gambas à la plancha (with sopping bread), and the bok choy with ginger and pickled peppers. Then a light blueberry with lemongrass sorbet. Went back for a second round a week later. Still just as good with pleasant service from the bar staff (as a single diner visiting from out of town, this is essential). Although they had run out of the blueberry sorbet to my greater sorrow.
(5)
Carlos O.
Quite nice... Great atmosphere and patio seems like it would be the jam during spring/summer... Good oyster selection and food is somewhat spicy... Not too shabby
(4)
Lydia L.
Thought I would give this new Ford Fry restaurant a try, and we were not disappointed. The restaurant is situated just south of 10th and Howell, easy valet parking, some outdoor seating, a bar area separate from the main dining area near the hostess stand, and ample seating in the main restaurant. I would describe the decor as contemporary meets beach bungalow. Large space, not too loud like JCT Kitchen, and an open kitchen. Our waitress Sara really knew her stuff. She went over all aspects of the menu quickly and highlighted favorites. Bread is brought to the table- appears to be a wheat roll with coarse salt on top. not bad. Appetizer: Clams and Pork belly. I mean, it's impossible to be disappointed when there's pork belly and good broth, right? Good portion for two to share. Entrees: Halibut- "the chef's favorite" and waitress's recommendation. The halibut was cooked perfectly, nice crispy sear. It's weird for me to say this, but the star of the dish was the mushroom accompaniment. The hen of the wood mushrooms were divine. I need to find them... Approx 5oz portion for the fish. Grouper- Ah, the grouper. The waitress seemed a bit hesitant to recommend this, probably the because the portion is also approx 5oz, but it comes simply with some vidalia onion and a horseradish broth. It felt skimpy. The fish was actually undercooked in the center, but when the waitress was notified of this, she and management staff very quickly offered to replace it, which wasn't necessary. The well-cooked portion of the fish was much enjoyed. Side: Gnocchi with lobster butter- This side literally melts in your mouth. Good portion for sharing, and honestly filling enough to be an entree. If you are ordering either of the fish listed above, you'll probably want to share a side to make it feel like a complete meal. Dessert: Key Lime PUSH-POP. Oh, such nostalgia. These were delicious. We kind of wished the graham cracker crust was layered instead of trapped at the bottom of the push-pop, but it was a very good dessert. I think this restaurant will be quite successful. Obviously this is the first week that it has been open, and I always expect some hiccups along the way. The wait staff seemed well organized, things appeared to move smoothly in the restaurant. The prices of some of the dishes could stand to come down a little bit, or a side of vegetables/grain could be added to the fish to make the price seem more reasonable. Good meal, would return!
(4)
Franki J.
Started our vacation with lunch at the Optimist - talk about setting the bar high! Our waitress was extremely informative on the menu and the drinks. She kept watch on our table to ensure we always had enough napkins, water, etc. As for the food - amazing! The shrimp appetizer was delicious and the sauce on it is life changing. The hush puppies are unique but tasty. The shrimp salad was light yet made you full. Finally, the atmosphere is open and light hearted. I would recommend anyone try this restaurant.
(5)
Latoya W.
I loved this place. My good friend took me here for my birthday and everything was yummy from the peel and eat shrimp to the down to the blackened grouper. Yummy! I will definitely be returning. My only negative point is I found the bartenders to be very standoffish and kind of snooty. For what I don't know, but whatever. I actually find it hilariuos. If the lion share of your income is based on tips, I would think you would actually want to provide customer service. Go figure.
(4)
Chandler J.
Great experience and loved our bartender. We actually had a regular dining room reservation but spent the whole night at the bar for dinner instead of getting a table. The main room seating wasn't exactly plush-looking anyway, so the bar was likely more comfortable. Every suggestion the bartender made was spot on... from the spicy jalapeño scotch drink with pineapple - which sounded God awful on paper, but was actually tasty as all hell - to the amazing malbec, to the hush puppy appetizer. I actually had her surprise e with me dinner and wound up with swordfish on my plate. The swordfish was so tender it ate like a sea bass. Incredible. And the raw bar was impressive as well. Just stay away from anything XL... you shouldn't have to spend 30 seconds chewing an oyster because it was so big. The only complaint was that some oysters were poorly paired by size. We ordered two of each oyster from every region they offered (3-4 dollars each). Often times one would be regular sized and one would be dwarfed. Almost insultingly so. We were told this is because they are "living creatures" and vary by size. Well, so is a cow. And if I'm paying for a 20 oz porterhouse and am served a petit filet, there's gonna be an issue. We were a bit perturbed they made no offer to rectify this, especially considering the bill was 150, but alas, what are you gonna do... But other than that everything was great. Take the servers suggestions and you'll be fine!
(4)
Kate F.
This is more of a 3.5 star review and I'm grading a bit harshly because The Optimist is pricey and hard to get a reservation so I expect more. We came here to celebrate a birthday and made a reservation for two at the first available time on a Sunday, which ended up being something like 9pm. We did get a nice table for two and there was a decent amount of space in the restaurant at that time (so if you lack reservations, try for a late seating). It's a nice space, one of more sophisticated (but not fussy) restaurants I've seen in Atlanta. Added bonus: spotted Aaron Paul dining here. The food was really good, if not quite as incredible as some of the 5-star reviews suggest. Still, very, very solid. The reason why this is a 3 star review is that they were OUT of almost everything we wanted to order and it really limited our main course options. Since this was a special occasion for us, it just put a bit of a damper on the meal. I'd definitely come again, but I'd probably sit in the bar area, have some cocktails, and keep it a bit more casual.
(3)
Stacey B.
I'm from out of town and came here based on Yelp's recommendation. All of our food was excellent! We started with some salads, including the kale salad. OMG soooo good! I had the Lane Snapper and it was my favorite of all our dishes. The beets and mushroom sides were also great. The ambience of this place was very hip. I definitely recommend The Optimist!
(5)
Art R.
This place is amazing! Had the lobster roll, seafood chowder and fried Oysters. All were great!! Best to make a reservation, place is packed even during the week. A must if you in the mid town area
(5)
Kelsey F.
It was love at first sight. The Optimist is one of the most charming places I have been in Atlanta. We were greeted by two little boys in matching plaid playing putt putt on there front greens. The outside courtyard is so intriguing that I almost wish we had to wait so we could have enjoyed it. You walk in at the oyster bar where punch is flowing, the fire is burning, and people are enjoying lots of small plates. If you order a beer, you get an Optimist koozie! So wonderful. We were quickly seated though as we had called ahead to make a reservation. The large dining room is exactly what I want out of restaurants. It was large, crisply clean, cozy, comfortable, elegant, and slightly nautical. On our table we found two black napkins and two white ones. It turns out they give guests wearing black the black napkins so the white ones don't shed on their clothes- Such a simple and clever way to make guests happy. They also quickly brought us water, drinks, and manna from heaven. Actually they were buttered rolls, but I'm fairly sure they were what manna from heaven would taste like. After being overwhelmed and wanting literally everything on the menu, I decided on a cup of she crab soup, oysters, and a side of beets. I'm pretty sure the frothy and rich she crab soup was made by the hands of Poseidon himself. It came with something called "shrimp toast". I really wanted like three shrimp toasts to dip in my soup. It was scrumdiddlyumpscious. Entrees come a la carte and it is recommended that you order a side, appetizer, or oysters to go with them. I prefer small plates because you get to try more different things. I had a mix of sweet East coast and deep set, briny West coast oysters. They came over ice with herb mignonette, lemon, and fresh horseradish. Typically I prefer the salty more mineral oysters, but these sweet East coast oysters were amazing. I strongly recommend getting some oysters to share with your table. My beets were just the icing on my cake. They came in a large portion with cheese, herbs, and peppers. Their spiciness was a great compliment to my sweet and rich oysters and soup. The service was spot on. Our lovable waiter made sure we had everything we needed. He kept our waters full, poured our wine, laughed with us, and didn't miss a beat. I can not wait to get back to The Optimist. I'm dying to give the actual oyster bar and the house fish punch a try. Super great wonderful delightful meal.
(5)
Nichole K.
Out of the bar bites the Octopus is my least favorite. Lobster roll, GA shrimp, and oysters are always the way to go.
(5)
Allison S.
Unlike others, my experience at The Optimist was a little disappointing. I didn't enjoy my food, but I am planning to go back for another try. Maybe it was just me. The reviews from everyone else seem pretty consistent. I will give it another try.
(2)
Laura R.
Great ambiance. Good food. Amazing drinks. The hush puppies were delicious and everything was really fresh. I thought it was kinda overpriced and that the entrees should have come with at least a tiny side. Only other complaint was we were at a two top shoved between two other couples. For a space that large I wouldn't mind some more room to talk!
I really liked it. Took a date here; we ordered varied oysters and I had the Octopus. Everything was prepared very well; I will be coming back
(4)
Craig M.
I'm from out of town and got the opportunity to eat at this place last night. The food was excellent but what really stood out was after waiting a little too long for our entries the manage brought out our food saying the wait was unacceptable to their standards and did not charge us for the main course. Very classy and not expected.
(4)
Amy O.
Was "squeezed in" for a table of 10 but the restaurant ended up being pretty empty when we got there. The oysters were amazing. I ended up getting the whole fish which was delivered then violently but open in front of me. Made me loose my appetite, wish they would have done that in the back as I had suggested. However food and atmosphere was great. I would go back for the oysters.
(3)
Charles C.
This was my 3rd time to go but my first time I ate in the dinning room. We started at the oyster bar and had excellent service. The oysters were fantastic. Next we moved to the bar in the dining room where Don took great care of us. The gumbo was very tasty And the Cobia was outstanding. It is a bit loud but not overbearing. If you are looking for a great dining experience give them a try
(5)
S. W.
This is about as good as it gets. The room is huge, yet beautifully lit and welcoming and not too loud. The food will simply knock your socks off. Perfect oysters, stupendous mussels served with a broth I wanted to drink like a soup. The mussels also come with a thick piece of toasted bread that, when dunked into the broth had me singing "halleuiah!" The sides of Brussels sprouts are worth a trip (what?? yes). The lemon tart is exquisite as are the beignets. The service is attentive without being overbearing or precious. I can't wait to go back. In fact, in the time it took me to confirm this review, I've been back three times and feel just as enthusiastic.
(5)
Es D.
Went for a friend's birthday with a group and we all loved this place and can't wait to go back! Very cool ambiance and outside bar area. Our server was fantastic and the food was some of the best we've had. You must try the kale salad! All our apps, sides and main dishes were wonderful.
(5)
Daniel L.
Oh, hello there! Came here for a wedding last saturday and my expectations were blown away. I blame the alcohol and great company. 4.5/5 To start, this restaurant is hidden behind Octane, near 5 Seasons and M St apts. Tall ceiling and wide spaces, I really enjoyed that there was space to host a wedding and dance as well. After the ceremony, they walked around with a couple notable hors d'oeuvres. Chicken tenders - I was going to pass on this, but after the look of amazement on a few faces, I gave in (and I'm glad I did!) They were lightly breaded and just enough flavor to want more, but what was the kicker was the sauce it came with! thebomb 5/5 Spicy octopus bites - I had a few of these, and although they weren't spicy, I could tell after more than 3 or 4, you'd sweat a little. This says more about my tolerance though, since I stick to Mild. 4/5 After a few beers, we were seated and the main dishes came out. The appetizer was a little gem lettuce salad, with lemon anchovy dressing, croutons and parm cheese. Pretty average. The dressing made it worth finishing, would not want another. Reminded me of standard caesar. 3.5/5 Main entree: Skirt Steak on a bed of pinto beans garnished with jalapeño peppers. Very very very good. The steak was (seared?) or grilled medium-rare and sliced. Paired with red wine and a bite of grilled(whole) jalapeño pepper made this an exceptional experience for me! 5/5 Dessert: Banana bread cupcake. You HAVE to take a bite of this properly (unwrap, and devour an entire 1/4 of the cupcake from the top cream to bottom) to truly appreciate this. I absolutely loved the fluffy bread paired with the banana whipped cream washed down with a hefeweizen beer. 5/5 easily. All in all, wonderful food from this place. Can't wait to try more seafood next time (what they're known for, I know... what am I eating steak here for?!) 4.5/5
(4)
Cheryl T.
This restaurant lives up to all the hype. Seriously one of the best seafood restaurants I've ever experienced, and definitely the best inland restaurant. Worth the wait to get a table, and while not cheap, the food is fresh and deftly prepared. We ate here for my birthday, six of us, and no one was dissatisfied. Not even my 83 year old dad, who thinks a plate of food should cost the same as it did in 1950. Doesn't matter what you get, it's all good, but if you love oysters, definitely try a few with their homemade cocktail or minionette sauces.
(5)
Kevin M.
Had a great time eating here with my brother at the bar. Good drink selection, good atmosphere/decor, and good food. I had the scallops w short rib and it didn't disappoint. Would recommend to anyone in Atlanta looking for seafood.
(4)
Fatina B.
Finally we made it there for dinner this saturday. Great restaurant. We had a 5 o'clock reservation so we did not have to wait to be seated. The place got filled very quickly . I ordered their west bay oysters and blackened octopus for appetizers. Both were great. I still prefer though the octopus salad that I had in barcelona, that was more ceviche style. For entree we chose the blackened amberjack and fish & chips. Both were excellent. For the blackened fish I had to order a side of vegetables separately as it Does not come with any.I chose the bokchoy which was excellent. Will definitely come back maybe during the week for lunch
(4)
Bruce L.
Dinner Review: I came here for lunch before and seated my self in the casual section of the restaurant. "Take my money!" - should explain my experience. For this review, I am fixated on my dining room experience. This venue is divided into two sections (Dining area and casual area). Menu for both area are different which adds to their diversity of selections. I recommend a minimum of two visits to experience both. An establishment like the Optimist thrives on providing extraordinary service to multiply the adventure of dining that you already get from their wide selections of seafood preferences (Great for seafood lovers). OYSTERS - To have a generous range of selections of oysters is stimulating to my relish appetite and this privilege is not easy to come by within Atlanta combined with fine quality (I'm referring to seafood - It's FRESH). I recommend any deep-sea oysters (Lucky Limes and Kumamoto are two of my favorites). Any time I see arugula salad on the menu, it's a no brainer. I am surprised that I do run into people who had never had arugula O_o (Arugula consist of many variation of flavors between sweet and spicy - for those who might be curious). If you are one of those who never had it, get it! The arugula salad is a fine selection to begin your meal. Selecting my main entre, I was leaning towards the snapper but when I saw GRUNT on the menu, I was intrigued by the name. I had to inquire about this fish labeled GRUNT! I understand describing a type of fish is a difficult task for anyone. My server had proficiently explained the type of texture, made comparisons and described the preparation of the grunt fish. Of course, I made my selection to the grunt fish and let me simplify it.... It was meaty (Like a tuna steak). Yumm The Optimist is a place you may take your significant other or a prospecting significant other ;) I do not see why your date wouldn't think you're a great "catch" after being nourished and delighted with what this establishment indulges you with.
(5)
Velvet B.
#11 out of top 50 restaurants on Atlanta according to Atlanta magazine. The lobster roll was divine for $21. Oysters are expensive and they were out of there homemade crackers. :( The decor is fabulous but our waiter was fumbling all night. Cannot wait to come back for a full dinner not just a snack. But be prepared to spend$100 for 2 sans alcohol.
(4)
David G.
I went to lunch here with my parents. I am not an oyster eater, but they are. They claim they are the best they have ever had. I ordered fish and chips. It was a good choice. My parents ordered the fish sandwich and the shrimp burger. Both were excellent. This is a good lunch spot downtown.
(4)
Hambri Enta M.
After enjoying dinner with my first date contestant, we walked across to get a second round of drinks. I had something sweet and berry tasting that was finished with a basil leaf. We ordered some oysters, which were absolutely amazing and fresh! The female barkeep and the male behind the bar, possibly a manager, were both personable and engaging. This place is HUGE! and has a real nice side porch which is uncovered and will be great for just shooting the shit drinks in hand. Looking forward to having a meal here in the very future
(4)
Brad S.
Oysters were fantastic and the lobstah roll made me feel like I was sitting at a table in Boston overlooking the Charles River..
(5)
Lynn E.
Run don't walk. Delish. This new seafood restaurant is a welcome addition to the ATL dining scene and a breath of fresh air. The space is open, high ceilings, lots of big windows - the night we were there the weather is ideal and the front of the house of open - you could 'almost' imagine your were in San Diego. The set up is a nice change of pace in a city where we are both land-locked but often cooped-up. The is bar area with outdoor seating, a separate menu (tapas style seafood offerings) and a raw bar with a variety of oysters. The dining room includes another bar (you can opt to have dinner there or drinks) and space for large parties. It was ladies-foodie night out so we opted to order individual entrees, several sides and a couple of desserts: florida grouper, smoked vidalia onion, horseradish broth - this was divine and understated. It's a light yet filling dish. I needed/wanted a roll to soop up the delicious broth. wood roasted soft shell crab, pickled ramps, garlic broth - another winner. perfectly cooked and adorned with young spring onions. alaskan halibut, wood grilled hen of the wood, red wine fish bordelaise - nicely prepared halibut - the mushrooms were outstanding - so good we thought about asking if we could order a side of the 'shrooms. seared rare tuna, charred octopus & potato salad, harissa - another perfectly prepared fish. kudos to the kitchen for a harissa with layers of flavors; you could taste the roasted red peppers and then the subtle heat from the spicy peppers. Yum. shoestring fries, malt vinegar aioli - we inhaled this side. The aioli is beautifully prepared - I wanted to slather it on everything but restrained myself. my only suggestion is to convert the fries from shoestring to something easier to eat. sliced local tomatoes, louie dressing - again fresh, fresh, fresh. lovely fresh tomatoes sitting on top of housemade louie dressing (the added drizzle of EVOO is n't needed). chilled wood roasted beets, smoked egg, horseradish, apple - a yummy presentation of young beets in different colors with tiny minced apples and a delicious vinaigrette. GRAPEFRUIT TART -- candied honeysuckle, venezuelan white chocolate - i had read about this dessert and could imagine what it might taste like - ORDER IT - it's a lightly sweet tart with a hint of citrus tang. A lovely taste to end a delicious meal. Sundae: grilled pound cake with caramel, ice cream and hot fudge. Pound cake needs to be grilled - my new mantra!!! Fun dessert to share with friends. Can't wait to return. Thank you Chef Fry.
(4)
Terry F.
A very unique and fun restaurant near my old stomping grounds in the Collier Road/Howell Mill area above Georgia Tech. Just don't go here when it is packed. The noise level would be very high due to no sound dampening built into this old refurbished shop/warehouse/gym. We started with a rum cocktail (with Goslings), a nice glass of house red wine (Picpoul) and six James oysters. The oysters were fresh, fantastic tasting and served properly with homemade crackers, horseradish and cocktail sauce. The standouts on the rest of the menu were the gumbo and the melon salad. The tuna and the mushrooms were also good, but a bit chewy. Not too bad for two people--we paid around $100 total.
(4)
Gale E.
OK, fourth time I've been to The Optimist. Although I generally like the food and atmosphere, now it's time to break from the crowd and register some negatives of my experience on May 11, in order of importance: - Beware of the middle tables in the main dining room. The air vents blow directly, and strongly on them - to the point I had to put my glass on my menu to keep it from blowing away. One member of our party had to step outside to warm up. This really detracted from our dining experience. - The charred octopus - I have had it all 4 visits and normally love it. But this time it was prepared with too much spice and seemed a bit overcooked. Frankly like the octopus at Baraonda more than this version. - Not sure why they think they need piped-in loud music to complement the dining experience. It does not enhance the experience. - Frankly, the servers and bartenders at Lure are more professional and personable. So The Optimist is certainly good, and the location is very hip. Love the inventive drinks, although you can get just as good if not better at Lure. But I think I will move on to other restaurants for a while.
(3)
Toni W.
I have only eaten at the Oyster Bar and I am a fan!! As a lover of seafood, they did not disappoint. We came shortly after they opened the Oyster Bar for the afternoon so it was quiet and intimate. The food was great- I cant pick out a fave but tried some east coast oysters (the mignonette was so good), huge peel and eat shrimp, salt n vinegar chips, lobster knuckles and snow crab, charred octopus and butter yeast rolls. I drool as I type this. Just the thought of the food makes me want some right now. The cocktails were also yummy and reasonably priced. I really liked the overall atmosphere and space. The small putt putt area out front is a fun plus. Made friends with the table next to us and went out to putt around some golf balls (if you have kids this would be a good way to keep them entertained if you are waiting for a table). Our server was delightful as well. She was friendly, helpful, accommodating and made sure we didnt have empty glasses. I definitely recommend The Optimist and can't wait to go back for more.
(5)
Silvia G.
The food is amazing and I usually have a good experience at this restaurant but on 11/24/13 we had an awful experience with our server... I guess it being a Sunday night he was tired and anxious to go home. He never approached our table to ask if we needed anything, not friendly at all, not a smile, not a smirk... Anyways the worst part was that at the end he made a mistake with our check and charged my friend (who was kind enough to pay the full bill) 2 times 2 different amounts... It got messier afterwards... The restaurant was not helpful and they gave her a hard time with that issue. Unbelievable.
(3)
Mindy M.
Scallops with oxtail marmalade...Yummy! The clams were outstanding. The lobster cobb & Lobster Roll are to die for. The old salty dog is my new favorite cocktail. The space is beautiful. It is an absolute favorite!
(5)
Angela M.
Thanks to Jang for planning the UYE lunch that finally got me here! We waited until the majority of the group arrived, and then were seated at one of the 6 seat tables with a flipped high chair for the baby bucket. We started with the beignet-style corn milk hushpuppies for the table. I'd never had hushpuppies with powdered sugar, and while I don't think I'll make it a regular thing, I do think it was tasty, especially with the subtle sweetness of the cane sugar butter. While I debated several things, I chose the lobster roll, with beet salad. The beet salad didn't seem like much at first, but I liked it more with each bite. Red and candy cane beets with buttermilk cheese and pistachios, nicely seasoned with salt and a bit of oil. The lobster roll was fresh and tasty, simply prepared with large chunks of lobster meat, celery greens, and some lemon on a fluffy bun. I'd inhaled half of it by the time the others had finished prepping their plates to be eaten... so I made myself stop for a few minutes and look around at what they had. When I saw the oyster loaf that others got, I decided to come back again to try it - an oyster poboy with large oysters piled high atop a crusty baguette... When Heidi offered up the rest of her fish and chips, I heartily dug in. I'd meant to only taste it, but then polished it off. This fish was nicely fried, and the potatoes weren't chips or fries, but nicely crisped chunks of potato. I ended up using quite a bit of the white sauce (malt vinegar aioli?) that came on the side. It's not the least expensive lunch in the area, but the quality of the seafood and the atmosphere made it worth it. I'll be back to try that oyster loaf! There's also a putting green out front, and they've got putters and golf balls at the hostess stand, I'm assuming for when there's quite a wait.
(4)
Amanda F.
We came here for my partner's birthday and were thrilled from start to finish. I made the reservation online and shared that it was his birthday when asked if it was a special occasion. When we got there, we noticed that the menus were customized with a happy birthday message for him! The food was amazing, the service was impeccable. The building itself is really interesting, open, and just nice to sit in. Would highly recommend it for anyone looking to have an amazing meal.
(5)
Sophia Y.
Wayyyyy over priced for mediocre food. The gumbo was bitter bc they over cooked the roux. I understand deep flavors bc I graduated from AIA in culinary arts but this was just gross. We had a party of 8 and ordered 2 gumbos and everyone e disliked it. I got the snapper, it was good but it looked like a pan fried piece of fish on an empty plate. There was nothing with it literally. Hush puppies were salty. Octopus was tender but salty. Server was very slow. Overrated.
(2)
Jennifer M.
Definitely a fan of their raw oysters. We ordered a dozen to start off with, half east and half west. Super fresh and tasted of the sea. I could eat those for days. The four stars go to the oysters. As for the entree, we had the swordfish and the halibut with hushpuppies as a side. Sadly, they were just mediocre. Too much lemon on the halibut so it tasted like nothing but lemons. It was cooked perfectly though. Swordfish seemed to be tough and not that tasty. The hushpuppies were fried for too long. Had too much of a burnt taste to them. Would certainly go back for oysters, but not sure about the rest of their menu.
(4)
gabriel m.
While I am a fan of the place (read 4 stars) and have been sending people their way for years, this last trip wasn't the best ever. Let me qualify that of course. My dish, whole Haddock, was one of the best whole fish dishes I have had anywhere and the drinks were solid as usual that we got with our usual solid west coast oysters. Sounds like 4 or 5 stars no? Here's the thing. I got something new and suggested the core dishes to my out of town friends. The Halibut and the duck fat seared swordfish. To me, no-brainer dishes. When they came out, they were disappointments at best. Overcooked, over seasoned, and they even burned the garlic on the Halibut. Who does that at $26/plate? We also ordered some of the fried rice for the table and, while the seasoning and flavor was fresh and awesome, the core of the dish, the rice, was disgusting. No one ate it. Finally, the my desert, the Key Lime pie was neither key nor lime. It was mostly condensed milk and the crust seemed to be stale. This is why they get 3 of my 5 stars. I look forward to going back again and getting one of the "no-brainer" dishes to see if they took the criticisms to heart.
(3)
Dorothy P.
Came here for a b-day dinner and it was the first time I've dined in here. I've eaten at the bar before and loved it (lobster roll was amazing!). Our reservation went smoothly. I hate it when you make a reservation and you still have to wait. I love the ambience, it does feel like the inside of a ship. We started out with the mussels (this is a must!)-delicious. Then for our main course we had the tuna and red snapper-both yummy. and for sides we chose the roasted beets (waitresses suggestion) and beignet hushpuppies. Can't say I liked the beets, mainly b/c I'm not a beet fan in the first place, but the hushpuppies were to die for! It's like combining my 2 fave starches in the world: hushpuppies and beignets. must get this. and for dessert we rounded it out w/ the chocolate cake and espresso ice cream. it was ok, a bit too rich for my taste. I think a lighter ice cream would've paired better with the heavy chocolate cake. For drinks I had the scurvy something and mermaid something, both were spot on. Overall a solid and delicious experience. Would definitely come back. The only reason I couldn't give it 5 starts was b/c I didn't like the beets and the dessert was too heavy. Nonetheless I love Ford Fry's creations!
(4)
Eric L.
An absolutely amazing experience from start to finish. Perfect Anniversary dinner. The oyster appetizers are not just any fried oyster. Delicate softness and full flavor. Main courses were out of this world, but difficult for us to share because of the unique flavors in each. The wine recommendation from our server was spot on. We even went for dessert. Home run. Love this place for special occasions (only because of our budget). So many things to try, we could go back and score again.
(5)
Annie B.
I really liked this place. The decor was awesome. Very relaxing and staff was great. I tried the lobster roll and though iit was tasty, it was very small for the $18.00. The app. was the hush puppies that are really treated as beignets. Dusted with powedered sugar and served with honey butter that is out of this world. Desserts were also a big hit at our table. Overall, it was a very nice dining experience and we will make the 35 mile trek again.
(4)
Kim F.
My trip to The Optimist was nothing short of grand. We were quickly seated (had reservations, but that doesn't always mean you won't wait). My date is a frequent diner there but I had never been. He insisted we start with the shrimp a la plancha. I cannot begin to tell you how divine this incredibly messy dish was (you just have to dig in and pull the heads off, which was a little dicey for a woman who won't even buy chicken with the skin on it). For the next week I wanted to move to Atlanta just so I could have these more frequently. I chose the scallops for my entree, which was three very large scallops in a sauce that tasted to me like a cross between teriyaki and soy (I know that's not how they describe it, but that's how it tasted to me). Very good, perhaps a bit overpriced since it was accompanies by nothing. My date had fish, can't remember what kind, but it was delicious, not that that helps you since I don't know what it was. For sides we shared the basmati fried rice, which I definitely recommend, and the multi-colored beets, which were also good - I just expected them to be warm and they were cold. Not that we were still hungry, but lastly we had the beignets with bourbon praline and fired pecans. There could not have been a better end. Unless you topped it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The service and the ambiance were also first-rate.
(5)
Dustin H.
Went to The Optimist for the first time last night. Very nice atmosphere and service. The only reason I cannot give 5 stars is the food could use some improvement. I had the seafood gumbo for an appetizer, while my wife had the peel and eat shrimp. They were both delicious, other than the gumbo being overly salty and the shrimp being coated with about 3 inches of Old Bay seasoning. We did both really enjoy our side of rice. The hush puppies were good, although they tasted like they had sat around for awhile...more chewy than crunchy. Our main dishes were great, but could again be improved with a little less salt. Dessert (cheesecake) was delicious. We will definitely be making a return trip...and hopefully they'll be running low on salt that night!
(4)
Molly G.
Excellent. The octopus and heirloom tomato salad was amazing. I got triple tail and it was light and cooked perfectly. The fried rice tasted like it came from Tin Drum. It was good, but not what I expected. The key lime push pop was a nice ending, but I wish it had been bigger. Would definitely return!
(4)
Nicci R.
At lunch we ordered she crab soup, oyster loaf, fish and chips, hush puppies and basmati curry fried rice. The she-crab soup was served with a side of shrimp toast and was fantastic. I should have ordered a bowl instead of just a cup. The oyster loaf was a good po-boy style sandwich dressed with pickles, lettuce and remoulade sauce. The fish and chips entree was a disappointment considering it cost $17 for 2 pieces of fish on a pile of shoestring fries. The fish and coating tasted unseasoned and bland, unfortunately the mild flavored malt vinegar aoili dipping sauce did not help. Hush puppies were so good, especially with the cane butter. I could have eaten the butter straight with a spoon. Basmati curry fried rice was completely different flavor than our entire meal, but very tasty. Unfortunately, we were too full to try dessert.
(3)
Deb H.
Hit and miss this time This was our second time here after an excellent first experience several months ago. This one was hit and miss. Promptly seated at a nice table by friendly staff. Server was very knowledgeable but not especially attentive. Delicious cocktail (Jolly Roger) Of the 4 types of oysters, he liked 3--said the fourth was fishy. Excellent gumbo. Very good tuna 'opportunity' though a bit pricey. Verrry long wait between appetizer and entree with zero updates from our server on the delay. Beware: The a la carte approach makes this a pretty expensive outing ($24-25 for a piece of fish alone on a plate). King salmon fine but not amazing. Monkfish very moist and flavorful. Odd and disappointing the only starch options were hushpuppies and a fried rice with smoked fish (sounds gross). My kingdom for a potato. Overall it was a fine meal, but for a $200+ dinner for two I want to be thrilled, and I wasn't. For the money, the Atlanta Fish Market is a much better experience.
(3)
David N.
Man was that swordfish killer. Really great service. Loved the atmosphere. The bread they bring first is super good. Had the the hushpuppies as well, best part. So good. Gorgeous big room. Really fresh food. Very pleased. Great date night place.
(5)
Frank B.
I heard how great this place was and how they pride themselves on customer service. While I will agree on the fact that the oysters were excellent I would say the price and the way we were treated made them less than desirable. I could not get a reservation but I called two times and was told don't worry we treat everyone as if they are important and the longest you will wait is 30-45 minutes. When I showed up I was told 2+hours but I could sit outside with a limited menu. Figuring that would still be okay I sat down and after looking at the menu and price I was disappointed. Regardless we ordered food and found that the service and the treatment were less than desirable, the two words that come to mind are RUDE and slow. Not sure I will go back just based on the way I was treated.
I've been here 5 times. The food is always incredible and hits the just.right. spot. I've always been less than wowed by service. The service never quite matched the perfection of the food... (not that the service was bad, just not as incredible as the food is and the two should match--- at least) This past Saturday my party had the pleasure of being seated in Jonathan's session. His service matched, if not exceeded the perfection of the food. He takes service to another level. Personable, but not inappropriate. Attentive, seriously attentive, but not overbearing, deeply knowledgeable about the food and drink menu. Good Vibes. If you make it to The Optimist make sure to have the messy shrimp (that's my name for it), the kale salad (mmmm), any whole fish on the menu, of course oysters, and ask to sit at one of Jonathan's tables- he'll take extra good care of you! minus one star for the 15 minute valet wait outside. Instead of just two valets, they might need 3 or 4 on the really busyweekends.
(4)
Rachel M.
Ford Fry's establishments are certainly impressive- unless St Cecilia blows me away in the coming weeks, ( it very well may!) , this will remain my favorite among his outposts. The servers here are FRIENDLY- something that can really make or break a restaurant. I've been here many times, and always had a phenomenal experience with the servers and bartenders- A + , Optimist staff!!! The selection of Oysters is fantastic- they're always super fresh, and the servers are quite knowledgeable about the different varieties. I tend to be a teensy bit picky about my oysters, too( read: very particular), so that's saying something. The seafood gumbo is perfect- flavorful, a bit of spice, exactly how you want your gumbo. The fish chowder is also wonderful- creamy, smokey from the fish, but not gluey at all ( chowder isn't supposed to be goopey and gelatinous- cheap chowders have improperly skewed people's expectations !!!) I'd skip the She crab soup- it's just not my favorite version. The salted buttery roll thingys are divine- and dangerous! The Charred Octopus is freaking phenomenal- I've had it prepared the " Bar" and " Dining room" ways- and both are equally as delicious! The octopus is tender and smokey. I've actually ordered two of these. The green curry mussels are divine- tons of flavor. For entrees, the whole fish with garlicky sauce is so, so good- I actually haven't seen anything like this entree in Atlanta. The sauce is sweet and savory- and the fish moist. Love the halibut with sea salt- so simple, but so, so well done- the fish is perfectly cooked and it's own flavor really shines. I could go on and on- cocktails here are wonderful as well, but just get there- you'll love it!!
(5)
Harper C.
Amazing ... atmosphere, location, food and service. This is was the perfect place to choose for a weekday work dinner yet it will also be a weekend spot for me in the future. The menu was spectacular as was the service with the server bringing a lot of knowledge to help us make some decisions. No one at our table was displeased which is not an easy feat! Items ordered were diverse from chicken to steak to seafood, plus salads and some starters. All came in perfect timing and were absolutely delicious. Personally, I had the argula and duck salad to start with the swordfish as my main dish. The swordfish melted in my mouth. One of the sides we ordered to share at the table were fingerling potatoes. I could have eaten ALL of these myself. The cocktails were also yummy. Fortunately our server was able to work a deal so we could have one of the punches with dinner. Typically they only serve the punches at the bar (recommend you go to the bar just for the punch). Dessert was the finishing delight and the perfect way to end the meal. The price wasn't to bad either.
(5)
Rayandra S.
I had been wanting to try this place for some time based on the buzz it had generated. Perhaps my expectations were too high. It was packed, which is usually an auspicious sign for what is to come. We arrived at 9:40 for a 9:45 reservation but were not seated until at least 30 minutes later. My friend had a question about a dish and it took our waiter close to 25 minutes to find the answer from the kitchen. Our waiter was very nice, but other servers who brought our good were downright surly. I ordered the octopus salad, which was a tiny piece of charred/tough octopus. I think it could have been a good dish, but the octopus was overcooked, which ruined it. It dampened my enthusiasm for the rest of the menu. My friend is vegetarian, so we ordered some vegetable appetizers, which were hit or miss, but the hush puppies were good, with powdered sugar and a honey-based dip. The bananas foster on a stick for dessert was quite tasty. I would come back here at some point for the bar scene and to people watch, or perhaps with a date. However, the food and most of the service would not compel me to rush back right away. Perhaps my rating would have improved if I was able to get a seating early enough to take advantage of better prepared food and a less stressed wait staff. Right now, I'm failing to see what the hype is about.
(3)
Juan M.
Loved the ambiance, the vibe, the service, and specially the food. I tried the fried oysters and loved them. Probably the best ones I have ever had. I also tried and loved the seafood gumbo, the bluefin tuna, and the brioche bread that they serve along with the food. The waiter recommended the fried calamari and tried it as well, but it was disappointing. It probably does not have anything to do with the idea of fried calamari in your head. I had the salted caramel ice cream and loved it. Also tried the beignets and did not like them. The dough is too thick and doughy. Overall, great dining experience.
(4)
William P.
I got the octopus as a main entry and it was d e l i c i o u s. A little long time to wait for our table, but it was worth it. Definitely a 5-star restaurant.
(5)
Josh M.
We hit this place up at about 9:00 on a Friday night after a Yelp event. We walked from nearby and were really disappointed by the lack of a proper pedestrian entrance. We had to walk up the driveway, around a concrete wall and through the valet area just to get to a door that opens (you suburbanites get to bitch about parking, so I get to whine about pedestrian access). Not a great welcome, however as we found our way to the oyster bar our mood improved. We sat at the bar and were immediately impressed by the service. Our waiter was there off the bat and stuck around all night. We never wanted for a drink, menu, napkin, or utensil. Our order consisted of Georgia peel and eat shrimp, shoestring fries, grilled octopus and a Maine lobster roll. The shrimp and fries were out of this world. I don't know if I have ever had better cooked shrimp. The fries were millimeters thick and super-crispy (like freshly made French's potato sticks). Octopus dish was way too small and flavorless (I know how much a whole cephalopod costs and this was a rip-off). The lobster roll was okay. It is hard to impress a true New Englander with a lobster roll. I would recommend that they add a little bit of tail meat and adjust the price, as Maine lobster prices are at a near all-time low. They also had oysters for sale at $3.0-6.5 PER OYSTER! Having lived in NC where one can purchase an entire peck of oysters for $10.5, this did not compute for us. Granted, their selection included specimens from Washington, Nova Scotia and Maine, but would it kill them to have some southern selections at $0.5-1.0 per oyster? Overall, we were very impressed. The service was absolutely impeccable and the food far surpassed most wanna-be seafood joints in Atlanta. I just wish that properly cooked and prepared seafood in Atlanta was much more available and less costly.
(4)
Cathleen M.
This place is great, I travel to Atlanta for work and usually I stay within the Midtown area but The Optimist was recommended to me by a few locals in the area. The seafood is extremely fresh, the oyster bar is amazing, the service is phenomenal and the ambiance is great! Really what more can you ask for. Sara was a great server and very knowledgeable about the food and drinks offered there. She provided excellent suggestions. I would say this place is a must try if you are in Atlanta and off the beaten path of the usual Midtown/Downtown area. I had oysters, the whole GA white shrimp in a chile sauce and the arugula salad, all of which were very good. I will definitely be going back to try their entrees next time I am in town!
(4)
Jeff C.
Went for lunch. Venue and vibe of restaurant were great. Service was excellent. However, my wife and I each had sable fish as an entree. The dish was virtually inedible--floating in oil and vegetables were mushy; tasted like bad diner food. I don't understand the hype about this place--very poor execution from the kitchen. Manager comped the bill and was quite accommodating but I won't go back.
(1)
Marlon F.
Great oysters, great service, nice environment. Overall I give The Optimist 4 Stars. Only one complaint is that as a Georgia native I eat saltines with my oysters. I brought my own and have no problem with that. Good job! Add saltines to the mix and I'm a customer every week.
(4)
Jian L.
it was great,very lay back place to eat.
(5)
Gina C.
I've found my new fave restaurant! This is a sister restaurant to JCT Kitchen. I love the space, which is industrial with a touch of modern. We came for a lovely summer lunch and were immediately greeted by the sweet hostess. It wasn't overly crowded during a Friday lunch, so it was great to catch up with my bestie! We were first going to be seated along the booth, but the tables are so close to one another, so we asked if we could sit at a separate table. I started off with the she crab soup, which was creamy and delicious. My friend ordered the gumbo which I liked better. It was probably one of the best I've ever had. We each ordered a salad. I ordered the Maine lobster cobb salad with the dijon mustard dressing. I loved everything about the salad! It was a great summer salad! However, I asked for the dressing on the side and they gave it to me with the dressing already on it. When I saw it, it look like it wasn't drenched in dressing, so I took it. Towards the bottom of the plate there was too much dressing for my taste, so I couldn't finish it. My friend ordered the fried snow crab salad. It looked good. We also ordered a side of the hush puppies, which is a must. There were like little beignets. The butter that came with it was so good that I could eat it alone, but I had to tell myself that we are in a public place. We ended the lunch with a chocolate push pop, which brought me back to my childhood. Def splurged for our lunch date, but it was all worth it! My anniversary is coming up, so this would be a great place to try for dinner!
(5)
Mom F.
We dined here after finally being able to obtain reservations. The food was ok - the fish was fresh and the taste was interesting. However, the price was outrageous. 28 for 3 scallops! The waitress said the side dishes were good for sharing....not so. 8 carrots for a side dish...really?? Won't be coming here again.
(2)
Mick M.
Everything is very good just small portions. Its a bit pricey, but still worth it. If you only get 2 things....Octopus and lobster roll both best ever!!!!!! Only thing to bitch about if sit in dining you cant order from the raw bar.....thats dumb
(5)
Kai B.
This place has easily become my favorite restaurant in Atlanta! The food is AMAZING, especially the lobster roll in the oyster bar! The chowder is probably the best I've had EVER and I moved here from New England!! The servers are FANTASTIC, being in the restaurant industry myself (at another popular restaurant) I can tell the company put a lot of time and effort into the training because I've had almost every server and have always had a stellar experience. My overall favorite part has to be the atmosphere, I feel like I'm back on Cape Cod on the beach, it's so relaxing even when they're slam packed busy! I recommend this place to anyone who asks, it really is an experience!!!
(5)
Carey M.
Great atmosphere, good location. Service is descent, servers are pretty attentive, but not overbearing or annoying. Scallops and lobster gnocchi are delish! Flavorful food. Fun, lively place to hang out with friends and enjoy good food.
(4)
Beezantine B.
You have to take your lady friend here fellas Lol She'll love it! Nice bar, great food, good service. I haven't been disappointed with the food choices I've made. The scallop entree was good and their gumbo was really nice. My girl loves their Cosmos too.
(4)
Tiff H.
This was a great little place tucked into the corner of Howell Mill and 8th. A lot of hype for this place... So we decided to venture in, despite the $$$. Parking is valet parking only, unless you'd like to attempt street parking and walk from there. A small putt putt golf course greets you outside before you walk in. We were just about to miss our reservation so we decided not to play. We were seated at an awkward booth that faced the aisle. Our server brought us some deliciously fragrant bread and we placed our wine orders, along with our food choices. My appetizer was slightly adventurous... I ordered the Florida frog legs, which were tender and flavorful. Really does taste like chicken... The garnishes were pretty yummy, too. My entree was a swordfish steak, which paired well with my Chenin Blanc. The fish was almost like a chicken breast in texture because of it's meatiness and density. At times it got a little dry, but the sauce always sopped it up. The short rib was random but a nice touch to the dish. The server came back periodically to check up on us, even brought us extra bread at some point at our request. My tab came out to be about $55 including wine, my appetizer, and entree, which isn't all that bad for what it was. I'll definitely have to make it out here again one day to try the oysters!
(4)
Emily F.
Amazing. The server was very knowledgable on all the different types of oysters which was helpful. Their cocktails are definitely pricey, but SO GOOD. I was thoroughly impressed. Ambience was on point.
(5)
Martina L.
The ambiance was very nice and they were pretty busy. I confess we expected more. We had oysters and octopus as appetizers, they were really good! The bread they serve was like a Hawaiian king brushed with olive oil and Seasalt - I prefer when restaurants as expensive as this, serve a freshly baked bun. Out of the entrees, mine was definitely the best of the 3 different our table ordered, none of the others were impressed with the fish they got or the sides.... Mine was monkfish and it was quiet exquisite. It's definitely a fine restaurant and service was pretty good. For the price I did have higher expectations though.
(4)
Justin D.
Fantastic meal. Great food; great service. My wife and I split oysters, little gem salad, hush puppies, and fish and chips. All were great....especially the hush puppies (a la beignet style). Highly recommended.
(5)
john w.
Went into the Optimist and came out a pessimist. I ordered halibut with the fried rice, my wife had the grouper and the asparagus. Both fish dishes were over cooked or sat at the pass too long under heat lamps. The asparagus looked like someone threw up on a plate and the fried rice was drier than the fish, which must have taken some doing. I was tempted to send everything back and I would have but the waitress was clueless and annoying, appearing at random, generally just as you had a bite of food, to yell something like "everything is delicious." I couldn't tell if it was a statement or a query, but she would run off before I had a chance to respond that no everything was not delicious, so it didn't matter anyway. There didn't appear to be a manager on duty, if there was they were completely ineffectual and blended in with the rest of the gormless staff. I made the mistake of ordering an espresso for myself and a coffee for my wife. The coffee arrived in a ridiculous giant mug and tasted like it was brewed in a gas station the day before, I watched as the guy made my espresso and it sat and sat for 12 minutes, (I timed it), while our waitress stood in the corner in full view of me, just chatting away with another staff member. The espresso was of course cold by the time I got it, but it would have been undrinkable anyway. Whoever owns this joint has a very expensive doorstop on his counter. That is the least of the problems though, avoid this place or go to witness the horror before it closes.
(1)
Drew H.
service was fair, food was mediocre, atmosphere was obnoxious. The waiter should get more training or go back to Applebee's. I expect better service at this price point. The food was a mixed bag. We were unimpressed by the oysters. I thought the scallops were lousy, but someone else in my party liked the dish. Spicy octopus was good. The mussels were delicious and the mahi mahi was to die for. The noise was ridiculously loud. I would go back only when patrons are scarce (read: better service & quieter atmosphere), and only because I know what menu items to avoid and which to indulge in.
(2)
Allison B.
I frequent The Optimist because I am lucky enough to work close by. If you like Louisiana gumbo you'll love the seafood gumbo appetizer here. The rue is dark and the flavors are all there with that hint of spice from the andouille sausage. For the entree I switch between the shrimp burger and the Maine lobster roll that both come with crispy shoestring fries. My boyfriend often gets the fish & chips that are cooked to a perfect golden brown. We like to think you can't go wrong with any choice on the menu. If you're willing to get messy definitely try the chowder fries. The bacon, clams & white cheddar make the fries melt in your mouth. And that's just for lunch!
(5)
Max C.
We come here for the oysters and wine. They had a good Gruner wine that went great with the she-crab soup and monch fish. We come here once every few months and enjoy it each time. Would recommend.
(4)
Wendi G.
Optimist - the tendency to expect the best and see the best in all things. When you arrive you are definitely going to be on a high note. The restaurant itself is beautiful and decor is top notch. They went all out on the theme and little touches around the restaurant - like the old bathhouse keys - are very cool. Our meal started with a wonderful little amuse bouche of a fresh oyster served with nothing but a celery leaf. It was so perfect I am still thinking about it today. For appetizers we had the little gem lettuce, lemon anchovy dressing, croutons, parmesan - if you like anchovies then this salad is for you! I had the halibut cheeks which were served en papillote with Jerusalem artichokes - completely divine. For entrees we had the tile fish and the mussels. To complement the meal we ordered sides, which are a la carte, roasted sweet potatoes and beets. The entrees were good but the potatoes had lots of rotten spots (see photo). The service started at a ten but ended somewhere around a two - poor - as the restaurant got busier we then became the least important table in the house. Somewhere around when the entrees were served is when the server totally forgot us. We could not get another piece of bread, more water, a drink or another utensil. In fact we even asked another server for help and they never returned. No one ever questioned us why we did not eat the rotten sweet potatoes or even ask if we wanted another beverage. Once our plates were cleared the server was too busy rushing us out the door so they could turn the table for the next seating. Too bad the meal turned out like it did and we left here feeling like pessimists.
(3)
Stephanie C.
if you like spicy get the tuna with fermented chile, seasoned so good. It's a small tasting though. If you love smoke salmon then get the cured salmon toast. One of the best smoked salmon appetizers I have ever had. I don't even eat hush puppies but i devoured the ones at Optimist. (warm, sweet and savoy) I honestly wasn't too impressed with the swordfish. It was a little bland for my taste but the appetizers and the sides stole the show. It is worth going back for sure but I would try a different entree.
(5)
Julia H.
This restaurant nails it on food, service and atmosphere! I can't see where anybody would not love this place!
(5)
Jeff S.
Was there last night for the second time in two months. It still kills me that I have to pay $2 to have my car valeted. Seems petty. I know this place makes enough money!! Gesh. Just add it to my food costs for goodness sakes!!
(3)
Karen L.
ATMOSPHERE: The Optimist is a good seafood restaurant! I love how much open space the restaurant has. It feels like you're sitting in a clean, urban warehouse with fancy lighting and full bars. SERVICE: Our server looked very young but was really impressive! She had a lot of knowledge of each dish and was very articulate. FOOD: The rolls that they bring out are SO soft, fluffy -- they are super buttery and topped with salt. Can't be very healthy, but I couldn't stop eating them. We got mussels as an appetizer, and it was pretty good but not amazing. It had a good coconut broth though. We also got spicy charred Spanish octopus as an appetizer, and it tasted like BBQ wings! Except with chewy octopus. For my main dish, I had the duck fat poached swordfish. It was amazing! It came with chunks of smoked short rib, which were super tender and a great complement with the fish. I also tried some of my friend's crispy whole jack crevalle. It's a whole cooked fish, bones and all -- unfortunately, more bones than meat. I liked my swordfish a lot more. This place is a bit pricey, but I don't think you'll be disappointed. Their menu seems to change daily also -- I'm really sad I couldn't get a lobster roll, which I'd seen pictures of! But I do like that they have so many unique dishes. I wish some of their plates were better, but I was really happy with my swordfish.
(4)
Ken R.
Lunch today was incredible. The Chowder fries are insanely delicious. Hushpuppies and lobster roll equally awesome! Cannot wait to return, only regret is have not been before today!
(5)
Jenny D.
This is a great place for a special occasion. The service was OUTSTANDING At first the host tried to sit at the table closer to the kitchen, I told the host that I prefer not to be too close to the open kitchen and he moved us back without any problem. Once we were seated we were greeted by server immediately. Food was very good and very fresh. However be prepared to pay a lot for the food. Actually the appetizers were decent price. I'll try to remember how much things cost. I believe the appetizer mussels were about $14, they give you a hearty portion so I thought it was worth it. Other appetizers I believe were reasonable priced. What I think was a rip off was their main dishes. For example I ordered the mahi mahi, all by itself it cost $26. It was simple dressed with a lemon and parsley. That's it. Yes it was good and fresh, cooked to perfection. But really for $26.00 they can't add a vegetable or starch. You have to buy the sides separate, which I realize that's how some of the finer restaurants sell their food. ihat is just a reason not to come restaurant too often, save it for special occasions. If I do go back just as a usual Friday night dinner, I might just order appetizers and couple of cocktails. This way I feel like i'm getting my money's worth. Oh by the way, the sides were about $9. I ordered the basmati fried rice that they claim was voted best fried rice in the US. I was suckered into ordering it, it was good but I wouldn't say it was the Best as they claim. In my opinion it was on the salty side. Our other side was hush puppies - this was delicious and I would order it again.
(4)
Tamera B.
I guess after 3 satisfying visits I can write a review now. The Optimist has been great for: - Some of the best fish preparations I've had in this city. Each time I've tried a fish I've never had (or heard of) before. The latest was cornmeal crusted tautog prepared with charred okra and a pepper jelly - excellent! - A leisurely, no-cell phone dining experience with friends and loved ones. And it was good to see most diners did not have phones out but were enjoying the company and food. - The most delicious salty and buttery yeast rolls. I could shamelessly eat a plateful (I haven't) and not share. Get your own. - A well-thought out wine list - One of my favorite things to eat in Atlanta - a clam roll! - Celebrity spotting. At least 2 of the 3 times. Well, let's say 1.5 of the 3. I don't want to count a "Real" Housewife of Atlanta. But I absolutely will count Aaron Paul. Breaking Bad Bread, bitch! I would absolutely count The Optimist as a place I'd take guests, it has been a consistent representation of stellar food in Atlanta. Cheers!
(5)
Karen A.
Ok let's get to it. Right off the bat, valet is a flat rate of $2. Pretty good if they hadn't parked our car in mud and tracked mud in the car. Ugh. Walk in & the place is packed!! We didn't have reservations so the lady up front said it would be a 30 minute wait. 5 minutes later, we were seated. I'm convinced people tell you that so you'll leave. Nevertheless we were thrilled to be seated. I had read all of your wonderful reviews of the lobster roll so I was excited to try it. Lo and behold, it wasn't on the menu. Apparently the change the menu everyday. say what?!? Who does that? But whatev. So I'm struggling to to decipher the adjectives used to describe simple fish and chips etc. If it's beer battered fish, just say that. Don't tell me it's "cod infused in room temperature aged ale". I saw pork chops and chicken buried at the bottom of the menu but I didn't want to be all ethnic and ish so I decided to step outside of my box and try the snapper. It comes in a lime sauce and when I tell you the lime was overpowering, it was OVERPOWERING. LAWD! It would have soooo much better without the lime sauce but it definitely was described correctly. I got fried rice as the side. Ok if you have a peanut allergy, steer clear of the fried rice. It is heavy on the peanuts. Not sure why you'd put peanuts in fried rice, but again whatev. They are high on water. A regular soda wasn't even offered. I had to ask for it. Then I noticed the couple sitting next to me had a canned soda in a Koozie. Let that sink in for a second....a Koozie. So I'm assuming they'd rather you buy a cocktail or wine. After being asked more than once, I relented and ordered a lemon drop which wasn't on the menu. This and the dinner rolls were the best things about the visit. Needless to say I probably won't be returning.
(2)
Matthew B.
It was the best first date I've ever been on. It helps that the woman I was with is beautiful and the conversation was on point. But the food and the service were both impeccable. Easily the best seafood I've had in Atl. I usually avoid it out there, for the most part. Great oysters. Great fish. I will be back and she'll be with me. #tezzycummings
(5)
Aaron C.
The Optimist is a place that the 'delicious, cool, and appropriately priced' designation needs no qualifications. My wife and I had an excellent experience. The staff was fun and playful, but professional and timely. Lunch was a real treat! Next time we're in the area we're going back for dinner.
(5)
Emilia L.
Before I talk about the restaurant, I want to give props to the valet guy. By the time I pulled into the lot, it was absolutely packed. Self-parking was no longer available and the valet guy told me that valet parking had just run out, too. Dismayed, but still flashing him a smile, I asked him where the nearest available lot was. He paused, looked at me, and said, "Tell you what. I can find some space for you. You're wearing heels, aren't you." (A statement, not a question. Lol.) I beamed and replied, "Yes I am!" I like to think my charming smile got him to take pity on me. Totally joking, of course. So I thanked him profusely and got out of the car and happily headed into The Optimist. Did I mention the restaurant was packed? Because it was PACKED. I think there was some sort of happy hour going on because there were a bunch of business people wearing name tags milling around the bar area. Even though the majority of the party of six was about 20-30 minutes late for the reservation, we were seated immediately. I decided on two appetizers for my meal. I got the seafood gumbo ($9) and the mussels in green curry ($9). In all honesty, just the gumbo would have been enough. It was such a huge portion. It came with a couple of blue crab claws, HUGE shrimp and pieces of sausage. The baguette it came with had this delicious garlic butter on it. By the time I finished off my gumbo, I was stuffed. But shortly after, my mussels came out, and that was a huge portion, too. They were nice and succulent. The curry was pretty strong tasting but thankfully I had more bread to dip into the broth. I could only manage 5-6 mussels and even shared my dish, but still ended up with leftovers. The entree portions seemed on the smaller side, but I think you are supposed to order side items a la carte to go with them. I can't imagine how packed the restaurant must be on the weekends. I went on a Thursday night. Definitely make reservations, and for non-peak hours if possible, i.e. 6 pm or 9 pm. Definitely worth a try just for the appetizers alone. As people have mentioned in previous reviews, there is a mini golf putting green in the front. But not sure where you would get the clubs or balls.
Atlanta chef-owner Ford Fry opened The Optimist, a now very popular local seafood restaurant, in Westside (West Midtown) Spring 2012. Fry also owns nearby JCT Kitchen, King + Duke in Buckhead, and No. 246 in Decatur. JCT and No. 246 are excellent restaurants, among Atlanta's best, so it shouldn't have surprised me when I found The Optimist right up there with them. The Optimist is named after a sailing dinghy. The restaurant is located in an unassuming part of Westside near other hotspots such as Bocado, Le Fat, Bartaco, and Miller Union. Outside, the restaurant has a small lawn with lawn chairs, small table seating, and 3 holes of mini golf. You can grab putters and balls inside from the hostess. The restaurant doesn't look like much from the outside, but the inside is awesome. It's divided into 2 areas: (1) the oyster bar and (2) the dining room. The day's oysters are on display at the oyster bar and you can only eat most of these oysters at the bar. They aren't available in the main dining room. If you eat at the bar, you can watch the oysters being freshly shucked. Also at the bar is a wood-burning oven decorated with octopus tentacles. There's small table seating in the "oyster bar" section of the restaurant, so you can have a quiet meal there if you want. Most of the action happens inside the large dining room. It's a very cool-looking, open, and tall space with a viewable kitchen on one end and a beautiful, lit-up bar on the other. One thing I really like about the layout is there's not a bad seat in the house. Every seat has a good view. Like No. 246, there's a finishing table in front of the kitchen. On a busy day/night, which is pretty much every day, the tables are tucked cozily together. You may be sitting very close, within point-blank earshot, to those dining next to you. The atmosphere is loud (but not too loud) and energetic. The individual restrooms have a playful design with numbered doors, like a game show. Like many of Fry's restaurants, The Optimist's menu is seasonal and constantly changing. Your favorite dish from your last visit might not be available on your next visit, but one constant is certain: seafood. Oysters, shrimp, crab, scallops, mussels, octopus, squid, and all sorts of fish prepared in any number of ways, from raw to cooked. Most of the fish is wood-roasted. Prices are expensive. A single oyster will set you back about $3.00-$3.50. Roughly speaking, appetizers are $8-14, fish entrees $25-30, and desserts $8-10. A multi-course meal with drinks adds up quick. Everything I've tried has been phenomenal. It includes: East coast oysters from Quivett Creek, MA West coast oysters from Sister Point, WA Mussels with green curry broth, bird's eye chili, and herbs Georges Bank Scallops with smoked shortrib and brown butter chicken jus Monkfish with summer corn relish, pancetta, and blistered shishitos Boston cream pie, vanilla ice cream, cocoa nibs The east coast oysters I tried were larger and brinier than the west coast oysters. The smaller west coast oysters were sweeter. Both types were fresh and succulent, melt-in-your-mouth quality. If you really like oysters, order a sampler. The oysters come with fresh horseradish and housemade mignonette, which is cilantro heavy. Almost everything at the restaurant is housemade, except for two types of bread. The dinner rolls are out of this world. They are served buttered and salted. The outside of the rolls is buttery and consistently crispy, while the inside is fluffy soft. To date, best dinner rolls I've had. The mussels are served in a green curry broth, which I believe has coconut milk too. The bird's eye chili (Thai chili) and herbs (basil) give this app an obvious Southeast Asian flair, like Thai coconut soup. The mussels are plump and the broth is delicious on its own. A slice of buttered toast also accompanies this flavorful dish. The scallops are spectacular. Slightly charred and cooked in a sweet, semi-thick brown sauce, the silky smooth scallops pair well with the savory short rib slice. Green and purple muscadines also accompany this dish to add a layer of fruity flavor. Monkfish is sometimes referred to as the poor man's lobster because of the fish meat's lobster-like consistency. It's a white fish that's certainly meaty. The corn relish is refreshing. Two spicy Japanese shishito peppers are served with the fish. A Boston Cream Pie is a cream-filled, chocolate-frosted cake. The Optimist's version includes a scoop of ice cream and cocoa nibs, which are raw, unsweetened chocolate chips. If you're looking for a good cocktail, the Damson in Distress has 4 types of alcohol: plum-infused Lunazul blanco, Damson Gin Liqueur, plum bitters, and Prosecco. It's tangy and doesn't taste strong. This is a great restaurant for special occasions and to take out-of-town guests. Reservations are recommended. Book on OpenTable for free dining points. Valet parking is complimentary.
(5)
Thu M.
Oysters were Amazing. The attentiveness of the staff, as well as the ridiculous line and the "stand by the bar and maybe you'll get a seat at the bar to order food that's not on the full menu" ordeal was beyond me. Yes, the food we had was good, but they are not worth standing around like a food hooker beside a bar of happy gluttons who planted themselves on their stools for the long haul. We sat at the oyster bar, where service was slow and spotty. With all the other happy hour places and oysters with no lines, you'd only come here to experience the ambience from a spectators point of view. I really wanted to try the dirty shrimp.
(1)
Amy C.
I've been here for a couple dinners with DH, but today I was here for a business lunch and the food was exceptional. I had the lobster cobb salad, which was a real winner. There was a bunch of lump crab meat over a bed of bibb lettuce, nice bacon, hard boiled egg, watermelon radish, regular radish, avocado, blue cheese crumbles and some really nice dijon dressing. Someone else at the table had the fried fish sandwich, which he enjoyed. It came on thick, Texas toast and was severed with really crispy shoestring fries. Another person really enjoyed the cornmeal crusted fish. My only complaint (there has to be one, right?!) is that the chairs are very uncomfortable for a shortie like me. I'm 5'2" and my feet were dangling and it wasn't pleasant. The service was efficient and not intrusive; perfect for a business lunch. The vibe at lunch is so different that at night--much more chill and a great place to "do lunch"!
(5)
Sarah F.
We ate at the bar in the main dining room which has a full menu and comfortable, high-backed chairs. The hostess was a little helpless--struggled with menu and seating questions and left it up to us to find seats together at the bar. Very nice oyster selection--options from PEI, New England, NY and even a West coast oyster or two. You order sushi-style, marking per-piece quantities on a checkbox card. Prices were high, but appropriate given geographic location and quality (around $2.50-$4 per oyster). They also have appetizers, soups, entrees and sides if you're not into oysters. I went with 6 oysters and a side of hush puppies. The oysters were very fresh and nicely served. The hush puppies were incredible--savory cornbread with a light dusting of powdered sugar and brown sugar butter for dipping. I wasn't sure about the sweet/savory combo, but now I'm sold. The place is a little hard to find, at least for out-of-towners (although our local Uber driver passed it twice before finding) and parking is valet.
(4)
Gigi R.
Fresh divine oysters and fun cocktails. Great place for a date or night out with friends. Must order the lobster rolls.
(4)
Han L.
Esquire heralded it as the "Restaurant of the Year" and I have heard many praises about this place from friends. I was so giddy to finally secure a reservation after 2 failed attempts. The restaurant has a miniature golf course and comfortable lounge area outdoor. The mixture of the miniature palm tree, blue details, and linens gave the Optimist a pseudo-rustic-seaside appeal. It provides a nice dichotomy from the city-feel of the surrounding area. The place feels especially lively because you're dining in a wide open space. I appreciate the multiple private bathroom stalls. Let it be known, I came here with 3 other individuals on the day Paul Ryan was in A-town and traffic was more nightmar-ish than uszh. Dang politics! I recommend saving yourself the trouble of trying to find parking in the neighborhood and getting complementary valet. This place is too popping to try to find street parking. Despite being late, we were promptly seated shortly afterwards, albeit an uncomfortably large booth meant to seat twice the amount of people in our group. I have to say, despite it being a very busy Wednesday evening, the employees were on top of things and very conscientious. They checked up on us and apologized for the delay on our orders. We were given four wheat rolls. They were slightly hard and dry. Christine K.jokingly commented on it being an omen, but I was being an Optimist (har har har). We had the following dishes between the 4 of us: Appetizers: 1. East Coast Oysters 2. West Coast Oysters 3. Fried Oysters --- slightly too heavy on the batter. I couldn't enjoy the oysters. I prefer the fried oysters from Serpas. 4. Spicy Glazed Octopus --- was a recommendation. It sounded appealing...crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It did not taste crispy but too charred. Burnt. taste. in my. mouth. The inside was soft though! Which is nice, bc octopus is usually more chewy. Main Course: The various fish selection was pretty cool. I don't often see restaurants serve larger fishes. They had fishes I have never heard of also. The portions were smaller than anticipated. This isn't a complaint, just an observation. Ok, it's kind of a complaint, but whatevs. 1. Monkfish --- The fish was covered in a sea of chunky tomato sauce. 2. Seared Tuna --- Good dish. It was also served with octopus and mustard seeds 3. Tautog --- Supposedly has the consistency and taste of lobster. It's supposedly going to be out of season and off the menu soon. It was a very simple and clean dish. In diplomatic terms, it was very 'neutral." 4. Whole "swimming" Bass --- I shied away from ordering this dish myself because it sounded too similar to an Asian dish. Lo and behold, it tasted very much like a Vietnamese dish...fried fish w fish sauce... ...and for side dishes, we helped ourselves to beignet style Hush Puppies and potatoes. Though we were told it's family style, the portions are more fair for 2 people. The hush puppies were very good. They had bits of corn in them and were served w powdered sugar, hence the "beignet" style. The potatoes were served wedged with creamy sauce. Needless to say, most of us were disappointed in our dishes, which we had to wait quite some time for. Ingredients were either excessive or lacking. I'm going to attribute it to being a busy night. We were good sports about it, but our sweet server and manager must have gotten a clue. The manager offered a complementary dish for us, but Isaac S. insisted it wasn't a bother. Nonetheless, we were offered complementary desserts, to which I ( and Christine K.) happily obliged! Desserts (ding ding ding! WINNER): 1. Apple Strudel ---- kinda, sorta made up for some of the bland entrees. This is a very good dish. You can taste the cheese. It's served warm with a scoop of ice cream. 2. Pudding w Bananas Foster and Coconut Tuile---Also very good. Pudding comes w a round waffer. The highlight of the evening for our group was the complementary desserts. I really do appreciate the workers for their efforts in trying to make our dining experience better. At least the evening ended well.
(3)
David Y.
Perhaps we hit it on an off night. First, we waited about thirty minutes past our reservation to be seated (note: this was on a Wednesday night, so it is not as if it was a packed Friday or Saturday). That was not much of an issue as we enjoyed the bar area. However, when they did seat us, they put us (5 people) at a table for 4 giving the 5th person a seat that was shorter than everyone else. Mind you, we had a reservation for 5 for a couple of weeks. Plus the table was as close to the kitchen and wait area as possible. They did move us to an appropriate table after complaining. All was well up until the food began arriving. The apps were great, but there was probably 20 plus minutes between finishing the apps and being served the entrees. When they began serving the entrees, the dishes arrived to our party over the course of about 5 minutes ... very poor timing. Additionally, shortly after finishing our apps, we ordered another bottle of wine. That did not arrive until midway through our entrees. To top it all off, my dish (monkfish entree) was warm at best. Obviously, the kitchen got incredibly backed up, but the poor part of it all was the lack of acknowledgement about it. Just a bad showing all around.
(2)
Anneshia J.
Gave two because the oysters were absolutely delicious and the ambiance was beautiful. The restaurant reminded me of being home in San Franciso, however our server was uninterested in us and when he visited our table he rushed us and only came back when it was time to pay. We asked for recommendations on cocktails, but the drink was not good. I think it was some type of cognac and peach. I can't remember the exact fish item I ordered, but it was crusted and had some type of pickled lime okra with it that was delicious. The only downside to the entree was the plating; it was less than horrible and very sloppy. I went Thursday and it wasn't terribly hot but the restaurant was extremely cold and the table next to me was mentioning it as well, but no adjustments were made. The valet staff was really nice as well and we were asked if we enjoyed our visit. I will definitely be back, but only to the Oyster bar.
(2)
Jennifer P.
I love this restaurant. Great service and delicious seafood. I order oysters everywhere I go but so far this is the place that has good and fresh oysters in Atlanta. Not to mention, their grilled octopus is pretty yummy too.
(4)
Mychael W.
My team at work had a company dinner here a couple of weeks ago and I've got nothing but good things to say about it. I had heard of the Optimist and always wanted to try it, and I'm so glad this is where the boss decided to go! Everything from the decor, the service, to the food was amazing. Here's the rundown on a 1-5 scale: pre-dinner rolls - 5 Appetizer - Maine Mussels - 3.5 Entree - Duck Fat Poached Swordfish - 5 Side dish - Corn Milk Hushpuppies - 4 Side dish - Spanish Roasted Fingerling Potatoes - 4 Dessert - Peppermint Push Pop - 4.5 The pricing isn't terrible either. My meal came up to $44 before tax and tip, which is pretty good for the quality and the amount of food you receive. I highly recommend the Optimist for any special occasion, date night, or corporate event. I know I'll be taking the wife soon!
(5)
Ashley O.
This is, by FAR, mine and my husbands favorite restaurant in Atlanta! We have probably made the 35 minute commute to eat at here at least four times in the past six months. Every time we've visited my husband has ordered the shrimp a la plancha and licks every ounce of the sauce off of his fingers and I have always gotten the amazing beignet style hush puppies (O.M.G). Wehave never eaten a bad or even "average" meal here! Drinks from the bar are always made to perfection, and my husband loves the complementary coozies that come with the bottled beers. I love the warehouse style atmosphere and the fact that you never feel too dressed up, or to dress down, no matter what you're wearing!
(5)
M N.
This place is seriously spectacular. Ford Fry does great food in atlanta and the optimist might just be one of my favorites. We went on a Saturday night and were seated promptly. Service to the table was very good. Knowledgable about the menu, helpful with pairing sides (the mushrooms were perfect with the scallops). The wine list isn't huge but you can tell each has been carefully thought out and has a reason for being on the menu. The shrimp a la plancha appetizer is a lot of hands on work and can get messy, but it is amazing. Also, the oysters were shucked very well and the accompaniments really made the oysters pop. Can't wait to pay this place a visit again.
(5)
Carolina M.
Finally. I've been hearing about this place for years and it's nearly perfect. Cool nautical, beachy theme for some of the freshest seafood. Here's what I had: Various oysters: We picked a few from this list. Some of the favorites we had were the Katana Bay and Komo Gway. I think the choices change from time to time, but these were both delicious. I really enjoyed the homemade saltine crackers that I'm going to try making some myself at home. Uni: This was listed under the "Opportunity" category on the menu. This was a little unexpected because the uni appears to be mixed with some other ingredients and is served on a top of a fine potato chip that closely resembles a Lay's potato chip. The taste was pretty amazing because the uni is creamy. 3 of these for $9 makes you feel like this is some super fancy Superbowl party snack. While this was a unique twist with uni, I think I'm still a purist at loving uni on its own at a Japanese restaurant. Grilled octopus: Served with a miso yogurt sauce and some pickled bokchoy, there are tons of flavors to this, but it was overpoweringly salty. I suspect that the octopus was given a little more salt in addition to the old bay seasoning that was already put on it. I had a hard time eating this because of the salt but the texture of the octopus was perfect. It's not the best octopus I've had but I'm thinking it might have been just an off day for this dish to be SO salty. I would try ordering this again. Monkfish: I had this as my entree and it was served in a broth with mussels and squid. I really liked this. What really drew me into it was the additional seafood. Mussels were cooked til they're soft and creamy and the squid shape was almost in fine chewy noodles. The monkfish was cooked just right. If you've never had monkfish before, it's often been referred to as "the poor man's lobster" and it's exactly that: a soft, chewy texture. Shishito peppers: Life changing. I loved this side and it was generous as a side portion. They are surprisingly sweet brought out from a slight acidity added to the peppers. I know these peppers as "Korean peppers" where sometimes you get a surprise pepper where it's spicy. Delicious. I would definitely order this again. Basmati fried rice: There are some pieces of fish in here which make it a bit salty and there's some smokiness to the overall flavor. Not a bad side to get if you want something a little more filling. Key Lime Trifle: This was a cute little dessert with very intense key lime to it. Honestly, it's a bit too small/shallow of a dish to see the layers to it, but the flavor is all there. Key lime pie taste in the form of a little trifle. I would love to come back. $2 valet + tip, but worth it. The service is great and maybe it's just me with the attire here, but I thought people were dressed a little too fancy for how casual The Optimist's scene seems to be. Small putting green is a nice touch too while you wait, but I'd definitely recommend making a reservation in advance.
(5)
William T.
Food was simple but delicious. We had octopus and oysters for appetizer. The octopus is tender and well flavored. The oysters also had a great flavor. I had a simple olive oil covered fish. It was tender and perfectly cooked. A must try is the cornbread. More like a dessert. It was quite delicious. As a good comparison for three of us with a few round of drinks it was about 220.
(4)
Rhett D.
Speechless...the best Atlanta Seafood Restaurant I have ever been to. The oysters are so fresh and the ambiance is perfect. My fish was perfectly cooked and the pre-dinner rolls are quite delicious. Whatever sides you order make sure one of them is the hushpuppies served "beignet style" with cane syrup butter- INCREDIBLE!!! I am definitely coming back to this restaurant!
(5)
Jerald G.
Loved it. Been waiting for a great seafood place. Wait staff very friendly, awesome hip feeling layout. Food wise - hush puppies were great, red snapper dish very good, fried oysters okay, raw oysters were great, Spanish octopus was very good. Cocktails - king Rey very good. My waiter was awesome and also got some help from Jerome as well -- very informative and helpful. We will be back!
(5)
Tonja F.
I have to start by saying I was very excited about trying this place as it had been highly recommended by friends. I didn't ask them what was so great about it, but was assured that I would love it. I did not. I did like it though, but not enough to go back anytime soon. The restaurant was very nice - spacious and bright with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. The decor was modern and minimalistic. It was lively - there was a singing guitar player outside (who sounded quite nice by the way) and there was music playing indoors. We sat at a table but there is also a bar for drinks and oysters. Our waiter (Topher) was awesome. He answered all of our questions, made suggestions and was very attentive. We ordered drinks, appetizers, entrees and one dessert to share. Each course was brought out in perfect time. Everything so far certainly deserves 5 stars for ambiance and customer service. The overpriced average food is another story. The mussels were extremely fresh - probably the most tender I've ever eaten, however the flavor was just "good". I was hoping for OMG! The raw oysters were good and fresh, but the condiments they were served with weren't our favorite and kind of disappointed. We're big oyster eaters and have tried them at restaurants all over Atlanta , Florida, New York and Mexico. I guess we could have asked for something else (no, not cocktail sauce) but we didn't think about it at the time. Not a big downer, but just wish it could have been better (for the price). Our entrees (Halibut and Monkfish) were small, but tasty and beautifully plated. (sorry, so excited to try the food I forgot to take pics). For the price though they really should come with a side dish - throw a few asparagus spears or slap a scoop of rice on the plate or something - DAMN! The Chocolate Tart with Toasted Coconut and Roasted Marshmellow was pretty but the texture wasn't consistent. The chocolate pie portion was cold and hard to scoop with your spoon which didn't mesh well with the warm marshmallow on top. I would've enjoyed it much more if the entire thing was warm and smooth. I flopped off my plate when I tried to get a scoop! Not good dude. On the up side was my cocktail - the Scurvy Scoundrel - it was incredibllllllle!! (I had two). I would say this is definitely a place to check out if you like seafood and enjoy spending more money than should be required to eat it. I don't have a problem spending money on good food - but when we think about other places we've eaten we can't help but compare. Would I go back, probably if someone asked me to join them, but it's not on my personal list of things to do.
(3)
Margaret K.
I went to the optimist on 3/11/15. I sat at the bar while I waited for my date to arrive. It was busy for a Wednesday night, IMO. The bartender that greeted me was all smiles and offered me a taste of two wines I was deciding between. The bartender next to him was Mr. Frowny Grumpypants. He actually entertained me all night - my date and I would watch him to see if he ever smiled. He did. Once. We were seated quickly. We ordered the octopus and the opportunity:tuna, jerusalem artichoke, black olive, chervil / 10. Both were PHENOMENAL. Really really excellent. Worth the price, although the octopus was a more substantial dish. I ordered the blackened grouper and it was easily one of the best fish dishes I've ever had. The sides we ordered were the hush puppies (SO GOOD) and the collards, which were dubiously looked on by my date but once he tried them he was very happy with my choice of vegetable. For dessert, we ordered the caramel ice cream and the "BOCA NEGRA" CHOCOLATE TART, peanut cookie, salted ganache, cream... which, without the caramel ice cream, would have left much to be desired. Overall, a fantastic dinner.
(5)
Andrew M.
Yes, this place IS awesome. I only came here for a few drinks and some appetizers, but everything was wonderful. The decor is beautiful and rich without being too pretentious. I especially love the big, tall, gorgeous bar with its backlit shelves. And speaking of the bar, Chris is an outstanding bartender. He has a short list of craft cocktails on the menu, but he can construct the drink of your dreams if you mention a couple flavors you like. Along with 5 Seasons and the Miller Union, it's nice to see the Westside taking place in "cocktail renaissance". The Optimist seems to ALWAYS be busy. It's madness. They put down 250-400 covers a night, 7 nights a week. I have a lot of friends that like to hang out at the cold bar, where you can get oysters and the such. The menu at the side bar is different and exclusive, vice versa with that of the main dining room/main bar. I've heard that you're supposed to be able to order off of the main bars cocktail menu if you're at the side bar.... kinda weird. Anywho, the food is all really good, too. We tried some fried green beans and a dozen oysters on the half shell. They came with some fresh horseradish, butter, garlicky stuff, and something spicy, too. I don't remember all of the details, I was quite inebriated. But, everything was delicious; I do remember that. You should go here either to hang out and drink cocktails and just nosh a bit, or make reservations and have a really nice meal. It's pretty loud and busy in here, so bring a loud group of friends with you. You could make it romantic, I suppose, but I feel like this place more a celebration of food and beverage than one of love. Enjoy.
(5)
Judith K.
My friend and I debated for a while whether we'd just cook at home or go out to eat. We decided (after a lot of time passing) that we'd go ahead and try this place out and didn't regret doing so. I liked the design of the restaurant - the place has an open kitchen and there's enough space to feel like you're not crunched together to the people next to you. They had just started the cocktail menu the day we went. I tried the Fog Cutter, which was good. The waitress recommended the Alpine Shandy, which I want to try next time I go. If you go here, you have to try the spicy spanish octopus. It was so tender and didn't taste seafood-y at all. It's something that I had never tasted in my life and can't really compare it to anything either. The corn mil hushpuppies came second - they were crispy and moist in the center and didn't have too much bread on the inside.
(4)
Nadia H.
Optimist is a great lunch destination. Even though, it is still a bit too busy from time to time, and you don't get the full attention from your servers, the quality of the food makes up for service. The grouper sandwich and mussels are to die for.
(4)
Jeremy R.
Beverage program leaves A LOT to be desired but the food is top notch and I love that it's in my neighborhood!
(4)
Chan V.
The place is well decorated. I came here on a Sunday night. It's hard to say if I like this place or not because nothing on the menu really stood out for me. It's the typical seafood that other restaurants also serve. They had way too many fish on the menu at the time. Maybe if you had one, you've had them all. Sorry guys. Maybe I will come back for a second chance.
(2)
Amy H.
I think I had high hopes when it came to this place on HOW AMAZING the food was! Now I will say the charred spanish octopus was seriously to DIE FOR! I mean it was SO FREAKING good I wish I ordered two! The cocktails were amazing as was their wine selection. I was told their little gem salad was grilled and so I never say no to grilled romaine and it came out and it was not. Very overdressed I felt like I was eating a salad at Outback. The clam roll was OK, the peppers gave it a nice kick but it was way too buttery. The Lobster Roll was good!! I was a fan of that! The Halibut was a nice piece of fish but the sides that came with it were not. I expected a tad more. I will def go again and order some different items to give it another shot, but I think Atlanta Fish Market has a better selection of fish.
(3)
Heidi P.
Hey guess what, this is a FISH CAMP, whatever that means, and OYSTER BAR. I totally had no idea until I showed up and looked at the menu. Whoops. I'm not 100% sure how to do this...because while it's apparently not my normal thang (total seafood, well they had a burger) it's a really cool place with some awesome dishes, great service, a pretty atmosphere, etc. I really like the look of the place - it's huge, and feels very beachy. The bathrooms look like a beach locker room and they're frickin adorable. Do note that some are labeled men and some women. I went in the men's bathroom by accident (a single thankfully) because I was too busy looking at the decor details: big numbers on the doors, cool keys as it you were picking a locker room, etc. The service was great, too. I ordered fish and chips. The chips were actually hand torn potatoes. I really enjoyed the meal which came with a yummy tarter-like sauce. But I'm not used to eating fried fish in large quantities, so I couldn't finish. I think I'm more of a dinner-fish person rather than a lunch-fish person. I hope that is not unreasonable. I would definitely go back to try dinner but less likely to go out of my way to get there for lunch, because after I was done, I was feeling a little meh. I am normally a fish enjoyer, but maybe the fried-ness disagreed with me a little. It is definitely a quality place in all aspects, though, so I recommend checking it out!
(4)
Diana W.
Came here with a few clients. I'm gluten free and dairy free. I was surprised to see that they had some GF red snapper on the menu. They were happy to make it dairy free. Not too many options after that but the ambiance is amazing and it smells wonderful. I definitely recommend.
(5)
Kelly W.
I don't know where the previous yelper dines in Chicago, but definitely NOT the right places! I just moved back to Atlanta from Chicago and The Optimist doesn't come close to comparing to similarly-priced restaurants in Chicago. The kale salad was good, as was the octopus; however, our main dishes were tiny and didn't have much flavor. I've never sent back a dish in my entire life, but we had to send the sickly-tasting mussels back. This would be a five-star rating if our main dishes were under $20; however, $200 for two people is not worth it here. The design of the restaurant is great, but the valet is also poor. We waited for nearly 40 minutes in a line of 15 deep to get our car after this highly mediocre meal.
(3)
Kay M.
Love the atmosphere! Creative cocktails, food is amazing. Wonderful service. One of my favorite places. The one down side is the valet parking, with the construction that is going on in the lot next door. Kind of makes the entrance to the valet congested. However, that has not stopped my frequent visits.
(5)
Catherine N.
I went here for lunch with my boyfriend to try it out and I completely fell in love with the Optimist. First off though, we had a bit of trouble figuring which door was the main entrance, but once we just picked a door, we saw the hostess table and made our way towards it. Also, just outside of the restaurant, they have miniature golf , and you can get your putters inside. (even though there aren't many holes, the idea is pretty quirky and cool) Once I stepped inside, the atmosphere was really what sold me. It was chic but cozy. Our waitress was awesome, service was awesome, and food did not disappoint whatsoever! We decided to both get housemade lemonades, and even the presentation of them were chic! Sugar rimmed and all. For a starter, we ordered a dozen of oysters to split, and both ordered the lobster roll each with a side order or hush puppies to split. One tiny disappointment I had were the oysters coming after our entree, but that also might be because we didn't specify that we wanted to start off with them? But they still took a good bit to get to our table...(but it was understandable that it does take a while to shuck) Other than that, the food was REALLY good. The lobster roll was pretty simple, which is how a lobster roll should be. But the shoe string fries are ADDICTING. they're so crispy and good. And the hushpuppies are dusted with powdered sugar to be in a "beignet" style. Some may say the price is a bit much, but for the quality you get and keeping in mind that this is a seafood & oyster place...a pricer menu should be expected. This is a great place for lunch, a date, or even a night out with friends. (they have an awesome bar AND oyster bar) I'm excited to come back and try more things on the menu. The Optimist has made me a for sure frequent returning customer!
(4)
Tom P.
I'm torn. I know this is a very popular restaurant, and their food WAS very good. We had a large meal with multiple courses, and I had sort of mixed emotions regarding various aspects of the meal. The restaurant: Cramped. Too many people seated in too little space. Waiters reaching over my head the entire meal showing me their armpits. Staff could have been a little more professional. That being said, I liked the vibe of the restaurant and they had some unique little keychains that patrons were free to take as souvenirs. The food: Mixed bag. Had some grilled shrimp that were still in their impossible-to-remove shells.. Undercooked, maybe? A skirt steak was tasty, but too rare for most of our party. Collared greens were forgettable. The hush puppies were AMAZING and by far the best dish. Trout was good. Crab bisque was tasty. We came with a group and we were fed "family-style," which was a big dealbreaker for me, as the amount of food at no point in time equalled the number of people in our party, and people left upset that they literally didn't even get to try certain dishes due to the serving sizes. Drinks were good. It was an okay experience, but I was a little let down, and had indigestion all evening. I don't think I'd return unless it was with a very intimate group.
(3)
Diedre R.
A $230 dinner tab with tip and four hours later I'm just about to pass out in bed to write this review. I went with the intent of attending what was being promoted as a patio party with an $18 crawfish boil. But upon arriving, realized that although its spring on the calender, the weather hasn't gotten the memo yet. So I asked to be sat inside. Maybe the hostess didn't realize that we were wanted to participate in the patio party, but she never mentioned to be by being sat in the dining room I would not be able to order from special pricing menu that was being offered for those that were attending the patio event. I asked Kia, our server for a Pimm Cup, which was being promoted on the restaurant Facebook page as one of the drinks for the patio party and she had no idea what I was talking about. She did explain that the dining room area was not a part of the patio event, and I would not be able to get the crawfish or pimm cup if I choose to continue sitting in the dining room. I inquired what other foods were available and she showed up with a menu for the patio party. After viewing it we, decided to stay in the dining room, but I did request something from the party menu called Hunch Punch, she came back about 3 minutes later with 2 Pimm Cups and stated they were out of the Hunch Punch, and that she would only be able to give me the two Pimm Cups because those drinks were not being offered in the dining room, but since I had asked three times for that drink in particular, she wanted me to have them. We began ordering from the menu, that I was told is changed daily, we started out with a dozen oysters *very small but the mignonette was great , 2 orders of the eat and peel shrimp and an order of fried oysters with a type of beef confit. I could have eaten these three things and been a happy girl, but since this was our first time here, we ordered entrees also. My mother, went with the pork chops, these were tender, but didn't have much flavor in my opinion. Who knows, maybe I'm just use to deep fried or grilled pork chops, but the wood hearth roasted pork chops were not infused with flavor, but my mother enjoyed them and if you've read my previous posts, you know she can be hard to please and swear that everything taste too salty. She also got a side order of beets. Which I have never like, but these beets. I would eat them. Something about the pistachos gave it a better flavor than when I've tried them in the past. My daughter went with the Vermillion Snapper. Kia, made sure to tell her that it was only the fish and she didn't want us to be surprised when she came back with the plate and it was only the fish, so she ordered the fingerling potatoes. Personally for $25, I thought it would have been an entire fish, but it was a 6oz filet. She ate every bit of it. I order the fish and chips, which came with crispy potatoes and an aioli. The piece of cod was tasty and three times the size of my daughters fish and $4 cheaper. The potatoes were average at best. I also order some hushpuppies and were shock when they arrived with powdered sugar on top. I didn't pay attention on the menu that the were offered "beignet style". It didn't help them taste any better, but gave them a sweet taste, which didn't interact very well with the malt vinegar I had poured over my fish. Overall, the environment is friendly and service is laid back and friendly. I'd go back again just for the oysters and the peel and eat shrimp.
(3)
Craig S.
What is left to say about how amazing The Optimist is? I recommend this to anyone in Atlanta - love Seafood? This is your spot. Love a fun bar? Check. Want good food, while also nice but not stuffy? Make a reservation ASAP. They keep the menu changing, and I've yet to have anything bad. Much like St. Cecilia, I think the side dishes are some of the best things on the menu. Don't skip on the sides!
(5)
Natalie J.
The food at The Optimist is excellent! I had the fried rice and Georgia shrimp tapa plates. Both options were very good and the shrimp were HUGE. This restaurant is also pet friendly; however, if you bring your pet you have to sit outside and the menu is limited to the oyster bar menu (I.e. Tapas). Customer service was ok, nothing special. I would definitely come back without my pet to just try the full menu.
(4)
Sam T.
Yes the hype is true and the drive is worth it. Such fresh seafood, incredibly innovative and creative menu. I really enjoy the gumbo or she crab soup as starters. The mussels were pretty good but not the best I've had. The rainbow trout pouched in duck tasted 100% like duck and it was a delicious dish. By far the number one moment of the night -order a side of their hush puppies prepared "beignet style" this is a signature dish. There is no reason to come here without ordering the hush puppies (tip: get two if you have a group bc they will get stolen). Dessert: order the apple upside down with cinnamon ice cream FYI they got 4 and not 5 because they nc flounder was too salty mussels were eh and salad was eh. But the service was perfect very nice waiter and efficient customer service overall.
(4)
Gianina M.
This is a review for the shrimp toast...very expensive, low quality, no shrimp anywhere in it or on it, it's very salty. It is $3.00 for a half of piece of bread. Service was professional and fast. But the shrimp toast was horrible.
(1)
Michelle N.
Was in town for AmericasMart Atlanta, and our group wanted seafood. A friend of one of my coworkers had recommended this restaurant to us. Boy, was I impressed! We started off with the mussels, octopus, oysters and fried clams as appetizers. We loved the oysters so much that we ordered more of them right before dinner. If you like a great white mussel broth, then I highly recommend them. We asked for more bread too just to dip in the sauce when all the mussels we're gone. The octopus had a bid of a kick to it - but again, amazing! Everything was great. For dinner I had the triggerfish. It was perfect. Again, everything was amazing - including the service. For dessert, we had the salted caramel ice cream. A bit salty at times, but incredible. Overall, if I am in Atlanta again, I will definitely stop here. Amazing seafood, ambiance, and well, everything! We even talked about going back during our current trip to go to the raw bar.
(5)
Carrie Neal W.
After three years, I made a return visit. Lots to say- from the errors in my first review (ie, unless the fish and chips really was haddock then, though it's cod now...) - to taking my parents for a visit I thought they'd love, to trying different menu items and more. First, I am kinda sorta between a 3.5* and a 4+* - so the subjective CN algorithm settles on a 4.* This could be a mini-novel, so know you were warned. The service was great- Adam has a good personality, and while he was a bit long-winded, he did a great job with details and such (he stopped juuust short of describing everything on the menu and saying "it's all good,") and his presence was consistent but not intrusive. A perfect approach since I think it was obvious the three of us were focused on each other and having great conversation. The food was kind of up and around. They still have those delicious rolls - yay! I liked the yellow tail starter (the pineapple mixed with the fish was great), and we loved Dad's fried oysters. I have always been wary of any kind of oysters, raw or fried- but loved the kind of parmesan/sesame (?) crust and the wonderful sauce. I would definitely get these again. Dad's entree choice was also a winner - the trout was deliciously tender and well-flavored. I only got a small bite (he'd have given me more but it would have been selfish to ask) and I would definitely get this next time. The ice cream cookie sandwich was delicious as our dessert- we all enjoyed the peanut butter ice cream/oatmeal cookie package (I think I got that combo right- we did have a lot of food...) was perfect with the not-cloying pb ice cream and the soft-ish cookies... Mom got the fish and chips people highly love (and my friends tried last time). Mixed reviews here. If I recall correctly, a few years ago the "chips" were fries not potato wedges; the current po-tah-to version is decent, not that mushy-center-kind, but ... not as good as frites. The cod was lightly battered and ok-flavored, and still a very generous portion. I did like their version of a tartar sauce with a twist. Overall - impressive because it is a large dish but probably something I would just try once. I did not enjoy my grouper. I decided to go with it vs the hangar steak (I'd been in the mood for that, but thought I'd keep in the seafood theme since I had steak last time), and thought it would be a tender, simple entree with the lemon, olive oil and rosemary (?). The flavor just wasn't quite enough but more noticeably, it was just too tough. My parents love hush puppies and thought these were ok, yet surprisingly sweet; my Mom is no rube but she did remark "wonder if these are meant more as a dessert..." I love mushrooms but there was just something uninspired by these. Not tough, not soft, not well seasoned (Adam explained that each type is cooked separately, bc different types need different cook times...I didn't know this so, hmm...), overall just ok; I'd try the asparagus next time. And, to wrap up the not-so-great part, this is a place that does not have s&p shakers on the table. In general, I dislike this. I know chefs season dishes as they design best; I also know that palates differ. It is correct in my Southern debutante country club world to taste your food before adding more seasoning, esp s&p, but it is just plain ugly for a request for such to be met with a harrumph-y look. Just sayin'. I do enjoy all of Mr Fry's restaurant and am glad we went for a (kinda important - my daddy just turned 70, y'all) family dinner. As I said, food was up and down, and I was leaning toward a three, and kind of wondered if the newer concepts like K+D and more recently St Cecilia were a distraction... But. While I very much dislike being charged for mandatory valet, I understand that parking is a challenge with the lot situation. However, it's not cool for a valet to have a pen or something in his back pocket and leave a streak across your very light grey leather seat. Here's where the 4+* comes in: my mom was talking with the valet - in her Southern (and unnecessarily apologetic) way- while he tried (unsuccessfully) to rub the stain out. I slipped out the backseat to get a manager. I calmly asked and got him (amazing what being polite and direct will get you) and explained. He came out and talked with us and simply said that what happened wasn't ok; he was glad we came to him and would both make a report for the restaurant's records and for the valet company's use - and asked my mother to please take it to a detailer of her choice and they would cover the expense (he meant it because he asked for our information to make sure all was covered). I didn't even have to mention I was a Yelper (and therefore would be elite-y and promptly write a review). Handled with class. Final answer for $1000, Alex? Solid. Glad to live down the street. Will definitely have a boy take me for a nice dinner - and have some of those dishes I enjoyed....and give some others a shot.
(4)
Elise P.
We made a reservation at The Optimist for 4 at 12:15 in the afternoon. When we arrived to the restaurant there was a bit of a backlog in the reception area; however, we were seated within 5 minutes of our reservation. The server was very attentive. He made sure to keep our water glasses filled and our table neat and clean. The atmosphere was on of my favorite parts. They had very tall ceilings decorated with lights. They did a very good job making it a fun sophisticated place. We ordered an appetizer of the Calamari. Much to some of my fellow diners dismay, it was grilled calamari and note fried. However, i thought it was excellent. I very much enjoyed it. We got a variety of entrees at the table from a burger and fries to salads and even fish dishes. All the meals were presented very well, and everyone seemed to enjoy their meal. As long as you are a fan of seafood, I would recommend this place.
(4)
Jeremy M.
For my money, I'd go here over Canoe every time. More creative menu. Nice oysters. Fun crowd, and a gospel mission across the street (but don't worry your Range Rover will be safe in valet) It's not cheap, but few things worth having stay cheap for long...
(5)
Troy S.
Winner, winner, Swordfish dinner!! The Optimist gets the award for the best fish I have ever eaten and that is not an easy award to get from me...I eat a ton of fish and have become somewhat of a pesce connoisseur dining on the Chesapeake Bay my whole life. The swordfish is poached with duck fat (BAM, BAM!!) and paired with grilled peaches, basil, and a plummy tomato sauce...this is a total zinger and you will love it--nom, nom, crispy duck skin! Oh, and you will have to pick out a couple of side dishes to share with someone. No matter what fish you order, you need to get the basmati fried rice to go with it...the ginger and saffron undertones will tantalize you and you will feel the need to shovel down every last bite. Also totally love the heirloom tomatoes. Make sure you have a reservation or you will only find a seat at the bar. Decent wine selection which includes a lovely Viognier to go with your swordfish. Excellent staff and total eye candy everywhere. Next time, I really have to get the east vs west raw oysters and the crispy whole blackfish...I totally dig the "whole fish" experience.
(5)
Diana T.
I came here for lunch for my birthday. My expectations were too high for this place. We ordered the infamous corn milk hushpuppies "beignet style" with cane syrup butter. It was ridiculously salty but great presentation. I also ordered the maine lobster roll. It was weird to consume lobster that was cold. It had no flavor. I was not impressed at all! My bf ordered the fish & chips. This was different from the other fish & chips I have consumed, but overwhelming. This entire meal did not impress me. & in the end, the waiter did not sing me happy birthday or give a free dessert. I might go back and try this place for dinner but overall my entrees and sides did not impress my taste buds.
(3)
Tom E.
In the food scene in Atlanta, it seems like there are 3 things that are always in question- who has the best BBQ, burgers, or lobster rolls. In this latest installment, I was on the hunt for a lobster roll. On my latest trip to West Midtown, I went to go across the street to personally try to rectify a reservation I had later that night, and I needed something to make me feel better. So what better place than to try The Optimist? I had heard about it in a great article in Atlanta Magazine ( atlantamagazine.com/rest… )- sorry not all pics posted that were originally in the article. I also heard about it from praises from our Empress, and I know we share the same tastes- so I knew this would be a decent lunch. Parking is easy, with a large (FREE) lot, so that was a huge plus (parking can SUCK in this area). There is also a putting green out front as well, but I didn't come to play- I came to eat (and drink). When I walked in (looking like a complete bum, as I just got off work and I had a black dirt mark on my forehead), I asked if I could sit at the bar (of course), and they told me to go to the next (bigger) room, as there are 2 rooms/2 bars. Staring at 3 panels of liquor, I was greeted almost instantly (as I was the loner at the bar, but in my defense, it was 2PM, they close at 230 for lunch). I started off with a makers/ginger ale (at least I think I did), as I looked at the menu. The drinks looked interesting, and I got 2 or 3 of them. However, there is a drink called Swedish Fish, and let me fore warn you- it does NOT taste like the candy. If you think so, you need to get your palette back on track. The menu was somewhat pricey for lunch, but I ended up getting a cup of seafood gumbo and a lobster roll. About the gumbo- one of the more interesting styles I have seen for a gumbo, the roux was spot on, with its deep color and wasn't burnt. However, there was a sweetness to it I wasn't very fond of. There was also 2 claws in the gumbo, that were ready to have the meat sucked off them. It also came with garlic bread wrapped in twine. Before I go on about the $17 lobster roll, let me remind you how much I hate raw vegetables and plain mayo- lets just say I would rather ingest glass than eat that stuff again. With that being said, the roll came with mayo and celery. The meat on the lobster was some of the higher quality meat I have seen- it was cold and solid, not flaky by any means. The bread it was on was toasted and buttered, and added to it. It terms of the meat, that was some of the best lobster meat I have had. However, the fries it came with to me, I was not a fan of- it reminded me of those potato strings (which I do love) you get at the grocery. They were messy, and tough to use with a fork. On top of a few drinks, I was making a mess (thank god I wasn't on a date). Since I was on a roll, I was offered dessert. I knew the place was going to be closing soon, so I was shocked she offered. I ended up getting an apple buckle- pretty much an apple dessert with ice cream and a cheese strudel. That was actually my favorite part of the meal- I almost got another one. Although the place closed at 2:30, the bartender let me keep ordering drinks, which was nice, but I tried to not wear out my welcome. For soup, entree, dessert, and a few drinks, lunch came to $66 before tip, I thought I was in Disney again with those prices, but I thought for the most part, it was worth it. Unfortunately later on in the day, I got extremely dizzy for some reason, and it kind of killed my mood- not sure if it was from the gumbo, the roll, or that Swedish Fish. I can see why Esquire thought highly of this place ( blogs.ajc.com/food-and-m… ), and I would like to go back and see what else they have to offer. Maybe I was getting withdrawls from dessert?!?
(4)
Cecil W.
I was excited to try The Optimist for my wife's birthday and the review is a mix bag. The staff were nice and they wished my wife happy birthday. The table received was horrible! It was a booth at the front of the restaurant so every time the door opens you feel like you are outside. The specialty cocktails were ok, I ordered the Hunger Walk and the Bourbon drink with bitters. All of the food we ordered was great! However, the timing between the appetizers and main course was very slow. The She Crab soup was great, no crab meat in eat like Neiman Marcus cafe, but the flavor was better. The shrimp bread with the soup was outstanding. The gumbo was spicy and tasty. The Blackened Mahi was spicy, but excellent. Didn't order desert to give a review. I might give the Optimist one more try because the food was super.
(3)
Nhuy W.
Atlanta has too many great restaurants and this place is definitely one of them. I loved it so much the first time that I made my friends go back so I could have dinner here again. The trout was so flavorful and the the hush puppies are a must!
(5)
Jeff W.
Went here the other night. Food wasn't as good as before. Our server was like a robot, didn't offer his name and it was hard to get his attention on a few occasions. The frothy She Crab Soup didn't have the burst of flavor as it did on my first visit and the octopus was too soft in texture. We ordered wine with our meal in hopes of only having one glass and be on our way as we had another engagement to attend. We were late to it. Our main dish took over 30 minutes to arrive. While engaged in conversation, our very small pour of wine was long gone by the time our food arrived. Around the 25 minute mark the server brought over hush puppies and then told us this was in apology for our long wait. We don't eat hush puppies, a fresh glass of wine would have been more appropriate, or at least an ask vs throwing us a bone. It then took another 10 minutes before we got our food. I had pumped this place up to my date as being a great restaurant, was very disappointed in the experience this time. Guess they've settled in.
(2)
D M.
Very good experience with a business dinner. Servers were attentive and friendly. Great wine selection, awesome appetizers (fried oysters, little gem lettuce, and seafood gumbo highly recommended). Georges Bank scallops were perfectly cooked as was the grouper. Definitely recommended.
The starter fried oysters were not to our liking ( may be we are not oysters fans!). My lobster roll was just fab, and so was the side hush puppies( please don't leave this place without having them melt in your mouth!). Friendly people, good atmosphere, small quantities, good food! Our dinner started alright but ended well
(4)
Maria S.
Dinner at The Optimist is quite a treat, especially if you're lucky enough to land Keesha as your server for the evening. Overall, the service was excellent, from the moment I walked in the door until I retrieved my car from the valet. This staff knows customer service! I arrived early for my reservation, in order to check out the The Oyster Bar, since I'd heard raves about the famous punch. There were three on the menu, and I opted for the Pineapple Express. Made with gin, ginger tea, lemon and honey, this drink is an excellent combination of tart and sweet, and is dangerously delicious. The oysters here are ordered a la carte, similar to the way sushi restaurants do it, and prices range from $2.50 to $3.50. This side of the restaurant seems like a perfect spot to sit and enjoy a casual seafood feast, paired with your libation of choice. The main dining area is spacious and open, and surprisingly, the noise levels weren't too bad. I found it easy to maintain conversation with my dinner guest, and also enjoy the excellent music. I love a place that plays "You Can Have It All" by Yo La Tengo. I don't often hear Georgia and Ira in any of my usual in-town haunts. The menu is completely different from the Oyster Bar, and the oysters are priced at $3.50 each, your choice of East or West coast. Since I had recently been in North Carolina, where I enjoyed an entire peck for $12, I decided to check out some of the other menu items. We started with the spicy Spanish octopus, which was expertly prepared and beautifully plated -- and devoured in a matter of minutes. To accompany our starter, my friend and I ordered the Winter on Cape Cod, essentially an upscale version of the traditional vodka cranberry. The added citrus and herbal notes were a nice touch. For our entrees, I decided on the crispy triggerfish, served with brussel sprouts and bacon. The sweetness of the fish contrasted nicely with the smokiness of the bacon. A note on that smokiness - due to the wood burning grill, you will leave The Optimist faintly smelling of wood smoke. Not necessarily a bad thing, but you may not want to wear your fanciest dry-clean-only duds. Also, the dinner napkins are white, and very linty, so avoid dark pants or skirts or have a lint brush handy. My friend raved about her scallop dish, and also informed me the complementary dinner roll was quite good. (No bread for me, alas, due to my gluten allergy. But many of the dishes at The Optimist are naturally gluten free, and Keesha said to just let her know what I wanted, and she'd see if the chef could make it GF for me. Great to have so many options!) Be sure to check out the bathrooms during your stay. They are nicely appointed, spotlessly clean, and private.
(5)
Lauren L.
My first time dining at The Optimist, the power went out. When the power goes out the fans in the kitchen don't work... So the entire restaurant filled with smoke. We had to leave (with nothing comped from our bill). Despite this first experience... I keep going back. THATS how good the food is. I have never had something there that wasn't fantastic. The raw bar is my personal favorite- the lobster roll and their oyster selection. Please please please get the key lime dessert. - @gluttoneats -
(5)
Candace L.
One of my favorite date night restaurants in the city! Start at the oyster bar. Order one of each - anything they have fresh (my favorites are west coast, but its a personal choice), and get some of the oyster shooters! Very creative and fun. I have to comment on the decor of this place - whoever had the idea to paint the octopus on the brick oven in the oyster bar was genius. I love the creativity showcased in here. The little things make a big impact. The overall space is open and airy with large ceilings and minimalist decor. Love it! The menu here changes daily so its hard to keep a favorite - but the kale salad, grilled octopus and bok choy are super tasty and usually hold a spot on the menu. TO THE CHEF: PLEASE PLEASE bring back the cornmeal crusted black sea bass. I cant tell you how many times I've bragged about it to people. I order it every time its available. Its the best sea bass I have ever had and it should be a permanent staple on the menu. Service has always been flawless here - even when they are busy. The servers know what they are talking about - take their advice on recommendations. Bottom line: The Optimist delivers. Consistently.
(5)
Ronnie E.
Kudos for the staff getting us seated before our reservation time and valet for helping us with an umbrella on a rainy night. The wife and I really enjoyed our meals, especially starting off with mussels and the wonderful dinner rolls. She ordered the grouper and I had the monkfish. I had a taste of the grouper and enjoyed the flavor of the sauce it came in, kind of tangy and garlic based. The monk fish was juicy and more lobster like, and went great with the chorizo bits. The seats were a little tight but I like the atmosphere and the open kitchen.
(4)
Andrea S.
Seems really cool but not flawless. Oysters were great and served with house made saltines. We split the Whole GA Shrimp La Plancha - also very good especially if you love butter. My husband had Crispy Flounder- HUGE and good. My Monkfish was disappointing the cockles mussels et. al accompaniment were way over don't and dry. Sauce/broth bland. We did not get bread delivered - oops but we didn't care. We were there pre- theater so early and the whole staff mostly seemed like they were preparing for a big ugly crush a bit later. All in all we won't rush back. Maybe we're not cool enough.
(3)
Atl C.
Really really really really really good. The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is because when I pay $60 a plate expect it to be really really really really really good.
(4)
Kenneth P.
Second trip and still not impressed. Atmosphere - nice Service - good Fish and chips - dreadful. Fish has a heavy batter and the potatoes we hard Oysters - excellent Key lime pie - awful. Taste like it had been sitting in the fridge uncovered and absorbed a cardboard like smell. I think of you look part the great look and feel of the restaurant you will find the food is really average at best.
(2)
Brigitte B.
Cannot say enough good things about this place! From the ambiance, to the service, and (most importantly) the food...everything about The Optimist is top notch! My boyfriend and I visited The Optimist for the first time a couple months ago. I did some research on Yelp for menu recommendations prior to our reservation...here's what we decided on: Appetizer: Shrimp a la plancha..amazing! Whole, local shrimp in a delicious chili butter sauce. The sauce was definitely the highlight of this dish. It was rich with just the right amount of spice. The shrimp are served with a piece of buttered toast to soak up the remnants of the sauce, which I highly recommend! A messy, but delicious start to our meal. Entree: Duck fat poached swordish: The fish was tender, juicy, and cooked perfectly. When I had this dish, it was served with bacon and sauteed strawberries in a light sauce. For the sides we ordered the "beignet style" hushpuppies (which I read raving reviews about) and the collard greens. The hushpuppies are out of this world! They come served with powdered sugar and honey butter on the side. Overall, I absolutely loved The Optimist. It is not a cheap meal, but in my book it is completely worth the price. I will definitely be going back!
(5)
Andrea A.
This review is about a napkin. Yesterday I had a late lunch at The Optimist. I've dined there dozens of times before and this time I enjoyed my food too much to write about it. The pleasure of the Key Lime Pots de Crème alone was like a moment shared between lovers. I dare not kiss and tell so let me tell you about the napkin instead. After a couple minutes of sitting comfortably in a booth, it occurred to me that the napkin in my lap was black. The sea of napkins adorning the other tables were bistro-style--white with red stripes. There wasn't another black napkin in sight. I asked the waiter, "Did you swap out my napkin so I don't get white napkin lint on my black pants?" He laughed knowingly. Of course. I appreciated the fact that he didn't want me to leave the restaurant looking like a Dalmatian. It sounds elementary but little things mean a lot. I didn't even have to ask for a replacement and that's the level of detail and attentiveness that I have come to know and love from The Optimist.
(5)
Jen H.
I've been here a couple of times but my experience yesterday was so worthwhile I needed to write an review. It's quite hard to find a decent seafood restaurant that serves fresh seafood with delicious flavors. I came here to celebrate a birthday and everything we ordered was exceptional. This is one of the best natural lighted restaurant and I love the atmosphere. Our server was very knowledgeable and great at explaining all the difference between the 12 types of oysters and the menu. We had all of the types of oysters, the octopus starter. Then for entree had the grouper, lime flounder, duck fat swordfish and lobster roll. I never thought you could treat oysters as a wine tasting event where you eat one and reflect on the flavor of the oyster description, who ever writes their oyster menu is amazing because I could taste every flavor described and also realize what type of oysters I'm more interested in eating. They did a phenomenal job on the octopus, it had a kimchi finish and a slight heat but the octopus itself was tender and not tough at all. I personally loved the duck fat poached swordfish. I've never had swordfish that was so succulent , pillow liked soft and flavorful. The brisket pairs really well with the fish. The cocktails were also tasty. As you can tell I loved my experience here!
(5)
Lindy F.
"Do you consider the eating of oysters to be moral and the eating of snails to be immoral?" -- Spartacus (1960) So many dining experiences to choose from - so this will be an overall review. I love this place and there is a lot of seafood items I cannot eat. But Ford Fry grabs my attention every time he opens a new place and I usually become a big fan - well, this is yet another gem. I will say that it can get loud in here at dinner, so my lunches have been more enjoyable from a noise perspective, however, in every instance I have been seated at the exact. same. table. All 4 times. There is this decent-sized round table that seems to be in the middle of the walkway when you come from the entrance - apparently that is my spot. It doesn't hurt that I always come in a larger party. If you get nothing else from the menu when you come here, you must indulge in the hushpuppies. No, no, I insist. Little fritters of corn goodness served beignet style with a cane syrup butter that I would kill people over. It is that delicious. I could eat two orders on my own. That being said, we can discuss other items now... I guess. I've had several cocktails here and the barkeeps do an excellent job. You have to mix a great craft cocktail to keep my attention - and that they have. My faves are: peel & eat Georgia white shrimp, "come back" sauce & lemon fried oysters, horseradish mayo, vidalia onion, celery whole Georgia white shrimp a la plancha, "sopping" toast, arbol chile, lime Oyster Loaf (think po boy) confit fingerling potatoes, pork belly, chile oil, scallions Pork cheeks with Spaetzle Okay wow - I've eaten a lot... considering there is very little I can eat under the sea. I'm quite impressed with myself. I do tend to come here when someone else suggests it, but I am never disappointed. I cannot do the raw oysters, but my friends always enjoy them. The best things I have eaten are the shrimp a la plancha and the oyster loaf. I am dying to try their burger as well. So if this girl who cannot so much in the way of seafood enjoys the Ford Fry pearl... you know it has to be good, right? Service is always stellar and they do an amazing job keeping the tree nuts away from me as well - they take that allergy VERY seriously. I have never had an issue. Now, if they could hire this level of staff at another of his restaurants... I might go back there.
(4)
D.J. K.
Came here for dinner and loved it even more. Had the clam roll, mussels, kale salad, oysters, seafood gumbo,and scallops. Everything was fresh and delicious except the gumbo - it was too fishy and salty. The atmosphere is definitely trendy, hip, modern, and dining room can get loud as it tends to echo. Can't wait to come back here again!
(4)
Richard R.
February 16th, 2015 My wife and I didn't get out on Valentine's Day. So, since the kids were out of school for President's Day and Atlanta was expecting a pretty severe cold front to come through, we took the opportunity to travel into the city for lunch (knowing it would be a light traffic day). THE SCENE You may have saw in the news (about this time last year) when Atlanta had Snowmageddon. We aren't used to severe winter weather in the South and the city got caught totally unprepared as motorist were trapped in their cars for hours, some even running out of gas and becoming stranded. Others parked their cars on the side of the expressway and walked. There was even a case of a local Target opening their doors to feed stranded motorists and let them sleep for the evening. Well, we knew the city would NOT want bad press like that ever again, so we braved the cold temps and risked the threat of black ice with full expectation the city was not going to let anything like last year happen again. THE EXPERIENCE Although they have their own valet service, we were able to find a few street parking spaces just outside the front entrance. The exterior is kinda cool, particularly the mini-golf course set up in the courtyard where they also host live bands in warmer weather. However, there were these rusty looking old school metal tables and chairs that looked like you might require a tetanus shot after sitting in one of them. I can confidently say no clean freak such as myself would be caught dead eating at those tables. Once inside, part of the space looks like an old ice cream diner while the other space looks sleek and modern. A large expanse of windows bathes the dining area with natural light. However, plenty of cool lighting also hangs down from the air hanger-ish ceiling. There is an open kitchen on one side and a long bar on the other with pleasing wood tones on the floors and tables in-between the two. We found it interesting that both the hostess and our server were from the same Northern suburban county as we live. Seemed like a long way to come for work, but they relished in the idea of working for Atlanta's #1 restaurant (currently). Although I was highly tempted to switch to the Lobster Roll, I stuck to my original plan of getting the burger. It was ranked in Atlanta Magazine as #3 on the top 20 Best Burgers List. - - - - - - - - - - - - T H E F O O D - - - - - - - - - - - - CHOWDER FRIES $13 | 4 Stars If you follow my reviews at all then you know I lean heavily towards being a traditionalist. But I am also easily amused when a kitchen can present a creative new twist on a food I love. These chowder fries were magically delicious. Smothered with bacon, clams, white cheddar and scallions, it tasted exactly as though you were eating French fries dipped in a rich, creamy chowder. I thought this was brilliant, but probably not something I would order very often. OPTI BURGER $13 | 3.75 Stars This is a great burger, but it's not a Holeman & Finch or Bocado burger. I found the Opti Burger to be a tad bit salty and I'm still undecided on whether or not I liked having my bun slathered with butter (NO PUN INTENDED). Seems like unnecessary calories. There is also something called come back sauce on the burger. Perhaps that was what gave it too salty a flavor. Whatever the case I found the burger to have just a little too much of something; still can't put my finger on exactly what it was. The Opti Burger comes with heavily seasoned shoestring potatoes or a few alternatives for a small upcharge. CHOPPED CHICKEN SALAD $15 | 3.5 Stars My wife enjoyed this salad and actually ate more of the chicken than I expected. She is kind of a part time vegetarian, but occasionally will eat meat that doesn't taste super "meaty". She did comment that it was a tad pricey for the taste. SERVICE was excellent with the only real issue being a wobbly table. Our server kept my coke glass filled and checked on us often. This was refreshing given the lack of service we've been experiencing as of late. FINAL THOUGHTS Chef/Owner Ford Fry was in the kitchen today so I feel privileged that our food was exactly as he intended it to be. His Sous Chef was off today according to one of the staff, so we were happy to know our first visit would be in his capable hands. I must say I disagree with the Opti Burger being placed in the top 3 for Atlanta burger. It definitely deserves top 10, but I can think of at least 9 burgers I would prefer over this one. Good burger? Definitely! Overhyped? Most certainly. I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars, but in the end, they are closer to 4 stars than 3. Maybe next visit I'll stick with what they are known for... seafood
(4)
Dai T.
Food was awesome. The decor is fantastic. It' has a clean and modern, beach house or farmhouse feel. Pros: Food and atmosphere. Service at the tables are great. Bar service is typical of an Atlanta hotspot. Cons: Pricey. Drinks are really high. It is way too crowded. It's the typical rush for any new spot in Atlanta. Reservations are needed, but it still takes for ever to get seated. Bar is too crowded.
(4)
Kris A.
What an amazing place! Lets start with the layout...there is a turf aka lawn in front with a small putt-putt area for the kiddos to entertain themselves while everyone is waiting for a table=brilliant. There are also patio and picnic tables scattered on the lawn if you decide to dine al fresco. Lining the lawn is a covered area with more outdoor tables and an uncovered area with lawn chairs and benches for additional seating options when on a wait. We visited on a Tuesday evening and they were on a 40 min wait. So I highly suggest reservations even on a week night. As you walk in, the hostess is situated on the right and a large oyster bar is straight ahead with ample stools. There is also a wood fired oven in this area which gave it that fire and ice effect. The dining room has vaulted ceilings and low lighting. Very modern, classy and elegant. Servers don't wear uniforms which added to the relaxed atmosphere. They offer their raw oysters in a really unique way. You are given a paper list and a pencil. The list includes oysters from several different regions all cold water and mostly east coast if I remember correctly. It even provides the size of the oyster (sm, med, lg) and a short description of its flavor profile. They are served with fresh grated horseradish, house made saltine crackers and a mignonette sauce along with hot sauce, etc. We also ordered the she-crab soup and the whole GA shrimp a la plancha which were both delicious. I highly recommend this restaurant and I'm looking forward to a return visit already.
(5)
Candyce V.
Lunch here was delightful. The smoked white fish chowder was served hot and with oyster crackers. I enjoyed it until the trout with peas, cippolini, pancetta, and oyster mushrooms arrived. The fresh was fresh and perfectly seasoned. And I indulged in a bit of dessert--the strawberry sundae. I lingered in the restaurant until after they closed to prepare for dinner, and no one rushed me out of there. My server (oh, I wish I remembered her name!) was such a sweetheart and super helpful. Can't wait to come back here for dinner.
(4)
Jessica L.
Really a 3.5 I came here so excited to try the lobster roll. It was great. But so small!!! I wanted more. Also got the she crab soup and I couldn't even finish it because it was way too rich. The little piece of bread that accompanied the soup was really good though. I ordered a drink but I forget the name....tiki sunrise or something? I thought it would be watered down, but it definitely wasn't. What a huge plus!! Overall, this place is worth trying.
(4)
Anita K.
Great ambiance and delicious food!
(5)
Jennifer N.
I was excited to score a last minute reservation. The meal was great. We started off with the scallops. The broth was so good, I asked the server to bring me a couple pieces of bread to sop it up! Delicious. I had the tuna and my friend had the grouper. Both were spot on as far as taste and preparation. I skipped desert and just had another cocktail. Overall, it was a great dining experience. I hope to come back the next time we are in ATL.
(4)
Will S.
Came here the Sunday after Valentine's Day. It was pretty crowded and probably due to the holiday. I had reservations, so no wait. The dining area is completely open so you can see everything. They have an open kitchen on one wall and a large, well-organized bar that's lit up in a dim blue light. Seating is pretty tight. We sat at a two-person table, and had two tables on both sides of us only a foot away. Could definitely hear people next to us talking about our food, but that didn't bother me cause I was talking about the other tables food. At the entrance you'll find the oyster bar where you can select from several different oysters to try. STARTERS -Yeast Rolls You get two pieces of rolls for free. They are buttered and have salt on top which is different. Pretty good -Seafood Gumbo I'm not a super huge fan of gumbo. I like it, but it's never blown my socks off. I'm more of a chowder guy. The gumbo here was pretty good though. It had a nice spicy kick to it. It has sausage, oysters, and a little bit of crab meat. It's about a bowl size, maybe a little smaller. It's served with a bread with a thick spread of garlic butter in between. -Mussels These were excellent. You get about 16-20 served in a bowl of curry sauce. The sauce is sooo good. Reminded me of the times I used to eat Thai Curry 2-3x a week. All of the mussels were a decent size. I highly recommend getting these. It's also served with MORE BREAD, but this bread was a garlic toast and really good. You can ask for more to soak up that curry sauce once you finish the mussels. ENTREES - Nice selection of seafood. They even have a small section for non-seafood eaters which I was tempted to order from. Prices range from $22-33. -Peacan Crusted Flounder This is what my girlfriend got. I had a few bites, and it was really good. Flounder is a pretty thin fish, but it looks like they fold a couple of pieces on top of each other, so you get a good amount. The pecan crust was pretty good, and my girlfriend really enjoyed. -Duck Fat Poached Swordfish I've only had swordfish a couple of times and each time it was a thick, dry piece of fillet. It came with pork belly and the waiter really recommended it, so I went for it. Best swordfish I've ever had. The fish was super moist, and easily eaten with just a fork. I need to find out where to get duck fat, cause I want to cook everything in it. It's made with a sherry au jus which was really good. There are little bits of pork belly, but I'm not sure how those fit in with the dish, but they were good nonetheless. SIDES - All the sides are pretty large and meant to be shared. -Collard Greens These were pretty damn good. Maybe some of the best I've ever had at a restaurant. They were smokey, but had a sweet flavor to them. -Hush Puppies Another awesome side. They have a nice texture on the outside, and warm and soft on the inside. They sprinkle them with sugar and serve with a side of cane syrup butter. The butter was so good, I had to keep my girlfriend from eating it all after we had already finished the hush puppies. DESSERT -S'Mores Ice Cream Sandwiches Couple of chocolate cookies with a graham cracker ice cream. These were good, but nothing too special. One order comes with two sandwiches so easy for sharing. Overall this place was pretty good. Everything tasted great. It's definitely pricey so it's not somewhere I would come to regularly. No idea where parking is, but valet is $2. I would recommend making reservations at least 2 weeks ahead of time.
(5)
Tom S.
It took a few visits but I've started to really like this place. What took me so long to come around to it was the fact that while I'm definitely in the minority on this, there really isn't anything on the appetizer/starter menu that I liked. And in hindsight, that can supersede the good memories. Those good memories being the fresh fish, decent portions, good service, great bar and a good selection of beers too. But frothy she-crab soup? That's blasphemous. She crab soup isn't supposed to be thin and frothy. Shrimp you have to peel and eat? Ok- maybe a food truck or something. Minor, fixable irritations such as the lack of parking, and the valet that now charges in advance is what keeps this one on the "special occasions" list for now.
(4)
Chigurll K.
I was visiting at from Chicago when sister took me and another friend here for dinner. Best seafood ever. She ordered the shrimp dish from the appetizers, and I got the sword fish poached in duck fat. Her appetizer was size of an entree and amazinggggg. Order that and you will not regret it. The service was superb!!!
(4)
M' N.
Yep, I'm giving a Ford Fry restaurant five stars. The Optimist is a fun and vibrant spot with consistently delicious food and good service. I often sit and eat at the bar, where the bartenders are friendly and attentive, unlike the ones at King & Duke. The lobster roll and clam roll are where it's at. You'll never go wrong with the oysters either. One time, my friend ordered the ga shrimp a la plancha, and from the looks of his bib, it was scrumptious. For a cocktail, they make a mean salty dog with fresh squeezed grapefruit. But, there's also a drink that has a raw egg in it, which one of my Brooklyn hipster friends once ordered and drank while my redneck Atlanta friends and I gawked awkwardly. The Optimist is a winner.
(5)
Lisa S.
My husband and I went to The Optimist for dinner last night. This was our second time here and we absolutely love it. My only complaint about this place is the price of everything. The food is fantastic. My favorite thing is the Tuscan Kale salad. It is truly delicious and I'm not a big kale lover. We started with soups; I had the frothy she-crab soup. The flavor of this soup is excellent. The consistency is weird. It is like deliciously flavored hot liquid. There is not one single hint of thickness or actual crab. It was strange and I'm not a fan. My husband got the seafood gumbo and he said it was good. We shared the tuscan kale salad and then shared the swordfish. We split a bottle of pinot grigio, which was tasty and expensive ($40). We sat at the bar and our bartender was terrific. He was personable, funny, and we really liked him. I can't remember his name, unfortunately. According to my receipt, his name is PM Bar.....
(4)
Evelyn S.
Excellent seafood. Menu is a little narrow.
(4)
Shea H.
One of my new favorite restaurants in Atlanta! My mom and I had a wonderful dinner here. We started our meal with the Green Curry Mussels; One word AMAZING! I had the scallops on top of braised short rib. Sound weird but it was delicious. My mom had the monk fish and we split two side items; hearts of artichokes and brussels sprouts. Both of which were very tasty!!! The service was outstanding and the ambience was cool with a industrial feel.
(5)
Lucy W.
I hope people who have seafood for the first time here, don't think this is what good seafood tastes like. I admit, I over-rated Optimist on my previous visit based on its decor, ambiance and potential. I must be ordering wrong, if other Yelpers (whose reviews i truly trust) are giving five star reviews. I was absolutely starving and wanted to try the clam appetizer dishes, instead of ordering a full entree. Mistake. I should have known clams outside of New England would not be good. The Fried clam roll was a joke...same tiny Holeman and Finch roll as was used for the tiny lobster rolls, drenched in kimchi vinegar, not even clam strips...clam BITS, fried to oblivion. The garlicky clams would have been good with a pound less salt (note to chef, clams are from the ocean and are already inherently salty...no need to use a heavy hand with the salt). The promised croutons were almost nonexistent...i wish they gave bread to soak up the clam juice, but you have to order and pay for bread separately. Also, about half the clam shells were empty...so I combed through the clam juice, looking for the clam meat...but they were completely missing. Now I know how they can afford to put a $9 whole clam appetizer on the menu. I was still so hungry with the lack of food even though I ate everything, to soak up some of small but potent cocktail I ordered. Alas, I couldn't finish my drink b/c of the lack of food in my stomach. I came home and started to make myself a real dinner. I do want to love this place...but I'm probably going to do drinks only next time (st George's gin, yay!) and of course, to play on the putting green and sit on the padded patio seats/ottomans.
(2)
Jonathan D.
The friendly staff didn't do one thing wrong on my first visit here. They were hitting all their marks. The food was outstanding. I'm a bit of an oyster novice, but the ones I had here were much more flavorful than what I'd encountered at several other Atlanta restaurants. The tempura-fried green beans were solid, but one of the standouts of the enitre meal was actually the dipping sauce. It brimmed with confident dairy flavor that had just enough dill to keep it from being overly creamy. The broth with the clams and pork belly appetizer was like a firm handshake. Reassuring in its strength but stops before it crushes you in its grip. And the entree? The oysters were so good that we got a second order. I was also knocked over by my cocktails. My grandparents used to make a lot of Salty Dogs, so this entry to the cocktail list caught my attention immediately. The very fresh citrus was well balanced with the salted rim. I ended up having two. Also, I love the overall layout. The place is really charming, with gigantic ceilings and exposed rafters that aren't too industrial. I happened to notice the managers of a couple other fancy restaurants eating there the night I went, which has to be a good sign.
(5)
Andrew H.
Wow, what a HUGE disappointment. After the rave review in Bon Appetit, September 2013, page 156, went for lunch today to try the fish and chips. Being an expat from the old country, couldn't wait. It was AWFUL. They did not even follow their own recipe as published in the magazine. One large (8 inch) piece of codfish with almost invisible soft batter. It did not look anything like the picture, not crunchy at all. (In Bon Appetit, they say to cut the fish into 1-1/2 inch wide strips.) Also, thin tapering tail end pieces of fish do not work. The fish needs to be uniform thickness to fry evenly. The fries were soggy, actually limp. What a bummer! She crab soup is better with lumps of crab in it, BTW, as another reviewer observed. Deconstruction is not always better.
(1)
Stephanie K.
Birthday dinner last night! My friend and I arrived about an hour before our reservation to sit at the bar and have a couple of cocktails. She had wine, and I had a Carboy and another plum-infused concoction, both of which were delicious and refreshing. Our table was ready for us right on time, and we sat right in front of the open kitchen, giving us a great view of the action going on there as well as throughout the dining room, which was hoppin' on a Wednesday night. Noise levels can be a little distracting, but my friend and I could still have pretty easy conversation. It's a great room to do some people watching. I ordered 3 west coast oysters, which were delectable and buttery. My friend had the smoked white fish chowder, which I tasted, and it was really delicious. They ran out of the halibut entree I had my eye on, but substituted grouper with seared okra and baby heirloom tomatoes and a red wine demiglace. Fish may have been slightly overcooked, but all of the flavors were amazing. I had a side of wild mushrooms, which were rich and decadent, as well as the hushpuppies with powdered sugar and brown sugar butter, which are A MUST. My friend had the monkfish, and it was also stellar. The side of fried rice is an umami bomb in the best possible way - so much flavor happening. Food is a little pricey, but the quality is definitely worth it, especially for a special occasion. When I mentioned it was my birthday to our server, he nonchalantly brought over a free drink for me, as well as a glass of wine for my friend. The manager stopped by to wish me a happy birthday a bit later, also, and brought me ANOTHER free drink (and a free koozie that came with my beer!). After we were stuffed full, our server surprised me with a complimentary birthday peach tart dessert with vanilla ice cream, complete with a lit birthday candle. Thankfully, no singing! Service could not have been better or more professional. Our meal was borderline perfect. I will not hesitate to come back to the Optimist in the future. Still haven't gone to the raw bar (in the room next to the main dining area that serves mainly raw oysters, etc., and light appetizers), but that's on my list for sure.
(5)
John O.
even if you are not a seafood fan (i'm not), the skirt steak is amazing, and the sides and dessert are insanely good. bill with four other clients came to $360 including 20% tip, so it's reasonable (we had beers but didn't do any wine). the octopus is supposedly an amazing starter. the arugula salad was great, as well. for the main course, i had the skirt steak, as did one other client, and it was amazing.' for the sides, the succotash and basmati rice are fantastic. the succotash is surprisingly spicy, but in a good way. for dessert, we had the boston cream pie, the lemon dessert, and then something else (basically the top three things), as well as some frozen stuff (the caramel with sea salt was fantastic, as was the cherry-flavored frozen one). i'd come back in a heartbeat.
(5)
Charlie B.
Alright y'all this place is goram legit. The service was really quite wonderful, not so insistent that they were like flies at a picnic nor were they so absentminded that we had to wait too long for anything. The real reason we all go to places like this is the food, and to pose. That's not why I go, but there were some pretty people enjoying cocktails and I'm not one of those so I'm obviously better than they are (for the purposes of this review anyway). We had in no order of love the fries, the mussels, the spicy shrimp appetizer, the curry fried rice, the seared tuna, hush puppies, aaand their peach cobbler. yes please, and thank you jebus. Seriously the pups were like a very sweet corn beignet, the mussels were tasty and perfectly cooked, the shrimp were delicious and would be a great lunch special if they were served on a bed of sticky rice (hint hint), the tuna was wonderful, the curry fried rice with peanuts was really interesting like a southern take on fried rice meets Singapore street noodles. I could go on, but i wont. You should go. Seriously. Its a great alternative to the my other favorite Atlanta restaurant, especially if you want some lighter fare. A definite place to take out of town guests, a date, or your parents.
(5)
Todd P.
I'm an expert at See-Food (just observe my Buddha belly). And it would seem The Optimist is gaining notoriety as an expert in seafood. I just had to give it a shot and line up the "see" with the "sea". And I achieved success, walking out feeling significantly stuffed to the brim. I like the classy yet laid back vibe of this new gem on the West side. My friend and I sat in the dining room, but I'd like to return soon to try the even more casual oyster bar and patio. We started with the crispy long beans, sea salt and buttermilk-dill mignonette -- better known as battered and fried green beans. Perfect start to our meal, taking the edge of our hunger off while we perused the menu of wood hearth roasted fish and interesting sides. After much deliberation, I decided on the seared tuna as my main course. I really loved the accompaniments, including the charred octopus and potato salad. The small chunks of potato were crispy and the octopus delicious. The tuna was good, but it seems the sear could've been just a tad more crisp in my opinion. I'm sure this would be tough to pull off, and I can't fault them for the way it was served. Just my preference that would have made this meal really sing for me. For sides, we shared a few different dishes, including the potato gnocci in lobster butter with summer corn (delicious!), the corn milk hushpuppies, in a beignet style with powdered sugar and a cane sugar butter; and the basmati fried rice with smoked fish, curry and smashed peanuts. All three were nice compliments to the meal. And of course we had to try dessert. And did we ever! We put down three delicious ones: chocolate "pop tarts", a grapefruit tart garnished with Venezuelan white chocolate; and the buttermilk donuts with sweet corn ice cream and sweet pepper jelly -- all specialties created and prepared by Sugar Coated Radical. Now, after all of that, is there any doubt I'm a specialist in See-Food? I think not.
(4)
Allie B.
An extremely positive dining experience! We started with the grapefruit cocktails from their specialty cocktail menu - excellent. Their wine list is extensive with just about anything you could want; I forget what bottle we had, but it was in the low $40 range and very good. We had East Coast Oysters (one each, served with all of the fun oyster fixings), a simple salad (super fresh ingredients - like eating a good garden, minus the dirt), the whole georgia white shrimp a la plancha with sopping toast and arbol chile (flavor was A+, but I'm not the hugest fan of dissecting my own food. I know, so pedestrian, but I like the be-heading done prior to table service, but I knew what I was getting into - the waitress was sure to inform us of that detail), and then the skate wing 'schnitzel' with brown butter, charred lemon, and capers. I'll order anything that comes with brown butter, charred lemon, and capers, and this skate wing was surprisingly good. I'm seeing fish 'schnitzels' all over the place right now. The service was not horrible - the woman kept wanting to take our plates away when we were obviously not ready...minus several points. I really like the space, though - it's very open and airy and the bar/restaurant is the only thing in the building so it's very spread out. I understand they're going to have music in the courtyard area eventually? I look forward to trying out the bar where they have smaller (read: cheaper) menu.
(5)
james B.
Great atmosphere good service. Super loud in the dining room but I did not mind it. I will be back soon.
(3)
Kyle D.
Great seafood options in ATL are very hard to find. The Optimist seems to have hit the mark! Not sure if I enjoyed the oyster options or the entree options more. The hush puppies are a must and the collard greens were amazing. Our waiter was very helpful but didn't hover. My only "complaint" was that the parking lot might be a little hard to find in the dark. That being said, they offer valet parking as street parking on your own might be a little hit or miss.
(5)
Richard B.
Had Valentines dinner reservations for this past weekend. All I can say it was worth the three week in advance reservation!! The hippest, casual, upscale restaurant in Atlanta. By casual I mean everyone is laid back and so friendly and knowledgeable. My girlfriend had never had oysters before and it's not because she hasn't had the chance to, I wanted to make sure her first time she had the best. So we ordered a half dozen (east and west coast) and she loved them. I honestly can say they are the best oysters in Atlanta....!!! Our dinner was amazing and the hush puppies were divine. Highly recommend this place and the waitress made it all so comfortable
(5)
Onle G.
After a quick lunch of she-crab soup with shrimp toast and a few east coast oysters, I'm sold. I usually know quickly if I'll return to an eatery after a few bites and will most certainly recommend this place that's lighting up the Atlanta radar. The space has a loft-style decor, reminiscent of castleberry hills or other in-town industrio-living conversions. Making reservations is required and the staff is great. Enjoy something fresh at The Optimist. P.S. it makes a great place to study and catch looks from Atlanta's fashionable crowd ;c)
(5)
Rachael I.
I love seafood. I love lobster rolls. I came here on a mission. To try the lobster roll. I had to pull some strings to get here for lunch on a weekday, since lunch is not offered here on weekends. First of all, let me say. I do like this place. How do you dislike some place called The Optimist? The name alone counts as a star for me =) My friend and I arrived. Immediately impressed by the location and decor inside. It is absolutely beautiful. What a wide open, inviting, gorgeous space. You do feel you are almost seaside somewhere... Our server arrived, and she was very nice. We both knew we wanted to get the lobster roll, and it came out within minutes. Now, I am comparing this lobster roll to the one that I absolutely love at Legal Sea Foods in Atlanta. Side by side comparison: Portion size? Legal wins it. It is double the size of Optimist's. Price? Legal is market price. I think I might have paid 20 bucks or so last time. The Optimist's is $17. (Must have recently raised the price as some Yelpers have been saying $14.) BUT, it is half the size. Overall better value? Legal. Bread? Legal. I prefer their brioche. My one today at Optimist was burnt black on one side, and was a bit reminiscent of a hotdog bun. Lobster quality? Toss-up. You can tell both establishments use nothing but the highest quality. Lobster portion? Legal. Hands-down. Huge chunks of lobster. Whole claw meat. Made Optimist look really skimpy. Overall flavor? Legal. I prefer the lobster to shine in my lobster rolls. At Optimist, I tasted celery first, then the lobster. I did really like Optimist's tartar sauce, however. Extremely lemon-limey, a nice bright kick to enhance the lobster. Sides? Legal. Absolutely. This is personal preference, but I like hearty, thick-cut fries. That I can dip in things. Optimist's shoestring fries weren't doing it for me. Very greasy. Had to eat them with a fork. Seasoned perfectly though. Also, Legal serves an extra side with their lobster roll. So, that alone kind of pushes them ahead in the "sides" game. I always get the stone-ground grits (delish), but they've got a ton of side choices. I will say though, Optimist's service is STELLAR. I was almost entirely through with my roll and was perfectly happy finishing it as is. Our server came by to ask how everything was, and I said everything was great, but my bun was a little toasty. She asked me if I wanted a new one, and I said absolutely not, I am almost done. Fast forward 2 minutes, and a gentleman brings me a new plate with a new roll. Tells me he wants my experience to be the best it can be. So, as far as service, both Optimist and Legal are completely on par. Great job all around. Will come back to the Optimist for sure. Their dinner menu looks great. And the desserts sounded scrumptious. Will just choose Legal for my lobster roll fix, but I am super glad I tried Optimist's version.
(3)
Southern Beer Tours S.
I had heard rave reviews about this restaurant for a little while. It did not disappoint. We started with their beignet hush puppies w/ cane syrup butter. They were amazing. Then I ordered the blackened mahi mahi. It was the best cut of Mahi I had ever had. Our server was very informative and had great suggestions since it was our first time visiting. Valet parking was a breeze. We made a reservation before hand and had no wait for our seats. The place was stunning and is a whole lot bigger than it appears from the street.
(5)
Travel M.
100% next level yum. Aka ... Please sir may I have another, Oyster, that is. A crew of us drove down from Nashville to try this gem of a restuarant we first experienced a taste of from Bon Apetit's Roth & Daughter's / The Optimist night in Nashville. We had the full experience. Starting the evening with delicious well- crafted cocktails. I had both 'The Dog Days are Over' & 'The Lonley Boy', both on point. We started off tasting the lobster roll, a selection of oysters from the east coast & roasted arugula salad w/ pickled turnips and carrots. All stunning. Next round we devoured the pecan crusted flounder, duck fat poached swordfish, pork belly, butternut squash, sherry jus paired with well crafted sides. The desert was the only thing that needed some work ... The mint ice cream sandwiches I could pass on. The banana cake with buttermilk ice cream, I do again... But we're very much over shadowed by the main course. Just get the beignet Hush Puppies, they are better than what any dessert would offer. Oh and the restaurant decor, triple thumbs up. The attention to detail was excellent.
(5)
Tricia D.
5 things to love about the Optimist! 1. You feel positive the moment you place an OpenTable reservation! 2. Outdoor seating available! 3. Spacious interior and comforting environment. 4. Awesome, super fresh lobster roll for lunch (though pricey and small for $17)! 5. Ability to order as many (or as little) east or west coast oysters as you want.
(4)
Greg R.
Went for Valentine's Day. I didn't know there was a "special" menu. It was a 4 course meal, $70 each plus $15 surcharge on certain items. The food was so so. It started with a spoonful of cauliflower soup, very salty, and a thimble full of caviar ($15 surcharge :-( ). They got me. Octopus was acceptable, not great, but not wow either, and so was my meal (acceptable ), whole fish (red snapper). Mediocre food for high price (over $200). I'm sticking with Capital Grille next special occasion. Food is much better and better portions for the price.
(2)
Katherine K.
I've heard great things about this place, so I made a reservation for a birthday. I know the golf course outside is supposed to be cute and whimsical functional decor, but its just offputting at a fine restaurant. I thought it was kinda gross. Like why don't you take that home to the single dad's club. There is also a mission directly across the street from the restaurant and as you wait for valet, you can like see homeless people or something in lines. O.o ANYWAY, they do not serve the lobster roll at dinner, its just at lunch. DUN DUN DUN. I settled for the oyster roll and hushpuppies. Those hushpuppies didn't compare to these amazing ones in Florida, but it was still good. The oyster roll just had a squirt of some kind of mayonnaise it looked like and "kimchi" juice, but as a Korean, let me just say that was some kimchi juice with a strong kick. It was seasoned well, but all that fried food kinda made my stomach queasy. Then again, we started off with a dozen oysters, half and half east and west town or whatever and I am allergic to shellfish. Well I was more fascinated by the giant homemade looking fancy crackers that came with them. They did taste fresh. Didn't drink. Overall, I didn't really get the hype.
(4)
Jade J.
Excellent service, food, and atmosphere. The valet makes for a convenient entrance and exit. The clams are flounder are delicious!
(5)
Jeff T.
My wife and I had heard good things so we booked an early dinner to celebrate our anniversary sans the crowd. The place has a breezy, beachy, contemporary feel-not stuffy at all. We were seated right away. To kick things off, I had a glass of their Fish House Punch - a house special rum concoction that doesn't disappoint. I also ordered a dozen West coast oysters before I realized they were $3.50 a pop. Oh well, they were truly awesome and we were out to celebrate. I got past it. Next up, the frothy, she-crab soup with shrimp toast. Both were amazing. I also had the fried clam roll which is kinda like a lobster roll but made with fresh fried clams. Believe the hype, it's incredible. Lastly, we shared an order of "beignet style", corn-milk hush puppies served with sweet butter. I didn't protest when our waiter took the remaining half away because I would have popped if I kept eating them. The only con was that our waiter was good but a little nonchalant. Our table was a messy from the oysters/ice but it went unnoticed until I asked him to please to wipe it down. No big deal, he got all the other things right. Look forward to going back. Maybe next time I'll actually make it past the starters and try one of their main courses, we'll see!
(4)
Maggie C.
West Midtown has become pretty fun and The Optimist certainly adds to the cool factor. My girlfriend and I enjoyed a weekday lunch. The hostess sat us in the dining area and after a few moments without a server, we quickly decided to move to the bar, not because we were dissatisfied, but rather because the bar looked fun! Because we moved, the manager immediately came over to us, apologized, and comped our cocktails! This was a really impressive and unnecessary gesture. I ordered a Swedish Fish cocktail which featured plenty of fresh dill. So tasty! We also had East coast and West coast oysters. My girlfriend had halibut and I had more oysters since I don't get to have them often living in Denver, hehe. The decor is also sensational! Nautical, classy, yet fun and slightly hipster. The Optimist also features a putting green outside. This is a really cool little spot in an awesome part of the city.
(5)
Jana A.
You MUST try The Optimist. We had dinner there tonight and I have to say it may be the best meal I've had in Atlanta in a LONG time. The white fish chowder, the flounder, the dessert... everything was remarkable. I thought the service was excellent, especially when I learned they'd only been open 4 weeks. They spared no expense in decorating. The bathrooms are even super cool!
(5)
Stosh K.
An amazing place, with amazing atmosphere. Perfect bartenders. (we always sit at the bar). We met Eduardo there one night who always remembers us and he bought us a round of cocktails. Classy place with professional, classy servers. Bravo!
(5)
Ana D.
My husband and I find ourselves here for both special occasions and random weekends. It's probably my favorite restaurant in Atlanta, and definitely the best I have been to at this price point. On our latest trip, we tried a couple different oysters, a few cocktails, entrees, and dessert, and I was legitimately depressed when the meal was over. This was my first time trying oysters, so as an oysters novice I doused mine in lemon and cocktail sauce, but hubby said they were really good. For dinner, I had a basic white fish (maybe NC trout?), husband had the scallops. The scallops were amazing. Best I have had. My dish was great as well. We also had the fried rice, which was amazing, and the hush puppies, which are a must have (seriously, don't leave without trying them. I fought for the last one). For dessert, we had the brown sugar cake and it was just the right amount of sweetness to end the meal. We also tried a few cocktails, one citrusy and one savory, and both we're delish. We left feeling full but not stuffed, with no leftovers and enough money left over to feel that we weren't gouged. I love the atmosphere, the food, and the service. Get there soon after opening if you want a more leisurely dinner. You'll get more attention and more relaxed service.
(5)
Chase C.
For all people who love seafood, do yourself a favor and come here. It is literally worth every penny. I went on a monday night with a lady, it was a little empty at first but began to fill up quickly. The oyster bar is the first thing you see when you walk in and the rest of the restaurant looked amazing. We ordered a dozen of the west coast oysters to start(please do yourself a favor and get the oysters). We also had a bottle of wine, the wine list was pretty extensive and full of great wines. For my entree my partner had the scallops, perfectly seasoned and not overcooked like some places. I had the swordfish that was poached in duck fat which was also incredible. We then finished up with an apple upside down cake, no misspelling there. It was served with a cinnamon ice cream. I didn't have a single complaint about an of the food or service, PLEASE go if you can. It's worth the drive.
(5)
Terri L.
We are big restaurant people, and have been to most of the known and highly renowned places in Atlanta. This is up there with the best. I'm not even a real seafood lover, but it was one of the best meals I've ever had. The oysters were so fresh, and there were so many options, and they were all so delicious. The scallops, I can't even. I loved the design as well. Just amazing.
(5)
Ullrich M.
Everybody writes about the high quality of the food. I write about exceptional staff. Our waiter had collected all of our used dishes and was talking to us with both hands full of the stuff. Another waiter came by and gently took all the dishes to bring them back so that the waiter could continue talking to us. When I commended him on that event, he said that they all considered themselves as a high class team with management having very high standards but also taking care of them very well. It works.
(5)
Sooji K.
this place definitely lives up to its hype - not to mention the service, food and drinks were exceptional. the parking lot is super duper tiny, so unless you're planning on valet don't even bother coming in the lot. i came to the optimist with dinner reservations and we were seated right away on a friday evening (hurrah!) - the four of us ended up ordering family style so we ordered some appetizers, sides, oysters a la carte and entrees. the cocktails were good, but then again now a days, i think most places seem to have gotten a better grip that not all of their clients are just looking to get drunk when they order drinks. i digress though, i was happy with their drinks and so were my companions. the star plates of the evening for me were the spanish charred octopus and the whole GA shrimp a la plancha. the shrimp a la plancha was SO SO good, i would've licked the bowl if i wasn't instilled with better table etiquette. it was a perfect balance of buttery with a little bit of a kick from the arbol chiles. the menu says that's it's a messy dish (bc you have to peel the shrimp yourself) but the flavor of the sauce itself was SO worth it. mmmm buttery goodness. the spanish charred octopus was a beaut, it was perfectly cooked and the asian twist on it was something new for me. the "fermented bokchoy" tasted like korean kimchi, but in a very asian meets mediterranean way... it worked well. i'm not going to expand on some of the other food items we ordered but i do have to mention that i was sorely disappointed on the scallop entree. i've heard so many rave reviews, but ours were overcooked and made for teenytiny people (they didn't look like the photos you put up on yelp people!!!). though i did end this review on a lower note, i really did enjoy the optimist and definitely see myself returning. the ambience and the food were both excellent and i'd definitely recommend it to any sea food lover.
(4)
Double A.
Decor, food and service are outstanding! Fresh seafood flown in daily and served within 16 hours insures quality. Knowledgable staff that understands the menu as well as they understand communication. It's a real dining pleasure with a hot spot feel and not too loud. Thank you, The Optimist!
(5)
Kari D.
My mister planned a special date night for the 2 of us (being that I live across the country, our date nights are few and far between). The good: everything about the food. Started with the fried oysters, which were spicy and delicious. I ordered the scallops while my man had the swordfish. We shared the fingerling potatoes and hush puppies. My scallops were wonderfully seared and beautifully plated. Super delish. I had a bite of the swordfish which was also really yummy. The piece de resistance? HUSH PUPPIES. I took one bite and told my guy, "these are STUPID." Trust me, people. Order the hush puppies. In fact, get 2 orders. You won't regret it. The not so good: while our server Brett was really sweet, it took him a while to get to us (which is understandable, the place was packed). And we didn't see him much throughout our meal. But, like I said, he was very nice. And he brought us a sample of the house made saltines (we didn't order any raw oysters) which he said would ruin crackers for us forever. You win, Brett. Also, it's not a very intimate spot. Tables are packed in pretty tight, so I felt like I was on a date with the couple next to us. And it's fairly loud in there. Overall, great experience. The hush puppies are incredible, and I wish I had some to take back to California with me. We'll be back in October, for sure!
(4)
Emily C.
First off, the positives: This place is gorgeous! There are interesting yet tastefully understated things to look at everywhere! The Bar area is magnificent, and the outdoor seating quaint. They also do a great job of having a full restaurant not be too loud or too quiet. The cocktails are also across the board delicious, exciting, and appropriate for the theme of the restaurant. My not so positives are sadly all about the food. While there are definitely some high points (the GA clams) there are lots of unimpressive ones (the special raw of bass needed salt, the swordfish entree, while inventive, didn't hit the right notes). Dessert was also kinda blah. While you can see that the ideas behind the desserts are awesome, the execution left you wanting something more. Overall solid restaurant and I think with some tweaks, it'll be an Atlanta mainstay
(4)
Beth R.
What happened? We were so impressed during our first visit a few months ago that we chose to bring our friends visiting from Dallas this past weekend. Although I enjoyed the she crab soup, everything was so overly SALTY!! My scallops were over-seasoned, over-cooked and over-salted little pieces on my plate. Our friends' fish was the same but they were gracious and didn't complain. We were so embarrassed that of all the great meals we could have taken them to in Atlanta, this is what we chose. Optimist, you need to re-think your food and fix it. We won't be back.
(2)
Gaby F.
By now its OK to say 'usual warehouse space' ex garage or such, white bricks etc..cool , sure, everywhere in every city, yep pretty much. Putting green out front was wasted by not having tables open by side, even if it was near car park. When cars parked are Aston Martin, Porsche, BMW 7 etc thats OK, Eye candy for some. Bust room , but not too loud. Comfortable tables, Couple next to me sat side bu side on a 2 top. Tight but they were happy. Waiter kept trying to upsell us. Bit annoying. St James Way Cocktail was well balanced but way too much crushed ice Signature Octopus was superb. Black bass, lemon sea salt simple and perfect, I give this 3 stars only because I wasn't surprised..maybe I'm spoilt. But Girl and Goat in Chicago, Distilled in Tribeca, NY, RockSalt in Naples, Rocksalt in Folkstone UK all could have made this dinner. You wont be disappointed..but you may not be surprised either.
(3)
Ike M.
Excellent restaurant, and well-deserving of it's current reputation as one of the best seafood eateries in the city. Excellent food, and impeccable service. And if you've the chance, take some time to check out the architecture. The restaurant is located in the rehabbed remains of a beautiful turn of the century brick industrial building.
(4)
Lindsay B.
Really delicious. Had dinner with out of town work colleagues and this was an excellent choice! Have been several times and The Optimist comes through again. Cocktails were delicious and maybe a little too drinkable, the seafood fresh and the meal - exactly what we wanted. Top 3: 1) clam roll 2) hush puppies 3) house made hot sauce/koozies! (tie) Great place to host a dinner big or small. And, who doesn't have to play a little put-put and drink a cold cocktail before a seafood dinner?
(4)
Paige E.
I would've given six stars if it was an option. I came for raw oysters but I stayed for the service and atmosphere. Seriously, I stayed for like 4 hours or something ridiculous. The restaurant is beautiful. High ceilings, lots of seating and open space. The bartenders ROCKED. They answered all of my many tedious, stupid questions that I know people love to ask bartenders. Very knowledgeable about everything on the menu. They definitely made my dining experience. There were 6 (maybe 8?) raw oysters to choose from. Tap out. Optimist wins. They were the best oysters I've ever had in Atlanta... Probably anywhere for that matter Writing about them makes me want to go there right now. I could go on and on, but I hate really elaborate yelp reviews. Just go.
(5)
Allison B.
This place was excellent!! Very cool atmosphere. The oysters were exquisite as well as the squid. Service was spectacular. Definitely a top place to eat in Atlanta.
(5)
Angel S.
I am pleased to update this review. After the GM heard about my unpleasant experience with the pooh at The Optimist a couple days ago, they got my number and called me to apologize and comp our entire meal. Which is extremely generous. They were very apologetic for the entire ordeal and embarrassed about how the incident was handled that evening. After this call, I would give The Optimist another chance if I was to visit Atlanta again. I think they'd be ready to react differently if the shit hits the ground.....again.
(4)
Liz K.
Finally got to try this place out after reading and hearing rave reviews! Was exceptionally pleased with the food and service at The Optimist. All the restaurants over in the West Midtown neighborhood seem to have similar ambiance/style. This place was no different. Typical Southern-like restaurant that looks as if it was once an old house. Service as impeccable. Very laid back yet attentive people all around. I brought a friend from LA here for the first time, and we both had high expectations. Ordered everything from the starters/apps portion of the menu of course. We had the oysters from the East and West coast, clams, scallops, and some sort of fried rice. Everything was deliiiiiish!! Fried rice was lil' oily but it was something new since it was tossed with peanuts and lime juice. Was so stuffed I couldn't bear to down anything sweet by the end of my meal. Yum-o experience overall. Will definitely be back for some more! Very happy to hear Esquire named this place the nation's BEST new restaurant.
(5)
Sonja R.
Food was really good just not enough. Left hungry. Pricey. Awesome service. Nice atmosphere.
(4)
Corbin P.
Great food but poor reservation management. We love the Optimist especially for lunch and get great service for lunch. We've been a few times now for dinner and had to wait 45 minutes after our reservation time on a weekday that also happened to be my birthday. Great restaurant but kind of ruins the experience with the wait time even for a reservation.
(3)
Stephanie A.
Did someone say seafood? Yeah I thought so. I have to be in the mood. It's taken me this long to be in the mood to try this extremely popular somewhat new addition to the fantastic food scene in West Midtown. This is a large freestanding single level building. The ceilings are high and unbuffered so be prepared for energetic noise and don't go with people you want to have some serious conversation with. Go with people that want good food and enjoy the vibe. There are a very few non seafood dishes for your friends who don't like the bounty of the sea. Lots of attractive people at the tables and bars both. There are two bars. The entry area bar is limited (ie no craft cocktails but they have their own thing going on so be open to it). Naturally raw oysters are there to be had. Save room for the creative menu awaiting in the dining room. It bears noting the rolls brought to the table are an item that should be sold as a side order. Semi dense yeast rolls with a sprinkle of crunchy flake salt on top. Heck I'd like some with today's afternoon tea. Do you do take out orders, Optimist? My kryptonite, fried oysters, are on the menu. Unfortunately for the other starter items the oysters put temporary food blinders on me so you don't stand a chance. Smoked fish chowder came to the table too. The oysters were cormealy crunchy, not greasy but also not seasoned. I found myself looking for salt more than once even though I knew it wouldn't be on the table. The soup however had a wonderful delicate distinct flavor. A light chowder that is perfectly satisfying. Dinner entrees selected were striped bass with a fantastically citrusy lime broth. Herbacious and fresh is the best way to describe it. Duck fat poached swordfish caught my eye. A rather ballsy thing to do but hey why not poach your fish in duckfat? It need not be relegated to roasting potatoes only. (My jar of duck fat in the fridge needs to step its workload up now). My history of swordfish eating is not a pleasant one. It's ALWAYS been dry, flavorless and honestly just forgettable and certainly not worth the mercury intake. This dish was as if an imposter fish was in place of what I knew swordfish to be. A 2" thick piece of lush moist flesh that was cooked to a perfection I have not experienced before (nor expect I will again). Not even a whisper of gaminess that sometimes comes when duck fat joins to the party. I was impressed. I saw my beloved vegetable, beets, on the side menu and instantly ordered them along with the hushpuppies - beignet style!? what? sugar cane butter on the side too ? Oh heck yes. This is fantastically naughty. It hits your sweet salty addiction perfectly. The beets were small, cooked nicely and served chilled. I find chilled beets the best at showing off the sweetness while keeping the earthiness to a minimum. Another win for my tastebuds. Perfect service. Not too much, not to little. Just right. There is no mystery why the Optimist is so popular. Definitely returning, though I may bring a pinch of salt with me next time to better enjoy my oysters.
(4)
Lilie T.
The atmosphere is great. It is a great place to take a date. I had the scallops and it was good. I enjoy my time there with my friends. I really like the mussels, the season is just right. The clams wasn't my favorite, it was a bit salty. The octopus was very chewy, I didn't enjoy that too much.
(4)
E L.
My GOD. This is *IT*. This is, without question, the best restaurant I've been to in Atlanta so far (moved here about 9 months ago). I'll be real: I do wish they had more oyster variety. I think that is the only negative. Thank goodness for the wine list. Atlanta wine lists may be the worst thing about Atlanta--they usually put me to sleep (oh look, another big California Cab! Whoa--Malbec . . . gettin' fancy!). The Optimist (not so much at the bar, but in the restaurant) has an excellent and hip list worthy of cool and curious, not stuffy, fine dining. My cocktail-loving friend was equally thrilled. The whole pampano with shallots and peppers!!!!! You can't count on this because their menu (appropriately) changes all the time. Their appetizers are offered more consistently. They push the shrimp a la plancha (indeed delicious), but the octopus, sea-crab soup, and kale salad edge it out. Atmosphere -- perfect. It's like Walter's in Brooklyn only HUGE. If you don't know Walter's, The Optimist is gorgeous white tile. Love it. When you walk in the door, it's pretty nautical. Then, suddenly, it's not really anymore. It's gorgeous. Service was also perfect both times I went. This place made me happy to be in Atlanta.
(5)
Andrew D.
The Optimist is attractive and energetic and conceptually pleasing. There were three of us and each ordered one of the beautifully described fish dishes including the monkfish, the yellow fin tuna and the swordfish cooked in duck fat. We also tried some mussels and oysters and finished with a very enjoyable frozen chocolate dessert. However, considering the prices, the portions were relatively meager and lacking any accompaniments...which were available for another $6-8 each. We had a round of drinks at the bar and one additional round at the table. I can't really complain strenuously about anything nor, however, can I say I was blown away. I don't mind spending for food and a unique dining experience but for over $250 I think a better fish experience can be had at Goin' Coastal in the Highlands for half the price.
(3)
Andi' M.
This place is wonderful! I went yesterday, for lunch, and ordered the seafood gumbo and east and west coast oysters. It was heavenly. The gumbo was warm, fresh, perfect blend of savory spices. The oysters were chilled, you can't really go wrong with oysters. The staff was polite and friendly. The bartender was very helpful, prompt, efficient, made recommendations to accommodate my dietary restrictions. I will be returning with friends! I have a new favorite lunch spot!
(5)
Amy G.
Underwhelmed. I went with a friend and we ate at the bar on a Friday night. Granted, they were busy but if it wasn't I'd have to wonder. After more than an hour of fighting for our bartenders attention to order wine and food we started getting quite annoyed when other patrons around us were being tended to more diligently. Finally a different bartender seemed to realize that we needed more help and did a great job of leading us to more courses and matching wine. Overall I thought the food was ok but not worth the money nor the fight for service. We ended up spending $160 for the 2 of us. Maybe I'll try it on a weeknight.
(3)
Jon A.
First, I have to say how excited I am to be moving into this part of town. I'm glad that the restaurant scene in West Midtown continues to thrive. We decided to check out Ford Fry's new spot on Saturday evening. So glad that we did! The bar area and restaurant are very well done - the atmosphere is just the right vibe. We were quickly seated, the hostess briefly explained the menu, and we were off with our waitress. We had a round of cocktails/beer - I had the Old Salty Dog, a delicious combination of vodka, grapefruit juice, grape fruit bitters and a nice salt. Very refreshing summer cocktail! My other dining companions tried two other cocktails and an Aligash White, apparently the summer beer of choice. Everyone was satisfied...next onto the yeasty, warm, and salty dinner rolls. Holy crap...so delicious! APPETIZERS * East Coast Oysters * West Coast Oysters * Garlicky Tiny Clams and Pork Belly The oysters were fresh, briny, and delicious. They came with fresh shredded horseradish, a tangy mignonette, house made cocktail sauce and hot sauce. All fantastic accompaniments for the oysters. The clams and pork belly were a revelation. If the clams and pork belly were to get into a fight with the Angry Mussels from JCT Kitchen, the clams and pork belly have a bivalve up on the competition. We ordered more of those delicious yeasty rolls to sop up the broth. If you go, you must try these... MAIN COURSES * alaskan halibut, wood grilled hen of the wood, red wine fish bordelaise * wood roasted soft shell crab, pickled ramps, garlic broth * seared rare tuna, charred octopus & potato salad, harissa * fish & chips, ale battered haddock, malt vinegar aioli I tasted three of the above (minus the soft shell crab) and can honestly say I would order any of these again as an entree. They were each well-balanced, reasonable portion, and extremely well-executed. SIDE DISHES * corn milk hushpuppies, "beignet style," cane syrup butter - fun play on the traditional hushpuppy; the cane syrup butter made them incredible! * lobster butter gnocchi - heavenly! melt in your mouth heavenly clouds of deliciousness. DESSERTS * ice box pie (changes regularly - we had lemon Saturday night) - very light, layers of lemon meringue with lemon curd and a spongy cake; would order this again! * hot fudge sundae with grilled pound cake - yum; hot fudge, spicy peanuts...such a great dessert and nice play on salty/sweet. All-in-all, I have to say that Ford Fry has the hit mark with The Optimist. He was expediting on Saturday evening ensuring his first week went off without a hitch. I look forward to dining here again very soon!
(5)
Edward B.
As far as I am concerned, it doesn't get any better than this. Everything I love about eating out is true of this place. The food is magnificent, they serve premium liquors, the bathrooms are spotless and stylish, the service is marvelous. The valet people know what to do. There is not question that it is pricey but one gets what one pays for.
(5)
Mike B.
Celebrating my girl B day and this spot had been on her radar for a min. The spot is beautiful on the inside. All the lights are dim making it a perfect date spot. On to the food we started with a half a dozen of west coast and east oysters. The west are bigger but the east taste better. The two fish dishes we had halibut and swordfish and better were made to perfection. The a Cornbread beignet mix that were outstanding.
(4)
Asma A.
I really wanted to love this place, but unfortunately, my experience was bad. We ordered the oysters (half east half west) and they were super salty and probably the worst oysters I have ever had. For appetizers I ordered the a la planche And that was great! Loved it! The only thing I really enjoyed there! Definitely a must try! Shrimp chowder --- that was also good. Lobster roll--- ???? When I saw this on the menu online I was super excited to come here and try this... The one thing I really wanted from here! But it did not meet my expectations at all... I have had lobster rolls before and this definitely did not make the cut, plus the bread (hoggie it was on) was super greasy (it was grilled but tasted like it was drenched in oil). As my side I did order the fish curry rice and that was surprisingly good. To top it off my glass smelled so bad! Obviously had some detergent deposit or something still left in the glass... And no it's not that only I smelled it, my friend with me also smelled it and as I was leaving I asked the server to also smell it and he agreed (but nothing was done). Even though the service was good the food was alright--- at least for lunch that is. I really wanted to love this place, but I couldn't :-/ I will be going back to try their dinner menu... lets hope its better... I really want to give this place a better rating
(2)
Mary Ellen B.
I ate at the Optimist and found the food to be mediocre and a let down especially considering the hype I had heard and the price. The bar staff was rude and had no desire to serve me a beverage. I have this two stars instead of one because my waitress was awesome.
(2)
Jean F.
Took my wife and daughter on 1/2/13 for dinner expecting something spectacular. The service was knowledgeable as expected. The cocktails he recommended were both original and subtle as was the white Bordeaux. The main course included fish and chips excellent and fluffy with overly salted shoe string fries, the scallops on pork were good and Georgia shrimp were ok but much too messy to eat. Starters of mussels, soup combo and fried oysters were disappointing. The desert, beignets and banana mousse were ok but nothing to write home about. Possibly an off night?
(3)
Craig J.
Went last night for the first time on my daughter's recommendation, she nailed it-Outstanding! We started with the Lobster roll which was packed with big chunks of fresh lobster and just the right amount of sauce, certainly rivals what I get in Boston! We then moved on to the starters which were delicous! My wife had the Arugula salad and the littleneck clams-loved it! I had the spanish octopus and believe it or not the fried smelt, both dishes rocked! We finished with a lemon tart that was slap your momma good! Service was excellent and we will definitely be back so we can try the main dishes!
(5)
Monica S.
So, not many restaurants open that often in Atlanta anymore due to "The Great Recession". That said, Atlantans flock to new restaurants the moment they open in desperate need for something new in their palate and (let's face it) to be a bit bourgeois, and claim they've "been there and done that". I am going to speak from two points of view. 1) from an event planner point of view as I had a private dinner for 15 last Thursday hosted at The Optimist and 2) from a normal patron,s point of view from my dinner with a few girlfriends celebrating a 30th birthday on a Saturday evening. To begin with, it's obvious The Optimist is a bit overwhelmed with the response they have received from the community. They haven't had a ton of corporations utilize their space, so their knowledge with food and beverage minimums and contracts are still being tailored as well as their response time (for Corporate America's point of view). However, AbbyKate (event manager), in the end winded up delivering as needed. The restaurant was flexible in my requests and constant change in numbers. AbbyKate also met with me unexpectedly the Saturday before my dinner to show me the space I had requested for my group and took the time to give me a tour of the space, which I greatly appreciated...especially considering how busy they were that evening. My internal client who the dinner was hosted for, thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and the food (albeit it was a bit slow...but they are serving 15 people at once, so that's a little expected for a new restaurant...which is why they push to order from a tailored menu as opposed to a la carte). Now, for the review you are probably most waiting for - my personal experience. The valet parking was atrocious. The poor valet has to work with a woefully inadequate parking lot and tons of impatient, hungry people. That said, if you can cab it, do so and be dropped off on Howell Street, not in the parking lot as it's hard to turn around. We managed to get a resi at 9:45 PM (made four days prior) and they made great timing in having us seated 10 mins prior to our reservation. I was a bit apprehensive when they mentioned the air conditioning was not working to it's fullest potential, but at least they told us on the phone when confirming our resi and were fully apologetic about it. Aside from the TERRIBLE noise level (all concrete), I loved the place. I ordered the east coast oysters (half a dozen) with the shoe string fries. Their homemade crackers were delish as well as the perfect, fresh oysters I slurped down eagerly. Our waiter was incredibly knowledgeable with the menu and helped my friends make their orders. While the sticker price is on the high side...everyone agreed that their meals were beautifully presented and well worth the price. I think it's funny when people complain about the portion size, because the portion size is exactly what we SHOULD eat and is healthy amount of food, but definitely not a Chilli's or Outback restaurant portion (nor should it be). I'll be coming again, as I love the Westside, the restaurant staff's professionalism and service...and most importantly they have the best oysters in town.
(4)
Jo R.
Great service, great atmosphere, food just okay. Was told by so many I would love this place. I was really disappointed.
(3)
Michael C.
One of my favorites in Atlanta. The octopus is phenomenal.
(5)
Ronald T.
Optimal Opiated Optimism. Overly Overt & Overstanding. Oh, Oh, Oh was this an experience. As one pulls into valet, you would notice the regaling sounds of live music behind the mock mini-golf course. 1 star earned. Greeted well, and since we were guests of Chef Adam's we were seated front row center, almost on display in front of the inviting Chef Stations. 1 star earned.The Restaurant space provided a very open, yet cozy seating arrangement. After ordering our 1st bottle of Red, Chef Adam came by to greet us, and ensure us our time taken to spend with him would not be in vain. 1 star earned. We ordered 2 starters and were served 4 it was clear our experience was clearly going to be unique. 1star earned. Another bottle of Red and our service now had surpassed stellar and entering magical territory. The staff was attentive and thoughtful, at first I thought it was bcuz we were special, but soon I noticed that everyone in the restaurant was special, and THAT was special. Then came the Entrees, this was the coup. We ordered the Whole Haddock and the delectable Monkfish. It was accompanied by a Chef personally selected Citrus Sol. Best Flat Fish I have ever had. Hush puppies confit. Speechless. Overall, just Magnificent. For one not easily impressed, I was thoroughly impressed
(5)
Pravin M.
They were out of a lot of food when we got there. Being from chicago I had some high expectations for this place, especially after the write up in esquire magazine. So I was destined to be disappointed. We had the oysters, and they were pretty good. the salmon was average, the ahi tuna was sub=par the quality of the tuna was sub-par. The hus-puppies were good, and the wine list was good. Nothing exceptional, except the ambiance. I would go back if I had to, but I don't have to go back.
(3)
Amy P.
I would go again, older but wiser. This was a trip in 12/12 and the menu has thankfully changed since. Firstly, it was deafeningly loud on a Wednesday night. Just know the space is more like an airplane hanger than not. It was our 8 year anniversary and I made that clear in the reservation. The staff didn't make any acknowledgment of it, but no big deal. Cocktails were solid and our waiter helped me find something new served 'neat' (b/c why truck with ice?). There were two major letdowns in a three course meal: the octopus starter (which our server removed from the check w/out our having to even ask) and the chocolate cassoulet. The octopus was so tough I couldn't chew it. The thing with cephalopods is you have to cook them a long time or no time at all, in between they are inedible. We suffered through, but our server saw our discontent and removed the item even after we told him not to worry about it. Props! The swordfish entree is still on the menu, and as expected was a very firm cut of fish. It was good but kind of 'no nonsense' in spite of its lofty accompaniments . The chocolate cassoulet dessert was so sweet, gloppy and rich that it will forever remind me of desserts at Applebee's in the 90's. Nostalgia and memory can play cruel tricks. I was quite jealous of my neighbor's ginormous portion of fish and chips. Though that seems like a pretty pedestrian staple, it's probably what I'll have next here because of the surefire execution and value. I'll also second the lack of a proper pedestrian entrance. We parked on the street and had some confusion about where to enter. Service at the table was perfect for how busy it was. The front desk was crowded and a little sloppy.
(3)
J. D.
I really want to give them 2.5 stars... The atmosphere, build-out, concept and patio all add up to one very impressive space. I sat at the separate oyster bar and we ordered off the menu there. Our bar tender was cordial, but sort of very serious and was strangely quite personality-free. I ordered the peel-n-eat Royal Red shrimp. Royal Reds come from the deep waters of the Gulf and usually are only available in the coastal resort towns in the region). The shrimp served to me were not Royal Reds. They were also completely covered with about a cup of dry seafood boil spice mix over the top. I have never seen cold shrimp served like this. Not only was it impossible to peel the shrimp with all this mess, the flavor was overwhelmed by dry spice. We sampled some raw oysters at $2.50 or $3.00 each depending on East or West Coast source. That's expensive for oysters, even in land-locked Atlanta. We sampled the sausage stuffed squid body as well. It was stuffed with a very spicy sausage meat that completely over powered the squid. The thick remoulade sauce was a poor match and added nothing to the dish. Some other little tweaks here would be appreciated. For example the oysters were served with home made crackers, a nice touch but they were too sweet and didn't allow the oyster flavor to shine. Traditional saltines are a better match as the bland taste is the perfect foundation for the briney sea creatures. I also didn't care for the cocktail sauce, it was quite sour. The addition of the freshly grated horseradish helped a tiny bit, but raw horseradish is quite a powerful thing. We tried the blackberry crumble for dessert. It was a nice dish but the thyme ice cream on top ruined it. The spice added a weird contrast to the sweet berries. Again, a simple vanilla bean scoop of ice cream would have been just fine here. The atmosphere and vibe of The Optimist is a traditional New England fish house. In the coming days I hope the powers that be here work out the recipes to better match that tradition. Don't reinvent the wheel, honor it.
(3)
Christy A.
This place is wonderful and excellent fish and everything else. I like going for lunch because dinner gets very loud or an early dinner. It really is a great place. Never had a bad meal here or any of my friends. It is on the pricey side but worth it. It feels like San Francisco or Napa. Great atmosphere and the servers are always good. Don't forget to try the shrimp appetizer with the come back sauce. Yum
(5)
Rob B.
The Optimist opened only six days ago, so I think three stars is more than fair for a new restaurant. From the minds of JCT and 246 - the space is just as cool as you'd expect (the bar is even cooler than its predecessors). Service was what you'd expect for a young restaurant, but the food made up for it. Cocktail- Mother of pearl Refreshing gin on rocks with celery salt. Good but not great. Starters- Fresh homemade rolls Dozen oysters Angels on horseback The rolls and oysters were both winners. Oysters are on the pricy side, but you get the freshness that you deserve. This will be my preferred oyster spot from here on. Angels on horseback missed the mark. Too rich and unbalanced components. Maybe they can tweak this idea to pull off a better result. Mains- Snapper with vidalia onion broth Skate wing schnitzel Snapper was the fish replacing the normal grouper dish. Fresh but too simple. Skate wing was tasty. I would certainly order again.
(3)
Denise D.
I so wanted to like tis place since oysters are my very favorite food in the entire universe and I adore JCT Kitchen so I expected the standards to be similar. Not so. Loved the space...hip, noisy and fun. Server Nicole was helpful though I seriously doubt she cares for seafood or either knew how bad it actually was here because she recommended the hamburger for our entree (not a good sign if you ask me). I am just sorry we didn't listen. Fried oyster appetizer came and the oysters were cooked well, but they were those HUGE GROSS chewy kind that you could cut into 4 pieces. Just nasty. The remoulade sauce was tasty. My daughter had also ordered the oyster loaf because we love oysters, but that went completely uneaten due to the caliber of oysters.So on to the fried soft shell crab sandwich. The menu should have stated ...comes with a huge handful of shredded carrots and cilantro that overshadow any taste of crab whatsoever, you might as well order cardboard. Gumbo had no crab...just more of those disgustingly chewy oysters and one shrimp. Roux was waaay too dark if that is possible so I am guessing this was the night before's dish. I will say that the french fries with malt vinegar aoili were delicious. That's it. I am sad because this place is half a mile from my husband's business and we love having lunch dates. It's back to JCT Kitchen and Canoe for quality. Trust me, go to Serpas' if you want a decent fried oyster. This is so not the place. The wine was good. Pricey,but good. The day you see me pay 40 bucks for a dozen oysters on the half shell is the day I give up eating seafood for good. saw the lobster roll. It is the smallest thing I have ever seen, but I also saw the burger and it did look good. I have no idea how it tastes. Spent quite a bit for lunch to only like the fries. Can't see myself even thinking about returning here.
(2)
Sandra M.
We ate in the bar, as we usually do. Never a disappointment. It was more than delicious. Service is friendly and knowledgeable. Atmosphere is friendly, people actually talk to each other! Food is prepared right at the bar in a wood fire grill. Everything was wonderful!
(5)
J'aime La Nourriture O.
Enjoyed the decor. Fish & Chips just OK. The plate was piled high with lukewarm fries and a HUGE portion of fish which was full on batter but bland tasting fish. Not a fan of the menu selection being driven by where you are seated in the restaurant. I will return, however I will not order the same entree again.
(2)
Grant D.
I had a great experience at the Oyster bar at the Optimist. The scene, decor, and atmosphere were great. The octopus was amazing and I've been thinking about it since I ate it. I considered ordering it again immediately. The service was just ok, but everything else made up for it. I will definitely be going back.
(4)
L M.
Loved, loved, loved this place. Great atmosphere, amazing food & our server, Sara, was fantastic. Our party of 4 ordered oysters that were reported to be delicious, fried long beans were amazing & the shrimp la plancha - was beyond amazing. The sauce that the shrimp comes in - well, I could just eat that with a spoon. Sara, our server, was very helpful and knowledgeable about the menu. Gave great suggestion, helpful in selecting oysters (discussed difference between east coast vs west coast oysters), great info about the entrees. So our table had grouper, mahi mahi, snapper & halibut. All were delicious - but mahi mahi was the favorite. Maple sweet potato side was super delicious. Field peas were good, not great. Dessert - apple buckle was amazing, banana pudding was the only misstep in ordering - too much whipped cream, not enough pudding/banana - just not worth the calories on that one. Cannot wait to go back here & will most definitely be back.
(5)
Chandler V.
we really like this restaurant - we have been several times and the food is good and the service is good too - try the fish sandwich and the gumbo - the manager is friendly and seems to take care that all of his guests have a great dining experience - save room for the desserts too
Amazing seafood dishes. The octopus starter is small, but spicy and paired with cubes of watermelon for the fire and ice effect. Fried long beans are good for a table to share. The place is really loud. Snapper entree was just the fish. It was good, but fish portions here are small so order a side if you want anything else with your fish. Rolls were great, although very salty. Would expand the wine list to include Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Also allow lobster rolls to be sold on the dinner menu, not just the bar menu.
(5)
J M.
Today was my first trip to The Optimist and I have to say, it is definitely worth your time and money to go. I went for lunch, and made a reservation on their website through a link to open table and highly recommend doing that, as they were full when I arrived on a thursday afternoon at 12:30. The restaurant is beautiful. bright, clean lines and open, light filled space.The staff is very pleasant and helpful. We didn't feel rushed at all-in fact, we had a 2 hour lunch and never once felt like the staff was trying to move it along and turn the table. I recommend the raw eastern oysters with house made hot sauce and house made wheat saltines for a starter. not only were they very fresh, but each oyster had been FULLY loosened from the shell for ease of consumption. the whitefish chowder was also very good and the gumbo is one of the best offerings. The lobster roll was fresh and airy-not slathered with tons of mayo like some other places tend to do. the lavender and lemon meringue with fresh honey comb was perfect for sharing and just delicious. Even the coffee was good, and that is saying a lot because in my experience, most southern restaurants serve exceedingly week coffee. it was bold and had a smooth finish. Allover, an excellent experience. I will be going back one night to visit the adjacent oyster bar where the menu had at least six different kinds of oysters on offer. As the warm weather comes, it is a great time to go because you can dine outside. they even have a mini putting green. The only drawback is the location-on howell mill road, right past star provisions, but directly across the street from the union st. mission. I felt a bit guilty coming out of the restaurant and walking through the banks of luxury cars in sight of the "working to eradicate homelessness" sign after paying $120 for lunch for two..other than that, a great time and worth seeking out.
(5)
Lawrence C.
I've been here a few times, and yet apparently I never provided a review, until now. It's been one of our favorites in Atlanta, and we have fond memories of each dining experience. HOWEVER, regrettably, I must DOWNGRADE the restaurant to FOUR stars. Note that they started out as FIVE stars, years ago, when they first opened. The food is well presented (see photos), yet the portion size has decreased (I would have preferred a larger portion and higher price----or waiter to promote another appetizer instead of us getting one to share). We shared the Softshell crab for a starter, $16; and our mains were Wreckfish w uni butter, $26; Striped Bass, $26; side order of Snap Peas, $6.50. Dessert to share was the chocolate mousse cake, $8. The flavors are all well balanced and tasty, yet lack that WOW factor. The service is good, for the most part, but overall the wait staff is a little too relaxed and quick to move on (This was observed at numerous tables). The environment is average on summation; exceedingly noisy as a result of the tile flooring and high industrial ceiling, even when the restaurant is not full, as on this recent Saturday night. One of the two bars provides the effect of a wall on one side of the dining room. The spacious dining room with open kitchen in distance is a plus. There is a good selection of wines by the glass, at varying prices ranging from $9-$25.
(4)
Michelle K.
This place gets better with every visit. We recently visited this beautiful restaurant to celebrate an anniversary. It was the place where we first met and we both thought it was fitting to return for a romantic dinner. My first impression of this restaurant was A. it's worth the drive to W. Midtown and B. their patio set up rocks! I was very pleased with the mussels appetizer during our first visit together and catching up over drinks by the tables near the bar is quite nice and a lot quieter than the main dining area. The bar here is so nice and I look forward to returning and just sitting at the bar while snacking on appetizers and enjoying one another's company. Dinner here was quite memorable. I had the grilled mahi entree and it was far better than I could've imagined. I rarely order fish entrees when dining out since I'm a major carnivore at heart but when I do, I have pretty high expectations. My fish was perfectly cooked, flavorful and the portion size was great. The boyfriend ordered the swordfish cooked in duck fat. "Duck fat" must make everything taste 10 times better because his swordfish just melted in your mouth! Highly recommended. I was intrigued by the "Gentle Reminder" cocktail because it had watermelon listed as one of its ingredients. One sip later, I was eager to share with my man because the combination of the watermelon puree and whiskey plus other ingredients that I can't remember right now, made my drink savory and sweet. Our dessert was the "hot dog bun" one with peach ice cream, blondie mini squares and toasted coconut flakes. Who knew that toasted coconut flakes would taste so good with ice cream?! It was pretty fantastic to say the least and this is coming from a non-dessert person. Service was fantastic so much so that I was very happy to leave her a nice tip. The main dining area is very loud on a busy night but the food is so tasty that you don't really mind it much. If you're bothered by such things, then I recommend asking for a table near the bar area. Not sure how that area is on a Friday night but it has to be quieter than the main dining area. After dinner, we spent some time lounging on the patio which outlooks their valet service and entrance to the restaurant. Between the comfy lawn furniture and hanging lights from the trees, it's the ideal romantic setting or relaxing ambiance when out with your friends. We both look forward to returning again soon enough to enjoy other menu items and of course the patio.
(5)
Mark B.
I have been to the Optomist before and I apparently did not review. My wife and I went for our anniversary dinner. We arrived to a traffic jam. Right now with all the construction the valet parking is a mess! I hope it gets better because coming and going was quite a wait. There is also a $2 fee. We were seated promptly in a nice comfortable booth. The Optomist is lively and I must say a little loud. We ordered cocktails and oysters to start. The oysters arrived but they did not bring the correct number. They were OK nothing special. Also ordered the octopus, the server recommended the version that is served outside at the oyster bar. It was SO tender! Outstanding, the best I have ever had. The cocktails took quite a while to arrive. They just seemed so busy. That being said our server seemed to be rushing us. Next we ordered shrimp toast and a New England shrimp roll. The shrimp toast was flavorful with some fresh pickled items. The roll was not good. Nothing New England about it other than the bun. We decided to split the duck fat poached swordfish and short rib. The dish was good although it did now wow me as something really special like the octopus did. It was a good idea for surf and turf. All in all I enjoyed my first trip a couple years ago to the Optomist better. On that trip we sat at the oyster bar and hour waiting on a table inside. There are items and drinks that you can only get there such as the punch. It is open air and usually has entertainment. I also do not remember the inside being so loud. I am talking about the music and people. The dining scene on the Westside has gotten very trendy and hip. I am sure the Optomist has got to keep up. It just did not give me a feel of fine relaxed dining. The quality is there so it is definitely 4 stars but is is pricey. You hate to be rushed. It was a good meal and I would definitely recommend the Optomist for seafood.
(4)
Nauman B.
Trendy eatery nestled in the heart of west midtown area. If food was the only criteria that makes a restaurant top notch then Optimist wouldn't make it on the best restaurants list in Atl but it's the whole package that certainly makes it among the best. Extremely friendly staff, trendy ambiance with a full bar that creates great cocktails. Great for a romantic evening or family/friends event.
(4)
Kristie A.
One of my all time favorite spots and definitely the place to visit when you're in Atlanta! Second time in and it was amazing once again. I ordered the Lobster Roll and it was by far one of the best I've ever had, roll was perfectly toasted, small amount of celery and the lobster was stacked high on the roll in huge chunks!!!
(5)
Karina B.
I am coming out of Yelp retirement to share what an amazing experience we had at The Optimist! Service was attentive & well versed in wine selection. We had several appetizers - oysters, Little Gem salad & charred Spanish octopus - all delicious. But the green curry mussels were outstanding! Seriously, you want to eat this. We could have made a meal out of this dish. Entrees were perfect! The seared yellowfin tuna was easily one of the best dishes we've ever had...and we know food. We suggest sharing starters and entrees so that you can also try the sides. We shared a perfectly seasoned tomato salad & wood roasted beets. One tip: skip the dessert menu and order the corn milk hushpuppies beignet with cane sugar butter instead.
(5)
Laura W.
The Optimist unfortunately falls into the trap of being overhyped. For months now this is the only restaurant I've heard people talking about, tried a few times to get reservations, finally had to make one weeks and weeks in advance. It is a beautiful space- not unique or original but big and open and clean. Of course the place was packed with hipsters on a Saturday night. The one thing that was excellent was our server. Unfortunately I don't remember her name but she had brown hair and cool glasses- had kind of a quirky look to her. She was great! Food however was just okay. I did not get oysters, as much as I love them, I just can't bring myself to spend $3-$3.50 per oyster, especially when I know of a great place in Marietta where you can get a dozen for $9. The she crab "froth" was just she crab soup- was good but nothing special. I'm not sure what I was expecting with the fried smelt, but I think I was hoping for something really salty like anchovies and it just tasted like greasy fried fish with some kind of aioli for dipping. I wanted to love the octopus- heard it was great- it was spicy and really flavorful but seemed overcooked and something about the flavors was just off to me- I wish it had something sweet in there to balance out the flavors. I ordered the duck fat poached swordfish because it sounded amazing. It too was just okay- seemed a bit dry even. The best thing we had was the short rib- it was absolutely fabulous. I thought it strange that the best thing was this considering it is a FISH restaurant. Mexican hot chocolate for dessert was delicious but was only luke warm. Overall, it just seemed that everything was so HEAVY. I don't expect that when it comes to seafood. I want lighter dishes- maybe in the spring they will offer some of those. I would go back- for lunch or if someone else is paying- my husband and I spent $150- we can't afford to do that often. I don't mind spending that much on an amazingly memorable meal (like we had at Tomo in Buckhead) but for just an average dinner that is way too much. For seafood, I actually have had better meals and cocktails at Lure and as far as Rocket Farm restaurants I prefer JCT Kitchen over the Optimist. The Sunday night dinner we had at JCT recently (at only $24) was much better than the meal we had here, and I didn't leave there feeling broke.
(2)
B. C.
Came for lunch and the service, ambiance and food were simply wonderful. I ordered the Gumbo and Lobster Roll (which I am normally not a huge fan of) at the recommendation of my server and loved both of them. Can't wait to come back and try the rest of the menu..
(5)
ATL n.
Began this adventure with an excellent death's door gin martini, knowledgeable and great bartender, before being sat near the kitchen in the gorgeous indoor space. I had recently watched a video somewhere (daily candy?) on the renovation of this space, so was looking forward to checking it out. We had potentially the best server I've had in ATL -- extremely dry, hilarious jokes who was attentive and brought us some gifts from the chef (we may have just wanted to hang out with after though - fine line?). We started with a dozen oysters and a bottle of white recommended by our waiter, which was paired nicely. The whole experience was laid back luxury and I'll be sure to return... it even got me to 246 (finally) in Decatur which just deepened my love affair with the Atlanta culinary scene.
(5)
Tammi D.
When you walk in this place, it is big and spacious, has an open kitchen, and a chic look to it...reminds me more of some NY or Chicago restaurants. The tables are not on top of each other, which is nice. I sat in a large spacious curved booth, which was really comfortable. Service was just okay. The yeast rolls that we started with were very good, and good bread is usually a sign of a good meal to follow. But for me, the food fell short. The charred octopus was very tough and chewy. The spicy shrimp were good, but be prepared to make a big mess, because they come entirely in their shell, including heads and tails. The sauce was tasty. The sweet potatoes were good, but full of butter...how could they be bad? The tuna was just not good...I've had way better tuna elsewhere. It came served as huge slabs of meat...and it just didn't taste very good. My friend got the black bass, and we decided to each try an eye. Yes, you read that correctly. It was a Anthony Bourdain moment. The fish was pretty good. They were out of the banana pudding so I tried the Apple buckle and chocolate mousse. Both were good, but not great. I'd probably go back more for the atmosphere than anything else.
The octopus was the greatest thing I have ever had!! Only 14$ there was not 1 thing we didn't like.
(5)
Helen K.
Went for lunch today and although you can definitely tell that the seafood is very fresh, I might have had too high of expectations that I was little underwhelmed. However, I hope to go for dinner and hopefully re-update my review with additional stars. Located near all the eateries on howell mill area, the location, restaurant decor, and ambiance was very nice. We started off with the oysters, both the East coast and the West coast and overall preferred the East coast and felt the West coast oysters a bit fishy. On the plus side, the house made crackers to eat with your oysters were pretty delicious. For entree, we had the lobster rolls since this was only available during weekday lunch menu. Despite my love for lobster rolls, this was not my favorite. I thought it had too much of the sauce/mayo and didn't really taste refreshing compared to the one that I had in Washington DC, which tops in my books at the moment. However, the sides were amazing, which gives me high hopes for the dinner menu. Hush puppy beignet was to die for and the shoe string fries were very flavorful. Overall, I would not recommend the lobster roll and I hope to find other entrees that meets my tastebud here.
(3)
Jillian A.
A dear friend of ours came into town from Chicago on a visit. Right off the plane we ask what he's in the mood for. He calmly replies "seafood". I have been jonesin' to come to the Optimist. He abides. What awaited us was far beyond my expectations. We'll start with the fact that we were without a reservation on a Thursday night and expected that we might wait. Luckily for us, seating at the incredibly charming oyster bar was available. Our waiter promptly came to us and took our drink orders. Considering we were newbies to the experience, we asked our waiter for his opinion on how to order. He recommended that we all agree on an appetizer and agree on three meals that we can share amongst each other. We came to the consensus that we would start with the Charred Spanish Octopus, then we would order the Fish & Chips, the Grouper, and the Duck Fat Poached Swordfish. This is the best decision ever made. I am a fan of octopus just based on the experiences I have had with sushi. Knowing what I now know about how it's suppose to taste has ruined octopus for me in these familiar settings. You can cut the octopus with a fork at the Optimist. Enough said. Everything we had was my favorite, but if I had a favorite over all favorites, the Duck Fat Poached Swordfish is the winner. It was so tender that it melted in my mouth. I've had swordfish before, but not swordfish like this. It was fresh and enjoyable until the very last bite. The grouper was meaty and refreshing. The Fish and Chips are easily the best that you will have in this city. It sounds silly considering it's a fairly average item on many menus throughout the world, but I would be hard pressed to find a place that did it so right. Finally, we were sold on dessert. We indulged in the Maple Ice Cream Sandwich and the Banana Cake. The Banana Cake was easily the victor among the two, but don't discount the ice cream sandwich. The pumpkin butterscotch cookies that create the sandwich are excellent. If I had a complaint, it would be that I can't see myself venturing back anytime soon due to the cost. However, you DEFINITELY get what you pay for and I will never discount that when it comes to good food, good friends, and good vibes.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : No Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Seyna B.
We've dined here 3 times in the last month. Yes we like it that much. First 2 occasions was for dinner and the last time was at lunch. I personally prefer the dinner menu and atmosphere. The food is great. The staff are lovely and the wine list (by the glass) is decent. Highly recommend.
(5)Shannon J.
The entrees we had (swordfish and scallops) were average. The sides (sweet potatoes and corn muffins) were divine. Desert, cheese cake with pomegranate seeds was wonderful. We took Marta, bus was on time and drops you off right in front. Great overall experience
(3)Lauren M.
Not at all what I expected to be writing in review the day after having dinner at the Optimist. The place itself has a cool vibe and the staff was friendly.... beyond that, the service/meal was awful. I was pretty much in shock and thought maybe someone in the kitchen was playing a joke on my date and myself.... I was expecting a fantastic meal. First of well we had a 7:30 reservation (tuesday night.) Arrived on time and sat at the bar to wait for our table to be ready. At 8:30, my date finally asked one of the hostesses what was going on-- to which she said, "oh, I thought since you were sitting at the bar that you didn't want your table any more..." Umm... what??? We ordered the octopus appetizer at the waitress' suggestion. It was salty and spicy and basically tasted like a hot wing (in flavor.) Not good. Then I had the grouper-- terrible and basically all salt-- and my date had the skate wing (which was highly recommended) and he didn't like it at all either-- was basically a fried mess with way too much sauce. The only good thing I ate was the a piece of bread before the meal.... once I realized I wasn't going to eat more than 2 bites of my dinner I asked the waitress for another piece of bread, and lo and behold they had run out. The seating situation was abysmal. the food was virtually inedible, and it took forever. waitress/bar tender were nice but I don't think that alone justifies any more stars! Would come back here to the bar just because the place has a cool vibe, but I wouldn't pay $40 to eat here for dinner let alone $200.
(1)Melanie S.
Very good food, especially the salmon, fish and chips and shrimp and grits. The service is great. The cocktails are excellent get a hurricane. I love the mini golf courses in the front. The east and west coast oysters are good, fresh, good home made oyster crackers and sauce. A bit overpriced, thus four instead of five stars. The yeast rolls are the best. The sides like mushrooms, fried rice, hush puppies and squash are well worth the $6. Kids meals are $7 and really great.
(4)Esteban A.
It did not inspire. Thats me being optimistic.
(3)Augustus M.
If you're a seafood lover this is the place to go. The first time I went there I was amazed by their ways of cooking great place to enjoy some delicious foods.
(4)Greg C.
Excellent. Expensive and pretentious but worth every penny. Atlanta finally has great seafood. A must visit for anyone who appreciates good food. Highlights were octopus, tuna, and lemon tart.
(5)Sarah M.
Due to my most recent experience at the Optimist, i am forced to update my review. Has this place jumped the skate wing? Service has gone way downhill in the months since the restaurant opened. On a recent Saturday night, we were essentially ignored by our server who kept playfully saying upon his return "wow, I keep saying I'll come back, but then I never do". Yep, we agree. Opting to share small plates, imagine our surprise when every. single. one. arrived at the exact same time. Including Oysters that had been ordered first 30 minutes ago. Our table looked like a scene from Dr. Suess - things dangling off of the edges. And last, dessert. We opted for key lime pushpops "to go" - and when they came they weren't even remotely lime - they were coconut, and warm and gooey and cloying. We told our server, and he didn't even take them off the bill - just said "I'm glad no one was allergic." I still adore the space, but the shine is off the penny for me....
(2)Courtney M.
Fish House Punch is something I'd come back for! Grab some at the OysterBar while you wait for your table!
(4)Katy S.
Solid seafood joint but expensive (we are inland afterall). Oysters were very good but the home-made crackers they offered were bleh (just suck it up and give out saltines if you can't make a cracker better than that). Both the vinegar dip and hotsauce were delicious. The veggie sides were all quite good as were the cocktails (servings are small in both cases). While I enjoyed the hushpuppies, I wouldn't order them again. They're trying to do too much - lots of savory and lots of sweet. One should be a hint to complement the other, either way you do it. The Grouper Cheek was very flavorful. The swordfish was the stand-out. Excellent flavor and accompaniment. The sauce the mussels were served in was super tasty but the mussels themselves were small and rubbery. When you make a sauce that good you gotta give something for sopping. I would return but not with a non-seafood lover. The non seafood options were sparse and uninteresting - a bummer for good sports who tag along anyway. Decor and ambiance were industrial and loud, meh. Patio looked very nice though and the mini golf was a nice touch.
(3)Laurie F.
One of the Cougar's favorites - everyone needs to just go. Get the Lobster Roll and have a cocktail. Heaven.
(5)Peter L.
One of the best presentations of snapper I've ever had - whole fish, Asian spicy sweet garlic sauce. Licked the bones clean. Sinful homemade Hawaiian yeast rolls. Fresh oysters- just right. Nice bar. Will be back!
(5)M H.
The bartender knew how to correctly make a Sidecar. I complimented him on that and he told me the boss requires them to know how to make ALL vintage cocktails. That kind of thing goes a long way with me. The salted bread and the oysters were out of this world. Good service too. Fun Friday night crowd. Lives up to the hype.
(4)Chucky C.
Very well prepared and delicious. While the menu is somewhat limited it has a very good selection of seafood. The sides were exceptional especially the brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes. Service was good but not exceptional. The setting was pleasant and not too loud. Will return.
(4)Matt S.
It is rare in life to have a dining experience that makes you wish you had a larger stomach, but The Optimist does just that. Although my sister and I ate at the oyster bar, and not the full restaurant, we were nothing but impressed. Daun, our server/bartender, was informative, helpful, and attentive. Being in the service industry, I can be a bit picky - couldn't find a single flaw. The oysters were outstanding, both raw and roasted; the bread was clearly freshly baked and remarkable; the octopus perfectly cooked and ingeniously paired with house-made harissa, kale and sausage (the combo was stellar!); lobster braised monkfish with shrimp and fennel was one of the most succulent and rich dishes I've ever encountered; clams and pork belly with garlic and jalapeno can not be topped! If you can only choose one place to eat seafood in Atlanta, I don't think you can do better than this.
(5)Primo L.
Very cool, upscale atmosphere with knowledgable staff and seafood that tastes like it was just caught. I was here for an event so our menu was limited to the appetizers but between the lobster roll, oysters, octopus and different rice dishes I didn't feel like I missed anything. The house red (Malbec? I can't recall) was also delicious.
(4)Jeff S.
Was there last night for the second time in two months. It still kills me that I have to pay $2 to have my car valeted. Seems petty. I know this place makes enough money!! Gesh. Just add it to my food costs for goodness sakes!!
(3)Andrew M.
Yes, this place IS awesome. I only came here for a few drinks and some appetizers, but everything was wonderful. The decor is beautiful and rich without being too pretentious. I especially love the big, tall, gorgeous bar with its backlit shelves. And speaking of the bar, Chris is an outstanding bartender. He has a short list of craft cocktails on the menu, but he can construct the drink of your dreams if you mention a couple flavors you like. Along with 5 Seasons and the Miller Union, it's nice to see the Westside taking place in "cocktail renaissance". The Optimist seems to ALWAYS be busy. It's madness. They put down 250-400 covers a night, 7 nights a week. I have a lot of friends that like to hang out at the cold bar, where you can get oysters and the such. The menu at the side bar is different and exclusive, vice versa with that of the main dining room/main bar. I've heard that you're supposed to be able to order off of the main bars cocktail menu if you're at the side bar.... kinda weird. Anywho, the food is all really good, too. We tried some fried green beans and a dozen oysters on the half shell. They came with some fresh horseradish, butter, garlicky stuff, and something spicy, too. I don't remember all of the details, I was quite inebriated. But, everything was delicious; I do remember that. You should go here either to hang out and drink cocktails and just nosh a bit, or make reservations and have a really nice meal. It's pretty loud and busy in here, so bring a loud group of friends with you. You could make it romantic, I suppose, but I feel like this place more a celebration of food and beverage than one of love. Enjoy.
(5)Judith K.
My friend and I debated for a while whether we'd just cook at home or go out to eat. We decided (after a lot of time passing) that we'd go ahead and try this place out and didn't regret doing so. I liked the design of the restaurant - the place has an open kitchen and there's enough space to feel like you're not crunched together to the people next to you. They had just started the cocktail menu the day we went. I tried the Fog Cutter, which was good. The waitress recommended the Alpine Shandy, which I want to try next time I go. If you go here, you have to try the spicy spanish octopus. It was so tender and didn't taste seafood-y at all. It's something that I had never tasted in my life and can't really compare it to anything either. The corn mil hushpuppies came second - they were crispy and moist in the center and didn't have too much bread on the inside.
(4)Nadia H.
Optimist is a great lunch destination. Even though, it is still a bit too busy from time to time, and you don't get the full attention from your servers, the quality of the food makes up for service. The grouper sandwich and mussels are to die for.
(4)AV G.
When I read the article in Esquire that this was the country's best new restaurant, i was eager to enjoy my company's xmas lunch here. The place is cool; an indoor/outdoor space that is a Florida/southern style (not that i am an expert on this look). We had a pre-fixe menu lunch that was passed apps of great french fries, not good charred octopus,nasty tuna tartare and mushy fried oysters (although the breading was good). I then had the best caesar salad EVER followed by a very very good half chicken that was boned out. Excellent 'nana puddin' for desert. Very large portions. Good place--I would like to go back
(4)Cassie P.
Never disappoints!
(5)Wayne F.
Went hear a couple of weeks ago and had a nice dinner. My friend told me this was voted best new restaurant of the year (nationwide) by Esquire and honestly I think it's a bit of a stretch. It's a really cool place to have a good meal but not among the select few memorable dining experiences I've had. Apps: Oysters, we got 6 east and 6 west coasts as my friend was from Cali, myself from Maryland....west coast won this time damn it! Whole ga white shrimp a la plancha: menu says mess-y but worth it, I agree. Great flavor and the toast soaks up the rich sauce Main Course: Whole "swimming" black bass, garlic ginger sauce, sweet peppers, crispy shallots: well-prepared bass that was fried whole and then roasted if I had to guess. Good flavor but honestly too much of a rip off from cantonese restaurants Service was outstanding and the ambience was great-- we didn't sit at the oyster bar near the entrance but looks like a great place to grab a drink and a bite after work. Only complaint would be that the table was close to the other, too close honestly. I understand it was Saturday and packed but it was like the "lunch from hell" episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Would come back for sure for a nice, laid-back dinner in an amazing space.
(4)Kim K.
Exceptional meal, wonderful service and a impeccable atmosphere. It was a perfect birthday celebration meal. We will be back soon.
(5)Shea H.
One of my new favorite restaurants in Atlanta! My mom and I had a wonderful dinner here. We started our meal with the Green Curry Mussels; One word AMAZING! I had the scallops on top of braised short rib. Sound weird but it was delicious. My mom had the monk fish and we split two side items; hearts of artichokes and brussels sprouts. Both of which were very tasty!!! The service was outstanding and the ambience was cool with a industrial feel.
(5)Christina S.
The fabulous Ford Fry's new establishment will not fail you! This man is accomplished, to say the least. With the successes of other wonderful Atlanta eateries (JCT, No 246) under his belt, I was nothing but OPTIMISTIC when I was told we had gotten a reservation at Ford's new sustainable seafood place on my latest visit to Atlanta! Optimistic ... AND excited! So, let's (again) get the basics out of the way: THE ATMOSPHERE: Smith Hanes did a wonderful job with this project. The main dining area and bar are open and airy and bright, yet still cozy. For a moment you believe you're in the warehouse district, but then you feel like you're in your favorite local watering hole. And, I can only think of the words "upscale beach" to describe the Oyster Bar (Think: The Hamptons and Destin collide, gracefully). The scene is hip. It's a "true" hip, though - one that you know is here to stay. And with so many restaurants coming and going in Atlanta, that has to be a great feeling. And, stay, they want from you - When I sat down, I felt I was in for the long-(gastronomic) haul. It was comforting to know that they want you to come in, sit for a spell and "enjoy" your meal, instead of rushing your table out the door. And "enjoy" I did - BOY oh BOY did I ENJOY! Could it be that I was dining with some of my favorite folks, one of whom just happens to run the largest seafood distributor in the SE? I think not. I think that's just how they do it there - there was no special treatment for me (other than I got a first hand narrative of what was yummy on the menu that night). Ford wants you to feel comfortable and enjoy yourself (i.e., you can play putt putt out front) - simple as that. THE BAR: ohhh yesssss ... the bar. Where it all began. For starters, it's gorgeous - a towering wall of glass and bottles. And it's comfy for "a drink at the bar" kinda evening. It also serves up some crafty cocktails: The Truth as We Know it martini of pink gin and bitters, the Port Antonio, which is a couple different rums, Kahlua and cinnamon, The Old Salty Dog , which was my first choice of the night, and, as it always goes with this group, BUBBLES! They've also got some tasty craft beer behind the bar, and if that doesn't do it for ya, well, order yourself a Miller High Life! Now, for the good part ... THE FOOD: Where to start? Of course seafood was in my repertoire for the evening, whether I was eating from my own plate or from the plate of others at the table! We started with the oysters - In fact, we liked those so much we got a dozen ... then some more, and they were served with these homemade crackers to die for (I will settle for nothing less while eating oysters now - Guess I better let the folks down at AJs know before next my next beach trip). We had all three salads: Simple Salad with the shaved celery and herbs (my plate), a Little Gem Salad with the meyer lemon and anchovy dressing, and a spicy arugula salad with the peaches and Farmer's cheese - all were absolutely tasty and beautifully presented. Since the papa-bear didn't want a salad, he indulged in the Angels on Horseback, which are fried oysters with pork belly, and served with these amazing little "toast points" - a decadent griddled piece of bread (like grilled cheese without the cheese - they needed their own top billing on the menu, IMHO). One of the young ladies at the table ordered the mussels with the spicy green curry broth, and I have to say that I'm thankful I was seated directly to her left - so I could taste that TOO. All of that yumminess was followed by our main dishes: Alaskan Halibut, plated with grilled Hen of the Wood (mushroom), a red snapper dish, the roasted Georgia trout, served with marcona almonds and a pickled celery, the Fish & Chips (three cheers for my choice), which was ale battered haddock (traditional), and for the one meat-eater at the table, the skirt steak with a romesco sauce, which was out of this world. Not a complaint at the table. As if that wasn't enough, we still wanted more, believe it or not. However, we needed a little break in our consumption activities, and decided to utilize the 7 minute drive home for that very purpose. But we took home one of each of the FIVE items on the dessert menu that evening - the buttermilk donuts (served with sweet corn ice cream and pepper jam!) were my favorite, but the chocolate "cloud" was a wicked treat, too! Chef Adam Evans - who is from THIS side of the time zone, (Muscle Shoals), went to Auburn and worked his way around the Craft family of restaurants after he left New Orleans and the Brennans - will not disappoint! (And He's a super sweet dude to boot!!) So, if you get the chance, when you're next in the ATL - visit my new friends at the Optimist. And be prepared for one of the very best seafood meals you've ever had.
(5)Lucy W.
I hope people who have seafood for the first time here, don't think this is what good seafood tastes like. I admit, I over-rated Optimist on my previous visit based on its decor, ambiance and potential. I must be ordering wrong, if other Yelpers (whose reviews i truly trust) are giving five star reviews. I was absolutely starving and wanted to try the clam appetizer dishes, instead of ordering a full entree. Mistake. I should have known clams outside of New England would not be good. The Fried clam roll was a joke...same tiny Holeman and Finch roll as was used for the tiny lobster rolls, drenched in kimchi vinegar, not even clam strips...clam BITS, fried to oblivion. The garlicky clams would have been good with a pound less salt (note to chef, clams are from the ocean and are already inherently salty...no need to use a heavy hand with the salt). The promised croutons were almost nonexistent...i wish they gave bread to soak up the clam juice, but you have to order and pay for bread separately. Also, about half the clam shells were empty...so I combed through the clam juice, looking for the clam meat...but they were completely missing. Now I know how they can afford to put a $9 whole clam appetizer on the menu. I was still so hungry with the lack of food even though I ate everything, to soak up some of small but potent cocktail I ordered. Alas, I couldn't finish my drink b/c of the lack of food in my stomach. I came home and started to make myself a real dinner. I do want to love this place...but I'm probably going to do drinks only next time (st George's gin, yay!) and of course, to play on the putting green and sit on the padded patio seats/ottomans.
(2)William K.
Had a chance to eat here finally and I am going to go out on a limb and say this may very well be my new favorite place. We split a dozen cold fresh raw briny yummy oysters mignonette, then split the sear sea scalloped over the candied braised short rib, and also split the completely delicious ahi. This is a short review because I do not know what to add. The food, the service the interior... all of it. Top notch. Sensational.
(5)Billy T.
Atmosphere and food were great! Waiter was not very attentive. We were trying to have a few drinks with dinner but never even got the chance to order another one after the first one at the beginning of the meal. Back to the food, we ordered a dozen oysters, scallops and the halibut and everything was wonderful!
(4)Stephanie K.
Birthday dinner last night! My friend and I arrived about an hour before our reservation to sit at the bar and have a couple of cocktails. She had wine, and I had a Carboy and another plum-infused concoction, both of which were delicious and refreshing. Our table was ready for us right on time, and we sat right in front of the open kitchen, giving us a great view of the action going on there as well as throughout the dining room, which was hoppin' on a Wednesday night. Noise levels can be a little distracting, but my friend and I could still have pretty easy conversation. It's a great room to do some people watching. I ordered 3 west coast oysters, which were delectable and buttery. My friend had the smoked white fish chowder, which I tasted, and it was really delicious. They ran out of the halibut entree I had my eye on, but substituted grouper with seared okra and baby heirloom tomatoes and a red wine demiglace. Fish may have been slightly overcooked, but all of the flavors were amazing. I had a side of wild mushrooms, which were rich and decadent, as well as the hushpuppies with powdered sugar and brown sugar butter, which are A MUST. My friend had the monkfish, and it was also stellar. The side of fried rice is an umami bomb in the best possible way - so much flavor happening. Food is a little pricey, but the quality is definitely worth it, especially for a special occasion. When I mentioned it was my birthday to our server, he nonchalantly brought over a free drink for me, as well as a glass of wine for my friend. The manager stopped by to wish me a happy birthday a bit later, also, and brought me ANOTHER free drink (and a free koozie that came with my beer!). After we were stuffed full, our server surprised me with a complimentary birthday peach tart dessert with vanilla ice cream, complete with a lit birthday candle. Thankfully, no singing! Service could not have been better or more professional. Our meal was borderline perfect. I will not hesitate to come back to the Optimist in the future. Still haven't gone to the raw bar (in the room next to the main dining area that serves mainly raw oysters, etc., and light appetizers), but that's on my list for sure.
(5)John O.
even if you are not a seafood fan (i'm not), the skirt steak is amazing, and the sides and dessert are insanely good. bill with four other clients came to $360 including 20% tip, so it's reasonable (we had beers but didn't do any wine). the octopus is supposedly an amazing starter. the arugula salad was great, as well. for the main course, i had the skirt steak, as did one other client, and it was amazing.' for the sides, the succotash and basmati rice are fantastic. the succotash is surprisingly spicy, but in a good way. for dessert, we had the boston cream pie, the lemon dessert, and then something else (basically the top three things), as well as some frozen stuff (the caramel with sea salt was fantastic, as was the cherry-flavored frozen one). i'd come back in a heartbeat.
(5)Jonathan D.
The friendly staff didn't do one thing wrong on my first visit here. They were hitting all their marks. The food was outstanding. I'm a bit of an oyster novice, but the ones I had here were much more flavorful than what I'd encountered at several other Atlanta restaurants. The tempura-fried green beans were solid, but one of the standouts of the enitre meal was actually the dipping sauce. It brimmed with confident dairy flavor that had just enough dill to keep it from being overly creamy. The broth with the clams and pork belly appetizer was like a firm handshake. Reassuring in its strength but stops before it crushes you in its grip. And the entree? The oysters were so good that we got a second order. I was also knocked over by my cocktails. My grandparents used to make a lot of Salty Dogs, so this entry to the cocktail list caught my attention immediately. The very fresh citrus was well balanced with the salted rim. I ended up having two. Also, I love the overall layout. The place is really charming, with gigantic ceilings and exposed rafters that aren't too industrial. I happened to notice the managers of a couple other fancy restaurants eating there the night I went, which has to be a good sign.
(5)Andrew H.
Wow, what a HUGE disappointment. After the rave review in Bon Appetit, September 2013, page 156, went for lunch today to try the fish and chips. Being an expat from the old country, couldn't wait. It was AWFUL. They did not even follow their own recipe as published in the magazine. One large (8 inch) piece of codfish with almost invisible soft batter. It did not look anything like the picture, not crunchy at all. (In Bon Appetit, they say to cut the fish into 1-1/2 inch wide strips.) Also, thin tapering tail end pieces of fish do not work. The fish needs to be uniform thickness to fry evenly. The fries were soggy, actually limp. What a bummer! She crab soup is better with lumps of crab in it, BTW, as another reviewer observed. Deconstruction is not always better.
(1)Charlie B.
Alright y'all this place is goram legit. The service was really quite wonderful, not so insistent that they were like flies at a picnic nor were they so absentminded that we had to wait too long for anything. The real reason we all go to places like this is the food, and to pose. That's not why I go, but there were some pretty people enjoying cocktails and I'm not one of those so I'm obviously better than they are (for the purposes of this review anyway). We had in no order of love the fries, the mussels, the spicy shrimp appetizer, the curry fried rice, the seared tuna, hush puppies, aaand their peach cobbler. yes please, and thank you jebus. Seriously the pups were like a very sweet corn beignet, the mussels were tasty and perfectly cooked, the shrimp were delicious and would be a great lunch special if they were served on a bed of sticky rice (hint hint), the tuna was wonderful, the curry fried rice with peanuts was really interesting like a southern take on fried rice meets Singapore street noodles. I could go on, but i wont. You should go. Seriously. Its a great alternative to the my other favorite Atlanta restaurant, especially if you want some lighter fare. A definite place to take out of town guests, a date, or your parents.
(5)Todd P.
I'm an expert at See-Food (just observe my Buddha belly). And it would seem The Optimist is gaining notoriety as an expert in seafood. I just had to give it a shot and line up the "see" with the "sea". And I achieved success, walking out feeling significantly stuffed to the brim. I like the classy yet laid back vibe of this new gem on the West side. My friend and I sat in the dining room, but I'd like to return soon to try the even more casual oyster bar and patio. We started with the crispy long beans, sea salt and buttermilk-dill mignonette -- better known as battered and fried green beans. Perfect start to our meal, taking the edge of our hunger off while we perused the menu of wood hearth roasted fish and interesting sides. After much deliberation, I decided on the seared tuna as my main course. I really loved the accompaniments, including the charred octopus and potato salad. The small chunks of potato were crispy and the octopus delicious. The tuna was good, but it seems the sear could've been just a tad more crisp in my opinion. I'm sure this would be tough to pull off, and I can't fault them for the way it was served. Just my preference that would have made this meal really sing for me. For sides, we shared a few different dishes, including the potato gnocci in lobster butter with summer corn (delicious!), the corn milk hushpuppies, in a beignet style with powdered sugar and a cane sugar butter; and the basmati fried rice with smoked fish, curry and smashed peanuts. All three were nice compliments to the meal. And of course we had to try dessert. And did we ever! We put down three delicious ones: chocolate "pop tarts", a grapefruit tart garnished with Venezuelan white chocolate; and the buttermilk donuts with sweet corn ice cream and sweet pepper jelly -- all specialties created and prepared by Sugar Coated Radical. Now, after all of that, is there any doubt I'm a specialist in See-Food? I think not.
(4)Allie B.
An extremely positive dining experience! We started with the grapefruit cocktails from their specialty cocktail menu - excellent. Their wine list is extensive with just about anything you could want; I forget what bottle we had, but it was in the low $40 range and very good. We had East Coast Oysters (one each, served with all of the fun oyster fixings), a simple salad (super fresh ingredients - like eating a good garden, minus the dirt), the whole georgia white shrimp a la plancha with sopping toast and arbol chile (flavor was A+, but I'm not the hugest fan of dissecting my own food. I know, so pedestrian, but I like the be-heading done prior to table service, but I knew what I was getting into - the waitress was sure to inform us of that detail), and then the skate wing 'schnitzel' with brown butter, charred lemon, and capers. I'll order anything that comes with brown butter, charred lemon, and capers, and this skate wing was surprisingly good. I'm seeing fish 'schnitzels' all over the place right now. The service was not horrible - the woman kept wanting to take our plates away when we were obviously not ready...minus several points. I really like the space, though - it's very open and airy and the bar/restaurant is the only thing in the building so it's very spread out. I understand they're going to have music in the courtyard area eventually? I look forward to trying out the bar where they have smaller (read: cheaper) menu.
(5)Mary-Nevin H.
First off, I'm giving the atmosphere\service a 4.5 and the meal I chose a 3 so i'm being nice and bumping this review up to a 4. I'm not a huge Ford Fry junkie but I generally like what he comes up with so I recently hopped up the westside and checked the place out. The building itself is beautiful. High ceilings, putt putt if you're so inclined, a raw bar and a regular bar and my all time favorite part of any restaurant *an open kitchen* People like to tease me about that one but I've worked in one too many restaurants and it just works out better for everyone if you can see what's going on. Our server was attentive without being overbearing and was knowledgeable, nice and a few other good adjectives. The noise level is a bit loud but not to the point where it's distracting. Our food was out much faster than I thought it would be. I ordered the peel and eat shrimp and it was WAY overseasoned, as was the sauce. I had to ask for cocktail sauce just to balance the suckers out. I thought I was being dramatic but my husband tried it and he loves all thinks salt, and said it was a bit much for him. So i felt justified. Everything else I had was good, hush puppies, mushrooms and bites of everyone else's dishes(Scallops, Grouper and Lamb). I'm hoping I just ordered wrong but for what you pay here, you want it to be good. I'll make my way back eventually, but this definitely isn't a place that was so amazing I want to go back next week. However new restaurants have to find their footing so I'm definitely looking forward to giving this place a second chance.
(4)Miranda G.
I've had friends telling me for quite some time now to check this spot out. I love King + Duke so it didn't take much convincing on their part. First off the mussels were absolutely amazing. Whatever broth that is served with them is to die for, definitely ask for an extra side of bread with, you won't want to waste a drop. If you've never dined here order the hush puppies, not typically my thing but they are fantastic. The snapper was perfectly cooked, drinks are tasty. I definitely keep this on my list of restaurants that I frequent often.
(5)Terry M.
The decor and atmosphere really help The Optimist reach 3 Stars. The portions are small, the prices are on the high side. Atmosphere....great. Restaurant/food....average at best. Bar.....solid. If there is a restaurant graph out there where "trendy" and "kind of shitty" cross, you will find "The Optimist."
(3)Maria T.
What's that you say?.. the ATL is bringing it on the foodie tip? That's right ladies & gentleman its not just all about fried okra & baby back ribs down here in Georgia. (some of my favorite things on the planet by the way, but I digress) Now, for those of you who know me, you know I'm a sucker for a lobster roll, french fries? Yes please. So the best place to go is definitely #TheOptimist. Start with the gumbo then sit back and adjust your belt. The buttery brioche is toasted to perfection. The freshness of the maine lobster is poached to perfection, thus making this sandwich.. perfection. Certainly reminiscent of your summer's spent on the Cape.. that's Cape Cod if I've lost you. * "Maria's Don't Miss" The Lobster Roll
(5)Wendy G.
We may be land-locked, but The Optimist by famed Atlanta chef and restauranteur Ford Fry (JCT Kitchen and No. 246) will make you think you're sitting beach side. I'm just going to say it - I love everything about this restaurant. First, I love the easy parking. That may seem odd, but I've gotten a bit tired lately of valets in tiny, packed lots, or worse, hard to find street parking. Nice sized lot off Howell Mill (big sign so you don't miss it) and lots of parking off 8th Street. Oyster Bar at The Optimist is the casual bar that I can see myself spending many a post-work early evening at sipping a cold beer or glass of white wine (highly recommend the Beach Ball) and indulging in some briny oysters or peel and eat shrimp. Step into The Optimist proper and you will be amazed at the attention to detail, the great service, the fun little touches that don't hit you over the head with a nautical theme and better still - the amazing food. They start you with delicious house made rolls topped with maldon salt. Some of the dishes cry out for these rolls to sop up the savory broths, including the garlicky tiny clams & pork belly with hand-torn croutons dish - so save some for that or just order more. The fried clam roll with kimchi vinegar and house pickles was also a winner on a Holeman & Finch bun. They also feature of course, oysters on the half shell. East and West Coast oysters made you feel like you were seaside with various accompaniments including crackers, hot sauce, cocktail sauce and real horseradish. While the restaurant features skirt steak, wood roasted half amish chicken, roasted heritage pork and lamb belly, the focus is definitely on seafood. We enjoyed the alaskan halibut, wood grilled hen of the wood with red wine fish bordelaise and the skate wing "schnitzel" with brown butter, charred lemon, and capers. So delicious The sides are also amazing - I wanted to try them all! Ended up with the potato gnocchi with lobster butter and corn and the sliced local heirloom tomatoes with louie dressing.I'll be back to try the buttered spring onion potato puree and corn milk hushpuppies. One of the cooler things I stumbled upon on the way to the restroom were two racks of old school hotel style keys. Puzzled, I thought maybe I needed one to open the restroom door, but the doors had no key locks. Chef Ford Fry happens by as I'm looking very confused about these bright orange keys and explains that they printed 1,000 of these keys and they are for the patrons to take. Score! I promptly scooped up #177. What I'm hoping is that eventually when all 1,000 keys are taken that those keyholders will be able to bring them back to 'unlock' a special plate on the menu. Appetizer, entree, dessert, doesn't matter. I cannot forget dessert. I was leaning towards the fried pound cake with ice cream, fudge and fried peanuts, but went with the ice box cake of the day - lemon. Cool and refreshing! My boyfriend (a chef!) was a bit more adventurous and got the buttermilk doughnuts with sweet corn ice cream and hot pepper jam. I mentioned earlier in this post that I loved everything about this restaurant and it's true. An amazing experience from start to finish and a huge addition to the already great Westside food and bar scene. Look on the bright side and go visit The Optimist.
(5)guido s.
This place doesn't need another positive review, but it so deserves one! Excellent food all around, perfect everything. Portion sizes were larger than expected. Nothing bad to say! It's one of those few Atlanta restaurants where I pine to come back again and again.
(5)Jennifer L.
Another fun spot on the Westside. I've eaten/drank at the bar a number of times now. Cans of beer in koozies and boozy punches are fun. The crowd here seems a bit too "Real Housewives" (OC version, NOT Atlanta version) for me, but it makes for good people-watching. Have yet to dine in the real dining room- but the oysters, lobster roll and mussels at the bar are top notch. Right when the city is inundated with fancy burger joints, the Optimist provides some much needed variety. If only they could bring us a beach to go with that seaside vibe!
(3)Amanda G.
Warning BIG, HEARTY EATERS: This place is 'a la carte' -- so portion size is refined (small), so you don't feel like a busted can of biscuits after your meal....lol:P Food Quality: Excellent I ordered the: American red snapper, Lime broth, Herbs Light dish. The snapper was very lightly seasoned and thankfully had no fishy taste. The flavor combos in the broth (lemon, mint, grapefruit) made the dish superb. There are no sides with this dish, so it's recommended that you order side dishes....you need at least 2. Side Orders: corn milk hushpuppies, "beignet style," cane sugar butter ---------- the hushpuppies were excellent! I wasn't really feeling the sweetness of the powdered sugar or the cane sugar butter. The cane sugar butter was great, but in my opinion, its best suited for plain bread instead of hushpuppies. spanish roasted fingerling potatoes ---------- good. the end! Service: Excellent! The waitress was extremely friendly and knew how to interact with us without overdoing it :) Ambience: Love it!! It was so great! I adored the industrial, lofty feel. Great for groups or a cute date night! Location is off the beaten track on Howell Mill. I would go back to this restaurant again to be wowed by the amazingness of the flavors of the unique dishes!! Thank you Optimist!
(5)Fred J.
In my review universe, a place has to be really stellar to get 5 stars. Last night at The Optimist, well, it was stellar. First off, Keisha was our server and was extremely helpful and gracious. Lure might want to take notice, as Keisha was exemplary. Okay, I'm picking up this review where I left off, and that's at least 6 weeks ago. The point is, The Optimist was/is fantastic and you should go. Period.
(5)Ashley W.
O-M-G!!!! This place is totally awesome. The food is totally awesome, but the customer service is some of the best that I have EVER experienced in Atlanta. This alone makes it a fine establishment. I ordered the salmon which was good. I sampled the halibut and yum yum! The hushpuppies are to die for and the she crab soup with the shrimp toast is a winner too. Will definitely be venturing here again. But be warned, reservations can be difficult so plan accordingly!
(5)Sarah Anne S.
Easily my favorite restaurant in Atlanta. Consistently great drinks, delicious food, and impeccable service (shout-out to Daniel who took such great care of us last night!) Last night I went to dinner with a couple of friends (one is a huge fan of the Optimist and the other was just in town for the night). We arrived early so we started with drinks and putt-putt (always a winning combination!). My grouper was by far the best I've ever had; the sides (brussel sprouts and beets) were perfect too. Definitely get a reservation and try the fantastic cocktails if you arrive early.
(5)Melissa B.
I had a great first visit here and hope to have many more. They've got things split up with the Oyster bar on the back end and a full bar upfront. We sat at the Oyster Bar while waiting for a table. Plenty of small plates, oysters and a selection of punches and a few beers at this bar. This side is open air to the patio and is much quieter than the main bar and dining area. I could see myself having a little oyster/beer happy hour here after work. The main dining area has an open view of the kitchen and high arch ceilings. I love the open feel and I must mention the mighty comfy looking cushioned bar stools :-) The cocktails I tried were awesome. Gin with celery bitters? OK! And the other gin cocktail with a smoke salmon garnish? Money. I loved them both and think they have a nice selection of uniquer flavors on their cocktail menu. The oysters (while I'm not expert) were absolutely perfect. The clams/pork belly appetizer is very flavorful and has a nice spice to it. Tempura green beans were good as well. The service was perfect. The bar tender at the Oyster Bar was very quick to take drink orders and actually explain the difference between the two bars. We were seated right at our reservation time I believe and our waitress was great. It was a full house and certainly busy, but didn't seem frantic at all. I'm excited for this new addition to the west side and based on my experience I'm sure it'll stick around.
(5)Vida D.
I can't say too much. I went for a wine tasting and only had a few appetizers. It has a great atmosphere, it isa perfect after work drink spot. I met up with friends and chatted away for a while. I'll have to go back for dinner and update my review.
(3)Sabrina C.
The Optimist was great - we stopped in for a snack before a later afternoon wedding on a saturday and sat in the raw bar area. We shared 4 small plates: Opti Chips, charred octopus, garlic lime chili shrimp, and some oysters on the half with a few beers (not a bad selection and it looked like they had some interesting punches as well). The chips were good but odd served with Mayo ? The favorite dish by far was the garlic lime shrimp - it was delish! The outside had a cute golf course and a live band - nice atmosphere.
(4)Barbie H.
The atmosphere at the Optimist is great. The Oyster Bar is fun and the actual restaurant has a very urban feeling. The server was very attentive and spent time at our table describing the specials. Our dinner did not disappoint! I will be going back.
(5)Mike M.
Vibrant atmosphere, busy bar and great food. Our group of six had a great waiter in AJ who knew the menu very well. Between us we tried 4 apps, oysters, 6 different fish entrees and ALL the desserts. Everything was really wonderful. The best apps were the shrimp in chili sauce, the yeast rolls are melt in your mouth and the hush puppies are mini beignets. The Brussels sprouts are caramelized and delightful. The menu changes daily. The best desserts were the salted caramel ice cream and apple crisp with cinnamon ice cream. Get here soon.
(5)Carolina B.
I was really excited to try this place out, but came away disappointed. I had a specialty drink to start - the Beach Shanty - really good! Moved on to the she-crab and shrimp toast appetizer - wasn't much crab in the soup that I could tell, mostly cream. It also lacked flavor - so I ended up asking for salt and pepper. The shrimp toast was okay, but on the greasy side. My friend had the same and wasn't impressed with the soup either. I was going to have the scallops, but the server recommended the Alaskan Halibut. I should have stuck with the scallops because after a fairly long wait and lots of apologies, the halibut was just alright. The top was really tough and hard and the rest was really bland. Had to use salt here too. I will say the sides - a mushroom plate and a tomato plate - were really flavorful, which made me happy but also angry. You shouldn't enjoy the sides more than the meal! This was a fairly expensive dinner out (about $50) and the meal left me hungry for something more satisfying. I really hope this place gets better on the food front because everything else is perfect: the service is outstanding, the space is gorgeous, plentiful free parking... everything is top notch but the food, which is sad. I do think think they need to separate the dining room from the oyster bar - the energy/atmosphere is very different for both, not to mention they keep the door open in the oyster bar and we had several flies comes bother us throughout our meal.
(2)Leanne E.
I went on a Friday night and chose to be seated on the patio as the dining room was booked. I tried octopus for the first time and liked it. The server was very nice. The lobster roll was nothing short of "dear Lord sweet baby Jesus" it was a small version of what Bocado serves. I did enjoy my meal, it was a nice night. I do agree, it's very RHOBH. I gave it a 3, because it's not as good as Local 3 or Two Urban Licks.
(3)Anthony T.
Very elegant and pricy place. The shrimp a la plancha was really great and ordered red grouper and fried rice both good. But my date and I had to sit at bar because we didn't have reservations so if u want a table reserve way ahead of time. A little pricy but food was good
(4)Brandy T.
Awesome ambience! Great food! Live music, small course of mini golf. Will definitely be back!
(5)J G.
Cool interior.. two restaurants in one. Oysters at oyster bar are awesome, and I have tried every one! The fish of the day, shrimp app, a bit spicy, certainly fattening, and certainly amazing! Everything in the main dining room Rocks! Always good service, and always good food.. not extremely small portions either, as I'm finding in a few restaurants. It is a very nice restaurant, dressy or hip jeans, all fits in, and you will be sure to have a great meal!
(4)Jen H.
As soon as you arrive you'll see The Optimist is one of those warehouse type restaurants in the middle of nowhere, like Two Urban Licks. Second thing you'll notice is the valet only parking, which I hate. The interior is bright and spacey with a view of the kitchen and a cool bar. There is also the bar area near the entrance. Staff is friendly and nice but they are a little inattentive and seem inexperienced. They were too busy chatting with each other to seat us even though we were the first party at the restaurant at opening time (we were waiting at the bar) and they had already seated several parties in the dining room. I think the best part of the meal was the bread and butter they bring out at the beginning. Portions are small and not filling, even for a lightweight like me. The seared rare tuna was neither rare enough nor tasty enough. I have never had a restaurant mess up rare tuna since a good tuna tastes delicious with minor seasoning. However the rare tuna here was underwhelming and lacked flavor. I also thought the scallops tasted too fishy-- it was not an enjoyable taste. The duck fat swordfish was also just okay. The fish and chips were pretty good, though you are paying $18 for pub food. That is not what I go to a nice restaurant for-- I can find excellent fish and chips at the food trucks for half the price. All in all, I would not come here again.
(2)Ilene Silverberg B.
My husband and I went to The Optimist last night for the first time to celebrate our anniversary. While there were some hiccups with the valet, we were immediately greeted by two smiling faces and super friendly hostesses who, upon giving my name for the reservation, cheerfully said, "Happy Anniversary!" We were seated at a nice corner booth by the kitchen by a very nice host, and were immediately greeted by one of the managers with two glasses of champagne for our anniversary. Our server, Ben, was absolutely fantastic! He knew everything there is to know about the restaurant and menu, and even made suggestions for each section with his favorite dishes. My husband had Ben let the raw bar chef choose 3 of his favorite oysters, which he said were all very good, and we also ordered the octopus for an app at Ben's recommendation. He did not fail us - it was absolutely delicious! For our meals, my husband got the scallops and I ordered the swordfish, at Ben's recommendation, and both were cooked perfectly. We also got four sides - hearts of palm, fried rice, hush puppies and bock choy, all of which complimented our meals perfectly. The hush puppies were lighter than other places, and I really enjoyed the hint of salt that meshed so well with the sweet flavor. We were so full at this point that when the dessert menu came, we graciously said no thank you, but Ben brought over a cup of the salted caramel ice cream for us anyway, which was just as good, if not better than Morelli's. As we exited the restaurant, we thanked the hostesses and told them how wonderful the service and food was. They flagged down the front-of-house manager, Scott, so we could give him our praises and we ended up having a really positive and memorable conversation with him for about 20 minutes. The experience, decor and food all made it worth celebrating our anniversary at The Optimist and we will definitely return very soon.
(5)Jeff M.
Chef Ford Fry can do no wrong and it is always delicious. This place has nailed down the modern, trendy, southern, spacious, comfortable, and stylish look, inside and out. Not unlike Empire State South, Miller Union, or even JCT.Kitchen in its decor yet somehow better. You actually have the sensation when you're inside that this restaurant is located right on the water. For those you not native to this city, Atlanta is not on the water. I've been for lunch and dinner now. Ever since I spent a week in Portland, ME subsisting on a diet of lobster and more lobster, I'm always craving lobster yet become disappointed due to the high bar Maine has set. The lobster roll here is authentic and damn delicious. I will not tell a lie; I briefly considered ordering a second one on the spot. The freshness of the lobster is key. As is the roll. Fantastically simple and it shows. It is the best lobster roll in the city. The shoestring fries are the PERFECT side. The salads here are excellent as well. The little gem salad, with anchovy dressing, parmesan, and croutons had the people at the next people drooling. When I went for dinner, we had the garlicky tiny clams & pork belly with hand-torn croutons and chili, a dish so fantastically tasty and spicy, that the only thing comparable and the only thing that bests it is the angry mussels at Fry's other restaurant JCT.Kitchen. The Pacific wild cod with corn, corn puree, and shishito peppers is another example of beauty in simplicity. A wonderful dish. Most seafood places start to fall flat come dessert time. Not here. The buttermilk doughnuts with muscadine and lavendar and blueberry ice cream is the perfect sweet that is needed at the end of a meal like this. The lemon pound cake is something out of a grandmother's home recipe book. Ridiculously good. I want to thank The Optimist for coming along and addressing the anemic seafood scene in ATL. It is a transfusion the city desperately needs.
(4)Kevin K.
It's nice to find something so familiar in a different town. You know the place locally sourced fresh fish, knowledgeable staff, great atmosphere, and most importantly great food. We got to this place around 9pm on a Thursday and pulled up to the bar and ordered five apps a bottle of white and waited for our table. Every app here is good I would go for the whole roasted shrimp ala plancha(didn't order it but saw it and instantly got envy). When we sat down we order the entrees. Man we played musical plates, rotating every few minutes and again everything was phenom. I have to say that this was probably the best meal in ATL. Don't miss out on the hush puppies....I love these pillowy treats. I love coming to the south but sometimes you need something a little lighter to feel good about a meal. This was that meal. Desserts were to die for the chocolate cassoulet was my favorite definitely a chocolate lovers dream and the lavender and lime tart were highlights. Great place and not too pricey as well. If you were closer I would be here at least 2X a month. For now I will see you a couple times a year but can't wait to get back. Cheers and Happy eats!
(4)Claudia R.
LOBSTER ROLL. Mmmm-mmmm, lobster roll! Actually, the most amazing lobster roll I've had in a long time...so fresh I could have been in a seaside town instead of Atlanta's Westside. It's not the traditional, mayo-based recipe...I think it may just be the fresh lobster and butter, which really lets you taste the sweetness of the lobster meat. This yummy goodness is heaped onto a perfectly toasted buttered roll. Yeah, butter butter ALL over. Totally worth an extra 15 minutes on the treadmill the morning after, promise! Went with large group, so I got to sample a lot of the lunch menu...among the things I want to try in the future: fish and chips, blackened cod sandwich, butter burger (for the non-seafoodies), lobster cobb salad, shrimp loaf. The fries were good, too. I think we ended ordering one of each dessert, and all were very good. The decor is great, very bright and airy...very easy to forget you're on Howell Mil Rd. Need to come back to indulge at the oyster bar, or perhaps to sit outside for some cocktails - I'm curious as to whether anyone actually mini-golfs out there.
(5)Tricia D.
5 things to love about the Optimist! 1. You feel positive the moment you place an OpenTable reservation! 2. Outdoor seating available! 3. Spacious interior and comforting environment. 4. Awesome, super fresh lobster roll for lunch (though pricey and small for $17)! 5. Ability to order as many (or as little) east or west coast oysters as you want.
(4)Greg R.
Went for Valentine's Day. I didn't know there was a "special" menu. It was a 4 course meal, $70 each plus $15 surcharge on certain items. The food was so so. It started with a spoonful of cauliflower soup, very salty, and a thimble full of caviar ($15 surcharge :-( ). They got me. Octopus was acceptable, not great, but not wow either, and so was my meal (acceptable ), whole fish (red snapper). Mediocre food for high price (over $200). I'm sticking with Capital Grille next special occasion. Food is much better and better portions for the price.
(2)Katherine K.
I've heard great things about this place, so I made a reservation for a birthday. I know the golf course outside is supposed to be cute and whimsical functional decor, but its just offputting at a fine restaurant. I thought it was kinda gross. Like why don't you take that home to the single dad's club. There is also a mission directly across the street from the restaurant and as you wait for valet, you can like see homeless people or something in lines. O.o ANYWAY, they do not serve the lobster roll at dinner, its just at lunch. DUN DUN DUN. I settled for the oyster roll and hushpuppies. Those hushpuppies didn't compare to these amazing ones in Florida, but it was still good. The oyster roll just had a squirt of some kind of mayonnaise it looked like and "kimchi" juice, but as a Korean, let me just say that was some kimchi juice with a strong kick. It was seasoned well, but all that fried food kinda made my stomach queasy. Then again, we started off with a dozen oysters, half and half east and west town or whatever and I am allergic to shellfish. Well I was more fascinated by the giant homemade looking fancy crackers that came with them. They did taste fresh. Didn't drink. Overall, I didn't really get the hype.
(4)Jade J.
Excellent service, food, and atmosphere. The valet makes for a convenient entrance and exit. The clams are flounder are delicious!
(5)Gillian R.
I've recently fallen head over heels for oysters, so my boyfriend and I celebrated our belated Valentine's Day at The Optimist. I'd heard so much hype that I wasn't quite sure whether it would live up to my expectations. Parking is valet only, which is annoying, but I've come to expect it at this point. We arrived right on time for our reservation and were ushered quickly and politely by a very sweet hostess. I loved the look of the bar...absolutely beautiful! The dining room is very industrial in size, but manages to also feel cozy with wooden tables and candles. It seemed a little noisy at first, but then we realized that it was not too loud, but just loud enough that we couldn't hear the conversations of the couple next to us without really trying. We decided that it was just noisy enough. There is another great bar in the dining room. We sat facing the kitchen, so I was able to watch them making the dishes throughout dinner. The wait staff was dressed casually, but it worked for them. Our waiter wasn't overly friendly and didn't tend to really steer us in any particular direction with our food. Which is fine, but I tend to value the opinion of wait staff, as they know what really shines on the menu. In retrospect, we probably ordered too many appetizers, but should have chosen a side to go with our entrees. The appetizers were well-priced and certainly well-portioned. We shared a half-dozen oysters, the green curry mussels, and the escargot. It was my first time eating snails, which dug up memories of my uncle salting the slugs on his patio when I was a kid. I chose the seared scallops for my entree, which was fine (overcooked slightly, perhaps, but I liked the crispiness and the accompanying vegetables were delicious). I asked for it without the brown butter chicken jus, but I think it came with it anyway... I didn't complain, but I did get a bit of a belly ache after the meal was over. He had the monkfish, and enjoyed it. Although both entrees were good, I think the appetizers were really the shining star of the meal. We could easily have ordered one or two more appetizers and made a meal of it. We declined dessert, since we had plans to go to Jeni's afterwards. I think we probably made the right choice. While dinner was good, it didn't blow us away. While we'll likely make our way back, I think we'll probably try to slip in at the bar and have a meal more focused on oysters and appetizers in the future.
(4)Mel C.
Started at the bar and what a great first impression! I would have to say some of the best mixed drinks in town! Ordered an appy at the bar, the fried oysters, and all was great until I bit into a shell or glass or something...I survived and they replaced and didn't charge us (yay for great service). We moved to our table for dinner with friends and little did we know we were about to embark on some taste bud explosions...oysters, whole fried fish, fried rice all to die for. Can't wait to go avian and again and again until I've tried everything on the menu!!
(5)Theresa S.
Waaahh! I almost gave Optimist a 3. Why I almost did: 1) My fish was not cooked the whole way through. 2) I returned it via the manager and the same piece of fish came back (cooked but still...a little awkward) 3) The manager did not inform the server that I had to return the fish so my friend had to make a specific request for the bill and the fish being returned. 4) Service for food and drinks was a tad bit stilted 5) The valet when leaving was a logistical nightmare (cars coming in off the street, and backed up in to the street, blocked the main way that cars were being returned to people leaving -- they have to figure that one out given their entire old parking lot will soon be....MORE Apartments........) Why I still gave it a 4: 1) My 3 dining partners all had perfectly cooked fish & the apps were solid 2) I have had many great experiences before 3) They took the fish entree of the bill 4) The fish house punch 5) Their chairs are more comfortable then they were when they first opened We went on a Saturday and the server admitted 'they got hit early'....6 pm .... well I know its early but people usually need reservations so it shouldn't have been unexpected. I hope this chink in Optimist's armor is temporary..... I will find out next time I go
(4)Sam W.
I ate here mid may and everything we ordered was Aooooooo good! We had the fried oysters, fresh oysters, the mussels, frothy she crab soup and a side salad. I can't wait to go back! I could bathe in the frothy she crab soup...
(5)Kate H.
Our waiter Ben was the one of the most cheerful service staff we have had in ages; every tiny quip from him was always upbeat and energetic. I was also impressed with his wine selection for me, spot on. I am still drooling and daydreaming about the Hen in the Woods. Swordfish did not live up to the hype, it was a skotche overcooked for my taste and scant of blackberry sauce. Hush puppies were the perfect balance of savory and sweet. The hubs loved his scallops and the confit potatoes were one surprise after another in each bite a different flavor profile between heat, mint and confit deliciousness. I was sad there were no putters or balls in sight tonight to entertain us while waiting for the busy valet.
(5)Tyler W.
I've traveled to all 50 states and had amazing meals throughout the country, but this absolutely makes my top 5 in the country. It started with a great, jovial attitude at the valet and continued with the hostesses. Ben, our server, was quite possibly the best I've ever had. He had perfect recommendations to match his charming wit and impeccable presence at the table. Though I've never enjoyed octopus before, this was prepared perfectly and I would fly here again just to have this dish. The she-crab soup was delicious, but the shrimp toast accompaniment was the star of that dish. Strawberry grouper crudo made an excellent addition to our meal and had terrific presentation. The fried rice tasted fresh and flavorful; better than most asian restaurants. Salted caramel ice cream and the chocolate Creme brûlée were a great finale to one of my favorite meals of all time. Thank you, The Optimist. We WILL be back.
(5)Rachel M.
Fantastic meal! We came here for our 3rd anniversary. We assumed we didn't need a reservation because it was a Tuesday, but were surprised how busy they were. The hostess told us it would be an hour for a table, which worked out since we were in no hurry and wanted to go to the bar. There were no seats at the bar, but we ended up with a table within 30 minutes. So, get a reservation! Our server recommended the octopus and shrimp. Both were incredible, but the octopus was pretty spicy if that's an issue for you. The shrimp were deliciously sweet and the spicy tomato sauce a great compliment to that. We had the cod for our entree and the jasmine fried rice as a side. We'd actually ordered the raw scallops but tag server forgot them. Since we were stuffed with what we ordered, we were not upset that the scallops never made it to the table or our bill. In sum, the meal and ambiance were fantastic. We will definitely be back.
(5)Azim D.
Went with a big group for my brother's birthday(13 or so) and the service, all things considered, was fantastic. My grouper was great and they were nice enough to bring out fried rice(which I swore tasted exactly like biryani) and brussel sprouts for the table. The food received mixed reactions from the group, ranging from good to great, which is why I didn't give them 5 stars but I think it's a 4.5 star establishment. The only competition for seafood in the city is Atlanta Fish Market and you can't go wrong either way.
(4)Keisha B.
I loved everything about this place. Their food was so good that I thought and talked about my meals for days after. Crazy huh?! Yeah I know! I finally decided one day to recreate their devil eggs. Not quite the same but nevertheless delicious! Great after shopping spot with the girls, date night, to take your parents or for food lovers like myself.
(4)Allie L.
I had a beautiful experience here. The boyfriend and I ordered Oysters, Seared Octopus, and fish. Everything was superb. I love that they have a rotating menu-meaning, the menu changes every day. And that bread. To die. I will definitely be coming back!
(5)Daniel S.
This is the only place I know where they give you an oyster bar menu with oyster names. The fish was fresh, the food was fantastic. One of the best seafood places to chow down in Atlanta. The only complaint I have is regretting to order more oysters.
(5)Laurie A.
I have had a great experience the two times I have visited this restaurant. The staff has always been very attentive and friendly. The food has been amazing. I especially enjoyed the shrimp appetizer over toast.
(5)Will P.
What do hog trading, meat processing, a late-night club, real estate office and a spiffy Atlanta fish restaurant have in common? They all used to operate in this historic building now occupied by The Optimist, one of the city's best new(ish) eateries. Our server, Christopher, was well versed in the history of the building - which is probably on the minds of a lot of the diners there since the interior is so stunning. See my pics for more. Todd P's point that this is a "gem" is spot-on the money. The setting is upscale but it strikes a really cool balance with a casual flare in its servers and overall vibe. I could show up in cargo shorts and a polo shirt and not feel out of place. Pretentious places, unless you *intend to have that experience, are just that - full of pretense. I had the frothy She Crab soup, and while not as good as South City's, it's a totally different take: light, run through a sieve (yes, I'm a nerd and asked our server how it was made) and more brothy. I missed the chunks of yumminess that SCK's version has. Still, it was good. For dinner I had the duck-fat poached swordfish. It was good, but the cut was small and the duck fat colored the flesh of the fish to a brown point that didn't seem right in my opinion. This dish could have been better, but I loved how tender it was. I cook swordfish all the time and would have made some adjustments to it. but hey - I ain't slavin' away in the kitchen there. My dining co-conspirator, Jason, had the relished cornmeal-crusted redfish and this, by a mile, was the dish of the night. Highly recommended. There is a savory complexity to this dish that you'll remember for a long time - and, in this case, the portion was large. If you don't get the hush puppies as a side I will hunt you down and slap you. So good, as were the multicolor beets. SO fresh and perfectly complemented by the dressing. Run, don't walk, to this joint. It's a high bar for me to rate at four stars right off the bat, but if I go back and it's just as good, I'll up to 5. enjoy.
(4)Kristen D.
Wow, wow, wow. Great food, wonderful vibe and friendly service. Sometimes a restaurant with so much hype can be disappointing, but The Optimist is literally one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. It's in this neighborhood that you know used to be shady... then you learn, the building itself is an old pig processing plant. But it's been revived into this wonderfully open, majestic space where you feel like you're outside even while you're inside. We sat at the bar, and our bartender was really friendly. I ordered a gin martini and she suggested Farmers Gin, which is organic. It was so different and unique - I can't wait to find it locally to have at home. We started with the mussels, which were divine. Green curry and with a nice little piece of toast to enjoy the curry sauce. Then, we had our entrees... the most perfect fish preparations. Pan roasted snapper that was incredible. We never ever eat dessert, but could not resist and had the fried fig and peach pie with white pepper gelato. Truly amazing. Every bite. I highly recommend this awesome establishment.
(5)Jon P.
First of all, I love JCT kitchen, and last year when I heard Chef Ford was opening a Seafood restaurant, I couldn't wait for it to open. I was able to try the Optimist for the first time and it was one of the best dining experiences I've had in Atlanta. The wait staff is very knowledgeable and our waiters suggestions were spot on - we were able to have a short business meeting before dinner and we never felt rushed - the manager came out and insisted we take our time because they want everyone who comes in to feel relaxed. The dining room is impressive, lots of space that is modern and open. Outside is an oyster bar that I didn't get a chance to spend any time in, but the massive bar inside is impressive. I had the fried oyster appetizer and Caesar salad to start - and the oysters were cooked perfectly. The salad was a true Caesar with traditional Anchovies. The Cornmeal Crusted Redfish melted in your mouth with each bite - this is the best seafood I've ever had - I highly recommend. If you make reservations on their website if can sometimes say no tables are available, be sure to call and double check.
(5)David H.
Saturday dinner before Los Lobos concert at nearby Realto...research all looked good, so we decided to try The Optimist. The rolls with the salt on top starrted things off great - my bread loving wife gave high marks. 1st, dozen oysters, malpeque. Navy reds, and Rocky Reef were all really fresh tasting and impeccably shucked. Very high grade for them on the oysters. I also tried the Baked Oyster" and it was fantastic, albeit a small one for the price. The homemade saltine crackers are worth ordering the oysters for if you're on the fence at all perhaps because of price. They are addictive. Apps... Mussels-curry broth was great, wish I had a spoon it was so good, the one piece of sopping toast wasn't quite enough to get it all... The mussels themselves were very small and perhaps a little over. Clam Roll-maybe the best thing I had in the meal. Perfectly, and I mean perfectly, cooked fried clams in great brioche roll with nice lemon aioli..a must repeat App for any return visit for me. My wife had a salad she was pleased with. Sides- Brussel Sprouts-not executed well. They were charred, as opposed to caramelized, on the outside, and under on the inside. Black, not brown, on the outside but still very crunchy on the inside. I guess cooked too hot and too fast. The candied bacon in it was nearly enough to make up for that, though. Succotash-very good. Nicely prepared and peas were particularly good. Hush Puppies-very good-wife (the bread expert and beignet lover), liked them and the butter quite a bit. I would have ordered the mushrooms but they were not on the menu, I even asked our waiter to confirm they weren't available. Entre- I had whole founder. Very good. Very satisfied. Wife had halibut-fresh but slightly over. Center of fillet was nice. Dessert-Salted caramel ice cream. Thumbs up. The line of couples tables parallel with the kitchen are pretty shoulder-to-shoulder...Like some Manhattan restaurants, but their dining room is pretty big and this ain't Manhattan, so I wish the table layout was different, to give couples a bit more comfort. The waiter must have had to say "excuse my reach" a dozen times to me. All things considered, a solid 4 star restaurant. I will say the oyster bar itself deserves a 5 star rating for the quality of the oysters and their preparation.
(4)Crystal Aura W.
I have to give a shout out to 'Unique Eats' on the Cooking Channel, because they gave some amazing dining suggestions for Atlanta! From the second we walked in the door, we were super welcome. I briefly mentioned we came in from Chicago, and we got extra hellos at our table from management! Our server was super amazing too! As we were leaving, I wanted to buy a souvenir shirt, everyone jumped in to help me out! Host helped me dig for my size and bartender came in to help ring me up on my way out. Service for sure is 10 stars.....if I could give that! My amigo who has traveled more often than I, swears this was one of his top meals of all time! Super fresh, well seasoned, perfectly cooked......just perfect. Smoked White Fish Chowder, it's just so savory and rich, I could have just sat there and ate this all night! Positively THE best peel and eat shrimp I have ever had. You will measure other shrimp according to those served here. Now I look at other shrimp with sad disappoint.....Optimist, how you have spoiled me. The seasoning really sticks to the shrimp and gets so deep, but will also do the same for your fingers! Not that I mind, but for those more fastidious, watch for that. Basmati "fried rice", I had never heard of this. Was an awesome idea, not nearly as salty or oily as other varieties of 'fried' rice. Was really a nice touch to add some Indian flare to the meal! Duck fat poached swordfish.....how can you read that and not be excited??? Was everything I hoped for! My only regret was that that I had to leave.....but I have a shirt to remember you by!
(5)Jordan D.
I came here for my boyfriends birthday--my treat. AMAZING! The atmosphere is awesome (minus it being a little loud). We sat a table by the window overlooking the incredible modern bar and oyster bar next to it. Some tables have velvet couches and there are big tables good for groups. Great wine list. We started with raw oysters that were heavenly. They came with your typical cocktail sauce, vinegar, basil and homemade crackers. Yum. Swordfish was delicious. Highly recommend. The hush puppies with cane sugar butter were to die for!! Monk fish was amazing as well.
(5)Zaire F.
The most amazing lobster roll ever! Add the fresh squeezed lemonade to your lunch as well. It's a Maine lunch right here at home.
(5)Terri L.
We are big restaurant people, and have been to most of the known and highly renowned places in Atlanta. This is up there with the best. I'm not even a real seafood lover, but it was one of the best meals I've ever had. The oysters were so fresh, and there were so many options, and they were all so delicious. The scallops, I can't even. I loved the design as well. Just amazing.
(5)Stosh K.
An amazing place, with amazing atmosphere. Perfect bartenders. (we always sit at the bar). We met Eduardo there one night who always remembers us and he bought us a round of cocktails. Classy place with professional, classy servers. Bravo!
(5)Jenny L.
Can I say OVERSALTED OVERSALTED SAUCY SAUCY? My friend and I ordered about 5 small plates, a dozen oysters, and an entree. Every dish was SALTY SALTY SALTY and OVER-SAUCED. Octopus leg? Not impressed. Curly Kale? Not impressed. Beets? how is it pink rather than red? tasted like potato wedges. Mushrooms? Grilled and salty. Scallop entree? came out lukewarm and scallps were overcooked and salty. Chefs in this restaurants must have no tastebuds. They just mask the dish with hella salt and not much flavor. Perhaps they're trying to mask the not-so-fresh seafood taste. I was excited about this place after reading the reviews but every dish was a disappointment. What was more frustrating was that for some reason, there were 2 servers to our table and they took turns every 5 minutes to come by and bother us about whether we were finished with our dishes. My conversation got interrupted literally every five minutes with 2 servers alternating and coming by the table and pointing at the dishes that still had food left in it asking "are you finished with that & may i take that out of your way?"......dude, if i still have half the food sitting on the plate, we are probably still working on it. The question of whether they can take a dish away was soooooooooooooooooo freakin often (literally every 5 minutes) that i was beginning to wonder if they were running out of dishes in the kitchen and perhaps they needed to get the dishes from the table back to the kitchen fast. I had no clue why they were being this way. It was super bothersome and after about 20th time of 2 servers coming by the table to take our plates away that still had food on them, I just gave up, mentally threw my hands in the air in disbelief and said "yes, we are finished with everything" when we still had 3 plates of food that we were still munching on occasionally while conversing. What the fuck was up with these servers? There is a fine line between good service and straight up annoyance with too many interruptions by servers. I've never had to be bothered so much by the servers before and this place just went way beyond over the top. Buy some more plates or stop having 2 servers man the table with just party of 2! It was beyond ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Overpriced, overhyped, no good food, creepy servers who try to take your plate away every 5 minutes, valet guys who don't even open the car door for a lady while taking hefty tips, men coming out of women's restroom with piss all over the seat and unflushed toilet. Are people crazy thinking that oversalted oversauced seafood is GREAT seafood?!?!?!?!?!!? Never again! I woke up the next morning and my eyelids were so puffy from salt or msg or whatever the hell they sprinkle on their food that i could not open my eyes. Food here is poison for your kidneys and liver. Even chinese food with msg hasn't made my eyelids this puffy the next morning. I looked like pufferfish the next morning and couldn't even put on eye makeup cuz my whole face was so swollen from this restaurant food. Ladies who don't wanna get bloated, DO NOT EAT HERE!
(1)Chuck Z.
Dannnnnnngggggg...... A bit pricey but the food was excellent. Service was impeccable, awesome interior, great desserts. Not sure if the salted Carmel ice cream is a staple on the menu but it was outstanding. I could rub that stuff on my abs and PRESTO! A six pack! Will dine again on their nom noms.
(4)Tanna L.
This review is technically for the oyster bar, not the main restaurant ... which kinda sucked because I wanted to try the regular menu. However, I was alone so I plopped into a seat at the bar and ordered. Just note that their bar is the oyster bar which has a limited menu. The gumbo was good. I'm not sure I would call it gumbo though--not a classic roux, definitely not dark (really a light brown color) and on the watery side as others have suggested. However, it was still tasty with a decent rice ratio, sausage, shrimp, etc. Warning, it is a bit on the spicy side (fine with me and my Korean taste buds) but if you're not accustomed to the heat, it might be a little too much for the standard palate. I also got the seared scallops. These are cut thin, seared and almost quasi-sashimi style. The scallops themselves were a little lacking in flavor (and I love me some sashimi scallops) but in combination with the vinaigrette it was fine. I was hungry. Wood roasted oysters were next. Very good. Definitely worth a try. Briny, woody, garlicky, yummy. If you are ever in New Orleans, go to Cochon and get their wood roasted oysters. They are freakin' ridiculous. These were very good but not at that level. Lastly (wife not a huge seafood fan so gotta maximize) I ended with the speckled trout. Served skin up which was nice and crispy. Good flavor, well-cooked, nice texture, another good dish. Worth a try. Drank some beer, Uber-ed it home. Service was not a problem as the bar is not too large and the bartender was easily accessible and assisted in making it a good night.
(4)Nelle C.
Classy, clean, and vibrant restaurant with good, fresh seafood. The first time I went, I went for lunch and had the lobster roll. My colleague recommended it and it was really tasty - even for a person like me who rarely enjoys lukewarm sandwiches. The lobster was expertly prepared with flavors that made for a good few bites. The shoestring fries and roasted brussel sprouts were excellent sides. The 2nd time, however, I went with friends for a snack and tried the wood roasted oysters with herbs and parmesan cheese. Not good at all. I had expected the oysters to have way more flavor, but it seemed like the herbs and parmesan were just resting atop each oyster, and the oysters weren't truly roasted. I like the vibe of the Optimist, though. It was transformed, it seems, from an old warehouse of sorts and that history makes for a uniquely charming and unexpectedly cozy place. I'm curious to try some other dishes, but I'm steering clear of the oyster bar.
(4)Jon U.
On a southern road trip, we decided to stop here as we passed through Atlanta. Despite the valet only parking and huge construction site behind the restaurant, this place is amazing. They have a selection of specialty cocktails as well as local and highly rated microbrews. The restaurant is laid out beautifully and vary spacious. Our waiter was extremely attentive and offered a ton of advice on the menu, as well as some good conversation. I ordered the butter poached swordfish. It was the best swordfish I've had. Get the hush puppies if you can, they are amazing with maple butter. Collard greens were great as well with chunks of ham. Had the guava sorbet for dessert as we had stuffed ourselves at dinner, it was a refreshing end to a great meal. I recommend this to anyone with a couple hours to kill and an appetite in Atlanta!
(5)Mahtab R.
Been here several times now, and I can't say that there's another place in Atlanta like it. I dubbed indoors a few times, but nothing beats sitting outside in the summer with the sun barely touching your face and eating kumamotos in a gentle breeze- okay, maybe that was too Thoreau-esque. The Optimist has a great selection of oysters and small bites available outside. I usually get several dozen oysters and pretty much everything on the menu stone they're all in the $10-20 range. The service is also fantastic: ask for more lemons? Here's a fuckton. Need some simple syrup for making crack sweet tea? Here's a gallon. The service is here to enhance your experience however they can. The beignets here are also great- one of the few places I'll get dessert, but that could also be attributed to the fact that being outside and warms makes me crave dessert more. My only issue with the place is how the inside and outside are technically different restaurants. I've been able to get food served at the "bar" section inside, but have yet to be able to get the mains available inside served outside. Either way, great place to just chill, drink, and destroy oysters.
(4)Robert B.
Finally, a place in Atlanta you can take your out of town foodie-friends to and not have to hear them complain about how the meal is better somewhere else. This place is awesome. A super cool ambiance at the bar, phenomenal, punctual and prompt service, and excellently yummy seafood. This place is a must. Go here now. Seriously. Stop what you are doing. Put the computer down. Grab a friend and go have a great time and better meal. You will not regret it. In fact, you are reading this on a smartphone at another restaurant, ask for the check and head there, now, mid-meal. Order the lobster roll when you arrive and it will all make sense. First, when you walk into to the West Midtown space, you're immediately impressed with the uber cool bar. It has this great vista from the windows and a California, 1970s, Brady Bunch gone surfing theme. (And music to match.) I may head back just to be in that space again. The main dining room has vaulted ceilings and blues and whites around the bar. Very nice space. The meal. Here's what sets it apart: The details. The hot sauce and saltines are homemade. And excellent. The hot sauce, yes that same stuff most seafood places replace with Crystal's or Texas Pete's, is homemade and refined. It's sweet, fresh and hot. The saltines are made with care. That's the difference between this and where ever else you've eaten the same food. Someone took time to think about all of the little details. We ordered the East Coast Oysters -- good and fresh with a homemade vinagrette that makes all of the difference, Fish and Chips and the Lobster Roll. GET THE LOBSTER ROLL NOW. Honestly, its the most awesome one you've ever had. Slightly sweet toasted bread, fresh lobster claw, a slight bit of acidity. It's the best small nearly $20 sandwich you'll have. The fish and chips is a beautifully fried piece of Cod? Great taste as well. But the Lobster Roll is exceptionally good. The service was impeccable. The Apple Cake with Cinnamon Ice Cream could have used with some more ice cream, but that literally is the only complaint. The only other complaint is that this place is about 20% pricier than you'll expect. But listen, it's the A, and that kind of meal is going to come at a premium. So you are looking for a good seafood almost bar food restaurant, go here. You have friends you want to impress, but don't want them to know you tried to impress, go here. You are hungry, then go here. After the you have the lobster roll, you'll feel great the rest of the day.
(5)Sooji K.
this place definitely lives up to its hype - not to mention the service, food and drinks were exceptional. the parking lot is super duper tiny, so unless you're planning on valet don't even bother coming in the lot. i came to the optimist with dinner reservations and we were seated right away on a friday evening (hurrah!) - the four of us ended up ordering family style so we ordered some appetizers, sides, oysters a la carte and entrees. the cocktails were good, but then again now a days, i think most places seem to have gotten a better grip that not all of their clients are just looking to get drunk when they order drinks. i digress though, i was happy with their drinks and so were my companions. the star plates of the evening for me were the spanish charred octopus and the whole GA shrimp a la plancha. the shrimp a la plancha was SO SO good, i would've licked the bowl if i wasn't instilled with better table etiquette. it was a perfect balance of buttery with a little bit of a kick from the arbol chiles. the menu says that's it's a messy dish (bc you have to peel the shrimp yourself) but the flavor of the sauce itself was SO worth it. mmmm buttery goodness. the spanish charred octopus was a beaut, it was perfectly cooked and the asian twist on it was something new for me. the "fermented bokchoy" tasted like korean kimchi, but in a very asian meets mediterranean way... it worked well. i'm not going to expand on some of the other food items we ordered but i do have to mention that i was sorely disappointed on the scallop entree. i've heard so many rave reviews, but ours were overcooked and made for teenytiny people (they didn't look like the photos you put up on yelp people!!!). though i did end this review on a lower note, i really did enjoy the optimist and definitely see myself returning. the ambience and the food were both excellent and i'd definitely recommend it to any sea food lover.
(4)Double A.
Decor, food and service are outstanding! Fresh seafood flown in daily and served within 16 hours insures quality. Knowledgable staff that understands the menu as well as they understand communication. It's a real dining pleasure with a hot spot feel and not too loud. Thank you, The Optimist!
(5)Kari D.
My mister planned a special date night for the 2 of us (being that I live across the country, our date nights are few and far between). The good: everything about the food. Started with the fried oysters, which were spicy and delicious. I ordered the scallops while my man had the swordfish. We shared the fingerling potatoes and hush puppies. My scallops were wonderfully seared and beautifully plated. Super delish. I had a bite of the swordfish which was also really yummy. The piece de resistance? HUSH PUPPIES. I took one bite and told my guy, "these are STUPID." Trust me, people. Order the hush puppies. In fact, get 2 orders. You won't regret it. The not so good: while our server Brett was really sweet, it took him a while to get to us (which is understandable, the place was packed). And we didn't see him much throughout our meal. But, like I said, he was very nice. And he brought us a sample of the house made saltines (we didn't order any raw oysters) which he said would ruin crackers for us forever. You win, Brett. Also, it's not a very intimate spot. Tables are packed in pretty tight, so I felt like I was on a date with the couple next to us. And it's fairly loud in there. Overall, great experience. The hush puppies are incredible, and I wish I had some to take back to California with me. We'll be back in October, for sure!
(4)Emily C.
First off, the positives: This place is gorgeous! There are interesting yet tastefully understated things to look at everywhere! The Bar area is magnificent, and the outdoor seating quaint. They also do a great job of having a full restaurant not be too loud or too quiet. The cocktails are also across the board delicious, exciting, and appropriate for the theme of the restaurant. My not so positives are sadly all about the food. While there are definitely some high points (the GA clams) there are lots of unimpressive ones (the special raw of bass needed salt, the swordfish entree, while inventive, didn't hit the right notes). Dessert was also kinda blah. While you can see that the ideas behind the desserts are awesome, the execution left you wanting something more. Overall solid restaurant and I think with some tweaks, it'll be an Atlanta mainstay
(4)Beth R.
What happened? We were so impressed during our first visit a few months ago that we chose to bring our friends visiting from Dallas this past weekend. Although I enjoyed the she crab soup, everything was so overly SALTY!! My scallops were over-seasoned, over-cooked and over-salted little pieces on my plate. Our friends' fish was the same but they were gracious and didn't complain. We were so embarrassed that of all the great meals we could have taken them to in Atlanta, this is what we chose. Optimist, you need to re-think your food and fix it. We won't be back.
(2)Gaby F.
By now its OK to say 'usual warehouse space' ex garage or such, white bricks etc..cool , sure, everywhere in every city, yep pretty much. Putting green out front was wasted by not having tables open by side, even if it was near car park. When cars parked are Aston Martin, Porsche, BMW 7 etc thats OK, Eye candy for some. Bust room , but not too loud. Comfortable tables, Couple next to me sat side bu side on a 2 top. Tight but they were happy. Waiter kept trying to upsell us. Bit annoying. St James Way Cocktail was well balanced but way too much crushed ice Signature Octopus was superb. Black bass, lemon sea salt simple and perfect, I give this 3 stars only because I wasn't surprised..maybe I'm spoilt. But Girl and Goat in Chicago, Distilled in Tribeca, NY, RockSalt in Naples, Rocksalt in Folkstone UK all could have made this dinner. You wont be disappointed..but you may not be surprised either.
(3)Ike M.
Excellent restaurant, and well-deserving of it's current reputation as one of the best seafood eateries in the city. Excellent food, and impeccable service. And if you've the chance, take some time to check out the architecture. The restaurant is located in the rehabbed remains of a beautiful turn of the century brick industrial building.
(4)Rhett D.
Speechless...the best Atlanta Seafood Restaurant I have ever been to. The oysters are so fresh and the ambiance is perfect. My fish was perfectly cooked and the pre-dinner rolls are quite delicious. Whatever sides you order make sure one of them is the hushpuppies served "beignet style" with cane syrup butter- INCREDIBLE!!! I am definitely coming back to this restaurant!
(5)Paige E.
I would've given six stars if it was an option. I came for raw oysters but I stayed for the service and atmosphere. Seriously, I stayed for like 4 hours or something ridiculous. The restaurant is beautiful. High ceilings, lots of seating and open space. The bartenders ROCKED. They answered all of my many tedious, stupid questions that I know people love to ask bartenders. Very knowledgeable about everything on the menu. They definitely made my dining experience. There were 6 (maybe 8?) raw oysters to choose from. Tap out. Optimist wins. They were the best oysters I've ever had in Atlanta... Probably anywhere for that matter Writing about them makes me want to go there right now. I could go on and on, but I hate really elaborate yelp reviews. Just go.
(5)Diana T.
I came here for lunch for my birthday. My expectations were too high for this place. We ordered the infamous corn milk hushpuppies "beignet style" with cane syrup butter. It was ridiculously salty but great presentation. I also ordered the maine lobster roll. It was weird to consume lobster that was cold. It had no flavor. I was not impressed at all! My bf ordered the fish & chips. This was different from the other fish & chips I have consumed, but overwhelming. This entire meal did not impress me. & in the end, the waiter did not sing me happy birthday or give a free dessert. I might go back and try this place for dinner but overall my entrees and sides did not impress my taste buds.
(3)Cecil W.
I was excited to try The Optimist for my wife's birthday and the review is a mix bag. The staff were nice and they wished my wife happy birthday. The table received was horrible! It was a booth at the front of the restaurant so every time the door opens you feel like you are outside. The specialty cocktails were ok, I ordered the Hunger Walk and the Bourbon drink with bitters. All of the food we ordered was great! However, the timing between the appetizers and main course was very slow. The She Crab soup was great, no crab meat in eat like Neiman Marcus cafe, but the flavor was better. The shrimp bread with the soup was outstanding. The gumbo was spicy and tasty. The Blackened Mahi was spicy, but excellent. Didn't order desert to give a review. I might give the Optimist one more try because the food was super.
(3)Nhuy W.
Atlanta has too many great restaurants and this place is definitely one of them. I loved it so much the first time that I made my friends go back so I could have dinner here again. The trout was so flavorful and the the hush puppies are a must!
(5)Jerald G.
Loved it. Been waiting for a great seafood place. Wait staff very friendly, awesome hip feeling layout. Food wise - hush puppies were great, red snapper dish very good, fried oysters okay, raw oysters were great, Spanish octopus was very good. Cocktails - king Rey very good. My waiter was awesome and also got some help from Jerome as well -- very informative and helpful. We will be back!
(5)Kay M.
Love the atmosphere! Creative cocktails, food is amazing. Wonderful service. One of my favorite places. The one down side is the valet parking, with the construction that is going on in the lot next door. Kind of makes the entrance to the valet congested. However, that has not stopped my frequent visits.
(5)Tom E.
In the food scene in Atlanta, it seems like there are 3 things that are always in question- who has the best BBQ, burgers, or lobster rolls. In this latest installment, I was on the hunt for a lobster roll. On my latest trip to West Midtown, I went to go across the street to personally try to rectify a reservation I had later that night, and I needed something to make me feel better. So what better place than to try The Optimist? I had heard about it in a great article in Atlanta Magazine ( atlantamagazine.com/rest… )- sorry not all pics posted that were originally in the article. I also heard about it from praises from our Empress, and I know we share the same tastes- so I knew this would be a decent lunch. Parking is easy, with a large (FREE) lot, so that was a huge plus (parking can SUCK in this area). There is also a putting green out front as well, but I didn't come to play- I came to eat (and drink). When I walked in (looking like a complete bum, as I just got off work and I had a black dirt mark on my forehead), I asked if I could sit at the bar (of course), and they told me to go to the next (bigger) room, as there are 2 rooms/2 bars. Staring at 3 panels of liquor, I was greeted almost instantly (as I was the loner at the bar, but in my defense, it was 2PM, they close at 230 for lunch). I started off with a makers/ginger ale (at least I think I did), as I looked at the menu. The drinks looked interesting, and I got 2 or 3 of them. However, there is a drink called Swedish Fish, and let me fore warn you- it does NOT taste like the candy. If you think so, you need to get your palette back on track. The menu was somewhat pricey for lunch, but I ended up getting a cup of seafood gumbo and a lobster roll. About the gumbo- one of the more interesting styles I have seen for a gumbo, the roux was spot on, with its deep color and wasn't burnt. However, there was a sweetness to it I wasn't very fond of. There was also 2 claws in the gumbo, that were ready to have the meat sucked off them. It also came with garlic bread wrapped in twine. Before I go on about the $17 lobster roll, let me remind you how much I hate raw vegetables and plain mayo- lets just say I would rather ingest glass than eat that stuff again. With that being said, the roll came with mayo and celery. The meat on the lobster was some of the higher quality meat I have seen- it was cold and solid, not flaky by any means. The bread it was on was toasted and buttered, and added to it. It terms of the meat, that was some of the best lobster meat I have had. However, the fries it came with to me, I was not a fan of- it reminded me of those potato strings (which I do love) you get at the grocery. They were messy, and tough to use with a fork. On top of a few drinks, I was making a mess (thank god I wasn't on a date). Since I was on a roll, I was offered dessert. I knew the place was going to be closing soon, so I was shocked she offered. I ended up getting an apple buckle- pretty much an apple dessert with ice cream and a cheese strudel. That was actually my favorite part of the meal- I almost got another one. Although the place closed at 2:30, the bartender let me keep ordering drinks, which was nice, but I tried to not wear out my welcome. For soup, entree, dessert, and a few drinks, lunch came to $66 before tip, I thought I was in Disney again with those prices, but I thought for the most part, it was worth it. Unfortunately later on in the day, I got extremely dizzy for some reason, and it kind of killed my mood- not sure if it was from the gumbo, the roll, or that Swedish Fish. I can see why Esquire thought highly of this place ( blogs.ajc.com/food-and-m… ), and I would like to go back and see what else they have to offer. Maybe I was getting withdrawls from dessert?!?
(4)Jeff W.
Went here the other night. Food wasn't as good as before. Our server was like a robot, didn't offer his name and it was hard to get his attention on a few occasions. The frothy She Crab Soup didn't have the burst of flavor as it did on my first visit and the octopus was too soft in texture. We ordered wine with our meal in hopes of only having one glass and be on our way as we had another engagement to attend. We were late to it. Our main dish took over 30 minutes to arrive. While engaged in conversation, our very small pour of wine was long gone by the time our food arrived. Around the 25 minute mark the server brought over hush puppies and then told us this was in apology for our long wait. We don't eat hush puppies, a fresh glass of wine would have been more appropriate, or at least an ask vs throwing us a bone. It then took another 10 minutes before we got our food. I had pumped this place up to my date as being a great restaurant, was very disappointed in the experience this time. Guess they've settled in.
(2)Maria S.
Dinner at The Optimist is quite a treat, especially if you're lucky enough to land Keesha as your server for the evening. Overall, the service was excellent, from the moment I walked in the door until I retrieved my car from the valet. This staff knows customer service! I arrived early for my reservation, in order to check out the The Oyster Bar, since I'd heard raves about the famous punch. There were three on the menu, and I opted for the Pineapple Express. Made with gin, ginger tea, lemon and honey, this drink is an excellent combination of tart and sweet, and is dangerously delicious. The oysters here are ordered a la carte, similar to the way sushi restaurants do it, and prices range from $2.50 to $3.50. This side of the restaurant seems like a perfect spot to sit and enjoy a casual seafood feast, paired with your libation of choice. The main dining area is spacious and open, and surprisingly, the noise levels weren't too bad. I found it easy to maintain conversation with my dinner guest, and also enjoy the excellent music. I love a place that plays "You Can Have It All" by Yo La Tengo. I don't often hear Georgia and Ira in any of my usual in-town haunts. The menu is completely different from the Oyster Bar, and the oysters are priced at $3.50 each, your choice of East or West coast. Since I had recently been in North Carolina, where I enjoyed an entire peck for $12, I decided to check out some of the other menu items. We started with the spicy Spanish octopus, which was expertly prepared and beautifully plated -- and devoured in a matter of minutes. To accompany our starter, my friend and I ordered the Winter on Cape Cod, essentially an upscale version of the traditional vodka cranberry. The added citrus and herbal notes were a nice touch. For our entrees, I decided on the crispy triggerfish, served with brussel sprouts and bacon. The sweetness of the fish contrasted nicely with the smokiness of the bacon. A note on that smokiness - due to the wood burning grill, you will leave The Optimist faintly smelling of wood smoke. Not necessarily a bad thing, but you may not want to wear your fanciest dry-clean-only duds. Also, the dinner napkins are white, and very linty, so avoid dark pants or skirts or have a lint brush handy. My friend raved about her scallop dish, and also informed me the complementary dinner roll was quite good. (No bread for me, alas, due to my gluten allergy. But many of the dishes at The Optimist are naturally gluten free, and Keesha said to just let her know what I wanted, and she'd see if the chef could make it GF for me. Great to have so many options!) Be sure to check out the bathrooms during your stay. They are nicely appointed, spotlessly clean, and private.
(5)Candace L.
One of my favorite date night restaurants in the city! Start at the oyster bar. Order one of each - anything they have fresh (my favorites are west coast, but its a personal choice), and get some of the oyster shooters! Very creative and fun. I have to comment on the decor of this place - whoever had the idea to paint the octopus on the brick oven in the oyster bar was genius. I love the creativity showcased in here. The little things make a big impact. The overall space is open and airy with large ceilings and minimalist decor. Love it! The menu here changes daily so its hard to keep a favorite - but the kale salad, grilled octopus and bok choy are super tasty and usually hold a spot on the menu. TO THE CHEF: PLEASE PLEASE bring back the cornmeal crusted black sea bass. I cant tell you how many times I've bragged about it to people. I order it every time its available. Its the best sea bass I have ever had and it should be a permanent staple on the menu. Service has always been flawless here - even when they are busy. The servers know what they are talking about - take their advice on recommendations. Bottom line: The Optimist delivers. Consistently.
(5)Ronnie E.
Kudos for the staff getting us seated before our reservation time and valet for helping us with an umbrella on a rainy night. The wife and I really enjoyed our meals, especially starting off with mussels and the wonderful dinner rolls. She ordered the grouper and I had the monkfish. I had a taste of the grouper and enjoyed the flavor of the sauce it came in, kind of tangy and garlic based. The monk fish was juicy and more lobster like, and went great with the chorizo bits. The seats were a little tight but I like the atmosphere and the open kitchen.
(4)Andrea S.
Seems really cool but not flawless. Oysters were great and served with house made saltines. We split the Whole GA Shrimp La Plancha - also very good especially if you love butter. My husband had Crispy Flounder- HUGE and good. My Monkfish was disappointing the cockles mussels et. al accompaniment were way over don't and dry. Sauce/broth bland. We did not get bread delivered - oops but we didn't care. We were there pre- theater so early and the whole staff mostly seemed like they were preparing for a big ugly crush a bit later. All in all we won't rush back. Maybe we're not cool enough.
(3)Atl C.
Really really really really really good. The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is because when I pay $60 a plate expect it to be really really really really really good.
(4)Jeremy R.
Beverage program leaves A LOT to be desired but the food is top notch and I love that it's in my neighborhood!
(4)Chan V.
The place is well decorated. I came here on a Sunday night. It's hard to say if I like this place or not because nothing on the menu really stood out for me. It's the typical seafood that other restaurants also serve. They had way too many fish on the menu at the time. Maybe if you had one, you've had them all. Sorry guys. Maybe I will come back for a second chance.
(2)Amy H.
I think I had high hopes when it came to this place on HOW AMAZING the food was! Now I will say the charred spanish octopus was seriously to DIE FOR! I mean it was SO FREAKING good I wish I ordered two! The cocktails were amazing as was their wine selection. I was told their little gem salad was grilled and so I never say no to grilled romaine and it came out and it was not. Very overdressed I felt like I was eating a salad at Outback. The clam roll was OK, the peppers gave it a nice kick but it was way too buttery. The Lobster Roll was good!! I was a fan of that! The Halibut was a nice piece of fish but the sides that came with it were not. I expected a tad more. I will def go again and order some different items to give it another shot, but I think Atlanta Fish Market has a better selection of fish.
(3)Heidi P.
Hey guess what, this is a FISH CAMP, whatever that means, and OYSTER BAR. I totally had no idea until I showed up and looked at the menu. Whoops. I'm not 100% sure how to do this...because while it's apparently not my normal thang (total seafood, well they had a burger) it's a really cool place with some awesome dishes, great service, a pretty atmosphere, etc. I really like the look of the place - it's huge, and feels very beachy. The bathrooms look like a beach locker room and they're frickin adorable. Do note that some are labeled men and some women. I went in the men's bathroom by accident (a single thankfully) because I was too busy looking at the decor details: big numbers on the doors, cool keys as it you were picking a locker room, etc. The service was great, too. I ordered fish and chips. The chips were actually hand torn potatoes. I really enjoyed the meal which came with a yummy tarter-like sauce. But I'm not used to eating fried fish in large quantities, so I couldn't finish. I think I'm more of a dinner-fish person rather than a lunch-fish person. I hope that is not unreasonable. I would definitely go back to try dinner but less likely to go out of my way to get there for lunch, because after I was done, I was feeling a little meh. I am normally a fish enjoyer, but maybe the fried-ness disagreed with me a little. It is definitely a quality place in all aspects, though, so I recommend checking it out!
(4)Diana W.
Came here with a few clients. I'm gluten free and dairy free. I was surprised to see that they had some GF red snapper on the menu. They were happy to make it dairy free. Not too many options after that but the ambiance is amazing and it smells wonderful. I definitely recommend.
(5)Kelly W.
I don't know where the previous yelper dines in Chicago, but definitely NOT the right places! I just moved back to Atlanta from Chicago and The Optimist doesn't come close to comparing to similarly-priced restaurants in Chicago. The kale salad was good, as was the octopus; however, our main dishes were tiny and didn't have much flavor. I've never sent back a dish in my entire life, but we had to send the sickly-tasting mussels back. This would be a five-star rating if our main dishes were under $20; however, $200 for two people is not worth it here. The design of the restaurant is great, but the valet is also poor. We waited for nearly 40 minutes in a line of 15 deep to get our car after this highly mediocre meal.
(3)Catherine N.
I went here for lunch with my boyfriend to try it out and I completely fell in love with the Optimist. First off though, we had a bit of trouble figuring which door was the main entrance, but once we just picked a door, we saw the hostess table and made our way towards it. Also, just outside of the restaurant, they have miniature golf , and you can get your putters inside. (even though there aren't many holes, the idea is pretty quirky and cool) Once I stepped inside, the atmosphere was really what sold me. It was chic but cozy. Our waitress was awesome, service was awesome, and food did not disappoint whatsoever! We decided to both get housemade lemonades, and even the presentation of them were chic! Sugar rimmed and all. For a starter, we ordered a dozen of oysters to split, and both ordered the lobster roll each with a side order or hush puppies to split. One tiny disappointment I had were the oysters coming after our entree, but that also might be because we didn't specify that we wanted to start off with them? But they still took a good bit to get to our table...(but it was understandable that it does take a while to shuck) Other than that, the food was REALLY good. The lobster roll was pretty simple, which is how a lobster roll should be. But the shoe string fries are ADDICTING. they're so crispy and good. And the hushpuppies are dusted with powdered sugar to be in a "beignet" style. Some may say the price is a bit much, but for the quality you get and keeping in mind that this is a seafood & oyster place...a pricer menu should be expected. This is a great place for lunch, a date, or even a night out with friends. (they have an awesome bar AND oyster bar) I'm excited to come back and try more things on the menu. The Optimist has made me a for sure frequent returning customer!
(4)Jennifer V.
This is hands down the best meal I have had in Atlanta since we moved here 18 months ago. The food was so delicious - from the octopus to the swordfish poached in duck fat, to the cornmeal encrusted flounder. The flavors were so different from what I am used to, yet so complimentary. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and we took his recommendations as to what to order. It was truly a terrific experience and I highly recommend it. AND this is coming from someone who is not really a fish person!
(5)Jean F.
Took my wife and daughter on 1/2/13 for dinner expecting something spectacular. The service was knowledgeable as expected. The cocktails he recommended were both original and subtle as was the white Bordeaux. The main course included fish and chips excellent and fluffy with overly salted shoe string fries, the scallops on pork were good and Georgia shrimp were ok but much too messy to eat. Starters of mussels, soup combo and fried oysters were disappointing. The desert, beignets and banana mousse were ok but nothing to write home about. Possibly an off night?
(3)June J.
Excellent dining experience. I will definitely come back. As opposed to what others have said in reviews, I didn't feel like this place was too noisy nor too expensive compared to other restaurants with similar caliber in Atlanta. I had dinner here as a special occasion with my parents for holidays, and our server Paolo was very courteous and was there whenever we needed him. It was almost like he was watching every second of our dining but without making us feel intrusive at all, which I appreciate. Appetizers: fried oysters (pretty good, but i would rather recommend fresh ones for better value), fresh oysters per server's recommendation, kale salad (very flavorful without much dressing added - I've eaten many kale dishes in the past and loved this simple execution). Entrees: we had swordfish (per server's recommendation which came along with duck fat, pork belly - excellent), mahi mahi, and sea bass . I was tempted to order the skirt steak for entree as I'm not a big seafood person, but I do not regret ordering fish for entree at all. It was apparent that the fish was very fresh; simple yet intricate execution on each dish, not too much to hinder the natural taste/aroma of fish. Side: hushpuppies (not bad - i've had better but this one tasted less greasy hence presumably healthy), brussel sprouts (over salted - i would not recommend but has enough flavor. i think i can cook better brussel sprouts to be honest), mushroom (very simple yet with enough herbs and ingredients added to retain the flavor of mushroom). Desserts: I was wined up at this point and do not remember what we had but it was some sort of cake and a few ice creams. Nothing spectacular (except the sorbet - which was very good) but nothing to complain about. Drinks: not a bad wine list but could be less generic. I really don't want to spend $60 on a bottle of wine when I know exactly where to go to get that same bottle for $15. But they had some interesting Italian and french wines to try. I was very apprehensive to try this place out as Ford Fry's restaurants tend to have subpar service from my numerous visits - atrocious service almost every time except a few occasions. Optimist definitely stands out among Fry's restaurants, and I look forward to coming back soon. I would highly recommend this place to anyone seeking a pleasant dining experience centered around seafood.
(5)Maira D.
Probably the best service I ever had. Ambiance was great, and the food was really good, and I didn't think it was expensive for what they offered.
(5)adrienne i.
One of my favorite dinners since I moved to Atlanta 4 years ago was had at The Optimist. Flavor abounds here. Service was excellent, and not stuffy (my favorite kind).
(5)Onle G.
After a quick lunch of she-crab soup with shrimp toast and a few east coast oysters, I'm sold. I usually know quickly if I'll return to an eatery after a few bites and will most certainly recommend this place that's lighting up the Atlanta radar. The space has a loft-style decor, reminiscent of castleberry hills or other in-town industrio-living conversions. Making reservations is required and the staff is great. Enjoy something fresh at The Optimist. P.S. it makes a great place to study and catch looks from Atlanta's fashionable crowd ;c)
(5)Jeff T.
My wife and I had heard good things so we booked an early dinner to celebrate our anniversary sans the crowd. The place has a breezy, beachy, contemporary feel-not stuffy at all. We were seated right away. To kick things off, I had a glass of their Fish House Punch - a house special rum concoction that doesn't disappoint. I also ordered a dozen West coast oysters before I realized they were $3.50 a pop. Oh well, they were truly awesome and we were out to celebrate. I got past it. Next up, the frothy, she-crab soup with shrimp toast. Both were amazing. I also had the fried clam roll which is kinda like a lobster roll but made with fresh fried clams. Believe the hype, it's incredible. Lastly, we shared an order of "beignet style", corn-milk hush puppies served with sweet butter. I didn't protest when our waiter took the remaining half away because I would have popped if I kept eating them. The only con was that our waiter was good but a little nonchalant. Our table was a messy from the oysters/ice but it went unnoticed until I asked him to please to wipe it down. No big deal, he got all the other things right. Look forward to going back. Maybe next time I'll actually make it past the starters and try one of their main courses, we'll see!
(4)Maggie C.
West Midtown has become pretty fun and The Optimist certainly adds to the cool factor. My girlfriend and I enjoyed a weekday lunch. The hostess sat us in the dining area and after a few moments without a server, we quickly decided to move to the bar, not because we were dissatisfied, but rather because the bar looked fun! Because we moved, the manager immediately came over to us, apologized, and comped our cocktails! This was a really impressive and unnecessary gesture. I ordered a Swedish Fish cocktail which featured plenty of fresh dill. So tasty! We also had East coast and West coast oysters. My girlfriend had halibut and I had more oysters since I don't get to have them often living in Denver, hehe. The decor is also sensational! Nautical, classy, yet fun and slightly hipster. The Optimist also features a putting green outside. This is a really cool little spot in an awesome part of the city.
(5)Jana A.
You MUST try The Optimist. We had dinner there tonight and I have to say it may be the best meal I've had in Atlanta in a LONG time. The white fish chowder, the flounder, the dessert... everything was remarkable. I thought the service was excellent, especially when I learned they'd only been open 4 weeks. They spared no expense in decorating. The bathrooms are even super cool!
(5)Jay M.
A legit 5 start restaurant. The west coast oysters I had were seriously the best I have ever had. Mussels, excellent. As was the charred octopus. Our server steered us very wisely when ordering and the whole fried bass was a gift of the gods. The swordfish was the best I've had other than McKendrick's. All of the sides were awesome. Run, don't walk, to the Optimist because it kicks all kinds of ass.
(5)Ana D.
My husband and I find ourselves here for both special occasions and random weekends. It's probably my favorite restaurant in Atlanta, and definitely the best I have been to at this price point. On our latest trip, we tried a couple different oysters, a few cocktails, entrees, and dessert, and I was legitimately depressed when the meal was over. This was my first time trying oysters, so as an oysters novice I doused mine in lemon and cocktail sauce, but hubby said they were really good. For dinner, I had a basic white fish (maybe NC trout?), husband had the scallops. The scallops were amazing. Best I have had. My dish was great as well. We also had the fried rice, which was amazing, and the hush puppies, which are a must have (seriously, don't leave without trying them. I fought for the last one). For dessert, we had the brown sugar cake and it was just the right amount of sweetness to end the meal. We also tried a few cocktails, one citrusy and one savory, and both we're delish. We left feeling full but not stuffed, with no leftovers and enough money left over to feel that we weren't gouged. I love the atmosphere, the food, and the service. Get there soon after opening if you want a more leisurely dinner. You'll get more attention and more relaxed service.
(5)Chase C.
For all people who love seafood, do yourself a favor and come here. It is literally worth every penny. I went on a monday night with a lady, it was a little empty at first but began to fill up quickly. The oyster bar is the first thing you see when you walk in and the rest of the restaurant looked amazing. We ordered a dozen of the west coast oysters to start(please do yourself a favor and get the oysters). We also had a bottle of wine, the wine list was pretty extensive and full of great wines. For my entree my partner had the scallops, perfectly seasoned and not overcooked like some places. I had the swordfish that was poached in duck fat which was also incredible. We then finished up with an apple upside down cake, no misspelling there. It was served with a cinnamon ice cream. I didn't have a single complaint about an of the food or service, PLEASE go if you can. It's worth the drive.
(5)Yai V.
Octopus is amazing and the pork shoulder fell right off the bone!
(5)Jeff V.
Bon Apetit! Food and Wine!! How could I not love this place. Ok, seriously, this place is on a huge roll. And it is somewhat deserved, but I think it's gotten out of control. The food is good but it's not great. The haddock was impressive - an entire fish on the plate, nicely seasoned and perfectly cooked. But I can't say the same for the red grouper, which was underseasoned. The hush puppies are winners, the fingerling potatoes delish, but the carrots were meh. I've been twice now and both times, I've come away thinking "good, but not great." The interior is fantastic, the service is friendly, and the drinks are inventive and tasty. It's a can't miss place to bring mom and dad (especially if they are paying) or impress a date. But if you're expecting the best seafood you've tasted, you are probably going to leave disappointed.
(4)Allison K.
So after hearing so many people rave about the Optimist, I had to experience it myself. First, I have to admit that I'm not much of a seafood eater - if it's not tuna, salmon or crab I'm not a fan so the menu was a little limited to me. We started with drinks at the bar - which they have a great drink list! I started with a Carboy - it was so good! My date just went for a beer, boring! Anyways when we got to the table they immediately brought us bread - which like everyone else said was delish! Big fluffy rolls with some butter with sea salt on them already. Moving on, we shared a she-crab soup and each got an oyster since it is an oyster bar after all. The soup was really good - and they even split it for us! I wish I could have had more of the shrimp toast though - that was amazing! For dinner I got the tuna which came with a small side of crispy potatoes and charred octopus - everything was really good! My date got the duck fat swordfish and he said his was really good -- he ate the entire thing! We got a side of the hushpuppies to share. Definitely get them! It's like dessert with dinner! Everything we had was great and service was spectacular - I'll definitely return!
(4)Belle E.
Best Seafood in ATL.
(5)Stricky T.
The Optimist left a number of question marks after all the...............I went for the lobster roll but we decided to try a number of dishes and I wasn't impressed..........well lets say it didn't have the same impact JCT had...............the service was little sloppy, the lobster roll lacked flav, the basmati fried rice was ok......and the grouper was just ok.......????.......maybe it needs another try...........
(3)Dan K.
The space is fab - I love the warehouse look and feel- the wine is good- the arugula salad was mediocre- worth $3, not $12. The heralded lobster rolls are mediocre at best- scallops are served with parsley and blackberries- strange! Scallops have little flavor- hush puppies are tasty- with powdered sugar and butter - but what isn't tasty with powdered sugar and butter? Oh well- another atlanta night- another wasted $100- you yelpers may never hear from me again- I don't think I am going to dinner anywhere in Atlanta ever again - except to my beloved bacchanalia- the optimist was a huge disappointment
(3)Joe C.
Octopus appetizer, OMG grilled to perfection and the sauce... Wow. Fried oysters and mussels with green curry sauce will have having sopping up every drop of sauce with the amazing fresh baked rolls. Entrees were equally amazing and they change almost daily. I confidently can recommend that you will enjoy whatever you order as this place does not disappoint.
(5)David W.
Tremendous place...I was blown away. The food was as close to perfect as it gets, and the service was incredible. I had lunch: 3 raw oysters, she-crab soup, and the fresh fish sandwich. Every single thing I ate was exceptional. My server was fantastic, friendly, and attentive from start to finish. This was one of the beast meals I've had in Atlanta in recent memory.
(5)Bailey B.
Customer service was TERRIBLE!! Had a table of 3 girls and we ordered 2 bottles of wine all together, when we wanted to order one more the waiter told us he would not serve us anymore alcohol, this was after waiting about 45 min. to even get his attention! I would have understood if we were being obnoxious, but honestly we were just having a causal conversation on the patio. I think he was just tired of us and was ready to close out his table since it was a Sunday and business was slow. I was so humiliated that they told us they wouldn't serve us any more drinks, and not to mention we ordered about $100 worth of food that day! That has NEVER happened to me before, not even in my college years!!! My concentration in college was hospitality management and I must say this was one of the worst customer service situations I have ever experienced. Will not return.
(1)Ken D.
Having just arrived to my hotel in Atlanta, I quickly turned to yelp to find a good place to eat. Given the good rating for the optimist and my desire to have good seafood and oysters, I decided to give it a try. We ordered the simple salad and fried oysters for starters which were both really good. I had the swordfish with mushrooms and beets as sides. The food was super fresh and flavorful. The optimist is doing something unique and different, and doing it well.
(4)Eva H.
Truly the best dining experience I have had in Atlanta upon moving here last Summer. Every single part of the meal hit the mark. The East Coast oysters had such a clean flavor and the clams with pork belly are addictive. For my main entree, I had the tuna and charred octopus and I ate every single morsel on my plate The atmosphere is quite enjoyable and had a refined easiness to it. Service was right on par. Cocktails were everything I hoped for and more. Easily my new favorite!
(5)Oscar R.
I saw this on Unique Eats on the Food Network last week and I had business at Georgia Tech so, being an optimist, I took the chance to take a professor out for dinner. We were both amazed by the food! Between the two of us we had the oysters, octopus, fat seared swordfish, codfish, beet salad, watermelon salad, cheesecake ice cream, blueberry-chambord sorbet, and a few local beer. The food was amazing, the decor was great, and they have a putting green for when you are waiting for you car. The server was a little slow but not annoyingly so.
(4)Danielle F.
I have been here 3 times now and I have yet to be disappointed! I am a single mom with a 2 year old toddler!!! I really didn't see many children on any occasion that I visited but I will say they were happy to welcome us with a coloring childrens menu.. crayons included! Every dish I have tried as well as the dishes of the people who accompanied me were delicious!! I have tried the muzzles, Kale salad, fish and chips, Cod filet of fish sandwich, & fried oysters. All satisfying and delicious and reasonably priced! Great service. The valet was greatly appreciated! I will say the drink availability is a little limiting, but it did make me try something new..so no worries!
(5)Ande T.
Wow, after reading such glowing reviews, I was really optimistic about my experience at the Optimist last night. However, from the moment we walked in the door, my party of 5 had a fairly pessimistic experience, and we walked away giving the restaurant a C grade overall. First, we called the night before to make a reservation for our group at 7:30 PM (a Tuesday night). They couldn't find our reservation right away and when they did, they didn't have a table available for us until we'd sat at the bar until after 8PM. (D) So we ambled towards the bar and had a few pretty darn good drinks, so our spirits were lifting somewhat. From the reviews, I figured I'd try the Port Antonio. My friends had the Salty Dog and the Mother of Pearl. I liked their drinks much better than mine, which really only tasted of rum and nothing else in a glass that was so filled with ice, it made it extraordinarily difficult to taste the liquor until it became quite watered down. (B) When they finally had a table for us, they seemed to forget that they also needed to assign a server. Really? I understand the restaurant is pretty new, but you should NEVER have your guests wait nearly 30 minutes for someone to come to your table to give you more than water. AND we only got someone to come wait on us when we had to ask another server to track someone down. My friends had brought their 2nd drinks to the table but I decided I'd wait until our server took the table's drink order to get my 2nd. Boy, did I regret that decision. (D) Finally, we ordered food. Oysters on the half shell and a couple of starters (Oysters on Horseback, Shrimp a la plancha, and salad with meyer lemon/anchovy dressing). The server brought out the peel and eat shrimp instead of the al la plancha because the place is very loud and he clearly couldn't hear very well. Otherwise we all greatly enjoyed our appetizers, especially the Oysters on Horseback where the smokiness of the pork belly really melded with the fried oysters well. The one thing they could improve on is to not bring the crackers and the homemade cocktail sauce 20 minutes before you bring out the oysters. (A) The noise level. It's very loud in that space. It would be accpetable and easier to talk without raised voices if it wasn't for the loud music they had playing. The level fluctuated a few times throughout the evening, so I don't think I was the only one to ask my server to turn the volume down. Who turned it up in between is a mystery. Entrees. Of the 5 of us, none was particularly enamored with their entree. Skirt steak had so much sauce that it really drowned out the steak, which was very good on its own. Halibut was just basic, nothing to write home about, with one little hen of the wood mushroom. Seared tuna with octopus, like others have said, had one TINY LITTLE PIECE OF OCTOPUS. Why? Octopus is relatively cheap, especially compared to tuna. Not so many Americans are keen on octopus, so when someone orders octopus on something, it means that they like it. Scallops. 3 scallops and you want to charge $28? They weren't that good to justify the price. And the swordfish sounded really incredible on paper, but just didn't deliver. (D) With tip, our party spent nearly $100 per person and neither of us got dessert. While I still remain optimistic about the restaurant, for the money and our experience, we have so many other great places to dine in Atlanta. We all concluded that if we were to go back to The Optimist, it would only be for drinks and appetizers and we'd sit outside on the patio so we could actually talk.
(2)Evelyn-Anne C.
Bottom line- you pay for what you get here, but what you get is a dining experience that ranks up there with a place like Bacchanalia, but in a much more casual and approachable atmosphere. The bartender and server we had were incredibly knowledgeable about the entire menu, including all of the wines and other beverages. We received great service from the time we walked in and the food was elegant and unique without feeling pretentious. Reccomendations: cocktail- Beach Shanty: a mix of Allagash White Ale and liquors, perfect for warm weather, highly alcoholic, but delicious appetizer/starter- Oysters: My husband sampled both the West coast and East coast selections. They come with homemade saltines and a house-made cocktail sauce. main dish- Swordfish: cooked in duck fat and finished off with crispy pancetta, this fish was amazing flavorful and rich dessert- Grilled Pound Cake Sunday: perfect for sharing, the ice cream is homemade and wonderful and the grilled pound cake had a really interesting smoky flavor.
(5)Patti D.
I had driven past here several times and was dying to try it. My darling had a tough day at work so I suggested we unwind here after work. Made a reservation through Open Table and off we went. When we got there we decided to sit at the oyster bar. Great choice. Our adorable server Sara took amazing care of us and the food was wonderful. Chose 1/2 doz oysters and split them between West and East coast. Both fresh, briny and delicious. Eric decided on the gumbo, which was filled with yummy seafood. Loved the charred octopus and butter roasted rolls. Even the crackers (they had to have been house made, right?) were super yummy - both sweet and salty. The chardonnay and beer were great ways to wash down fabulous seafood. We even opted for dessert, which is rare for us. The salted caramel ice box cake was so good I'm surprised we didn't lick the plate. But that would not have been polite. The lemon drop cookies came home with us. They are still in their sweet brown paper bag, but they won't be for long. Go. You will adore it. It's the closest thing to being at the beach you can get to in Atlanta. And ask for sweet Sara.
(5)Micheal C.
Very unimpressed with the food. Too much garlic on the fish. Sent it back for a new entree without the garlic and received the same piece of fish back. Will not return.
(1)j s.
We must have been there on an "off" night, as there were several staff issues. Food was excellent with the exception of something that felt like a stone in my Brussels sprouts! I bit down on it and almost came out of my chair. Three people at my table loved their food and two people thought it was ok but not great. The space is beautiful and surprisingly quiet for a house 3/4 full. A sixth person got lost and when they called the restaurant there was only a voice-mail and no one called them back to help with directions. Earlier in the day I called twice to change the number in my party from 8 to 6 and got just a voice mail. When I arrived the reception group was in a snit because our table was set for 8. I could see their phone at reception had a red blinking light on it. Do you think it would be possible to answer the phone or check that blinking light to see if there are message there? Maybe reservation changes or lost patrons? The Optimist is supposed to be the best restaurant in Atlanta these days but I didn't see it on this trip.
(3)Sara B.
amazing!!!
(5)Kevin M.
Ehh. The atmosphere here is very Westside ATL, which is fine by me. The oyster bar looked really cool though we opted for seated service in the main dining room. The food here is as good as the reviews say it is. The bread at the start, the hushpuppies (beignet-style), etc., it was all very good. It gets a 3 because it's dramatically overpriced for what you get and nothing we had was "knock your socks off" good -- which could have potentially justified the steep prices. Upwards of $3.50 per oyster is just way too much money. Also, most of the fish dishes are served a la carte and although they are prepared simply and executed properly, the dishes don't have any "wow" aspects to them. Again, it's very good food, but when you end up spending $9 for the gumbo or she-crab soup, or $9 each for one of their side dishes to accompany the a la carte fish, the bill adds up quickly and unnecessarily as compared to other quality seafood options out there. If you're not serving side dishes with it, I can't possibly justify more than $18-$22 for a lone grilled piece of fish (rather than the $28 price tag of the swordfish). A few dollars per dish doesn't seem like much, but that's 25% more than it should be and it adds up quick when you have to order multiple items to complete the meal! If they bring their prices down by 20% or so, my rating would immediately jump. Until then, I'll get my oyster fix at Steamhouse or Fontaines', and I'll buy my fish from the likes of Fresh Market and cook it myself. Several tables positioned toward the middle of the restaurant, including ours, were packed too tightly together. We were uncomfortably close to the tables on either side of ours. Also, our server collected the completed bill while we were still seated. Even though both complaints are completely avoidable by the restaurant, I'm not one who gets worked up about that kind of stuff (the server was otherwise great). Neither instance affected my rating. Overall, I honestly don't think we'll be back.
(3)Kim C.
Amazing! Fresh seafood and gorgeous atmosphere.
(5)April C.
The space is really nice. Industrial, but still warm and not loud at all. The food was pretty bland. I had the tuna and octopus entree and a side of the mushrooms. The mushrooms were excellent. If I ever go back, I'd certainly get that again. My entree was not very flavorful and there was only one small bite of octopus. Certainly not worth $26. My friend did not love her soup or halibut - again, nothing exciting and overpriced. The other thing I noticed was that it was nice and busy for a Tuesday night, but most of the guests were in suits. Is this the new business dinner spot? As I was leaving, I looked across the street to Bocado and wished I'd gone over there for the burger and saved $60. Probably not a good sign that I'll ever go back.
(2)Fatina B.
Finally we made it there for dinner this saturday. Great restaurant. We had a 5 o'clock reservation so we did not have to wait to be seated. The place got filled very quickly . I ordered their west bay oysters and blackened octopus for appetizers. Both were great. I still prefer though the octopus salad that I had in barcelona, that was more ceviche style. For entree we chose the blackened amberjack and fish & chips. Both were excellent. For the blackened fish I had to order a side of vegetables separately as it Does not come with any.I chose the bokchoy which was excellent. Will definitely come back maybe during the week for lunch
(4)Mere C.
O.M.G. This place is to die for! I had heard wonderful things from friends, coworkers, complete strangers, etc. so my boyfriend and I went one night to celebrate his promotion. First, let me start off by saying very cool atmosphere. It was open and airy and definitely had a beach vibe even though Howell Mill is far from it. The staff were all very friendly, and they were able to seat us right away even though we didn't make a reservation. The cocktails rocked, and we started with the fried oysters... un...be...lievable!! They were so good, and I am very particular about my oysters. For our entrees, I had the skirt steak, and Steven had the scallops/glazed pork. Of course he tried mine, and I tried his, but everything was delicious! It was by far the best scallops I have ever had (even compared to beachside restaurants). They were so fresh and tender. The steak and vegetables also blew my mind. It was cooked medium just how I like, and the sauce had an incredible flavor that complemented the steak to perfection. I wish we would have had room for dessert but we were the right amount of full. Overall, it was a wonderful dining experience. We had a very romantic, carefree dinner that satisfied our taste buds and our stomachs. We will definitely be back for more!
(5)Brian C.
Pretty cool place. Had a good cocktail, and great apps including the lobster roll and a dozen oysters. Entrees were ok and fries were very salty. Thought it was a little overrated.
(3)Belinda S.
JCT is one of my favorites in Atlanta so I was really excited to try The Optimist. Went last night for a 6:30 reservation. First the positives. Service was fast and knowledgeable. The fresh made bread was delicious, hot buttery and a great start. Got a half dozen oysters half east coast, half west coast. They were wonderful! Without a doubt overpriced but they are so fresh and tasty that I really didn't mind. Unfortunately we went downhill from there. Followed with: -Frothy She Crap Soup - very very buttery, wads of oil floating on the top... yuck. Shrimp toast that accompanied it was DELISH though -Little Gem Salad - essentially a ceaser, nothing to write home about and started a trend for the rest of the meal of everything being overly salted. I am not at all sensitive to salt so this is a lot for me to notice. For entrees we had the Scallops and Skate wing, again very very salty but once we gave them a splash of lemon they were very tasty. The real downer was the sides. We had the roasted beets which were tasty and standard to many other restaurants around town. We also had the gnocchi and potato puree. They were both TERRIBLE. The gnocchi were so soft, literally boiled to death and very little flavor. The potato puree had been whipped to death and literally dripped off a spoon... like soup. Disgusting. We then followed with literally the worst dessert I've ever had. Grilled pound cake with ice cream and fried peanuts. The pound cake was so dry, it was below grocery store quality. The cake had no warmth but grill marks.. how long had it been sitting around? Ew! The thing that really made me lose it were the two floor hostesses who I had perfect view of all night. Clearly neither have been trained on how to serve because both of them had their fingers in peoples plates all night. One of them would not stop playing with her hair, eyes, teeth everything and then taking plates from the window. I meant to call today and complain on this matter because it was truly disgusting. Bottom line - so many kinks to works out, expensive menu, lots of potential. I hope it gets better!
(2)Dustin H.
Went to The Optimist for the first time last night. Very nice atmosphere and service. The only reason I cannot give 5 stars is the food could use some improvement. I had the seafood gumbo for an appetizer, while my wife had the peel and eat shrimp. They were both delicious, other than the gumbo being overly salty and the shrimp being coated with about 3 inches of Old Bay seasoning. We did both really enjoy our side of rice. The hush puppies were good, although they tasted like they had sat around for awhile...more chewy than crunchy. Our main dishes were great, but could again be improved with a little less salt. Dessert (cheesecake) was delicious. We will definitely be making a return trip...and hopefully they'll be running low on salt that night!
(4)Molly G.
Excellent. The octopus and heirloom tomato salad was amazing. I got triple tail and it was light and cooked perfectly. The fried rice tasted like it came from Tin Drum. It was good, but not what I expected. The key lime push pop was a nice ending, but I wish it had been bigger. Would definitely return!
(4)Nicci R.
At lunch we ordered she crab soup, oyster loaf, fish and chips, hush puppies and basmati curry fried rice. The she-crab soup was served with a side of shrimp toast and was fantastic. I should have ordered a bowl instead of just a cup. The oyster loaf was a good po-boy style sandwich dressed with pickles, lettuce and remoulade sauce. The fish and chips entree was a disappointment considering it cost $17 for 2 pieces of fish on a pile of shoestring fries. The fish and coating tasted unseasoned and bland, unfortunately the mild flavored malt vinegar aoili dipping sauce did not help. Hush puppies were so good, especially with the cane butter. I could have eaten the butter straight with a spoon. Basmati curry fried rice was completely different flavor than our entire meal, but very tasty. Unfortunately, we were too full to try dessert.
(3)S. W.
This is about as good as it gets. The room is huge, yet beautifully lit and welcoming and not too loud. The food will simply knock your socks off. Perfect oysters, stupendous mussels served with a broth I wanted to drink like a soup. The mussels also come with a thick piece of toasted bread that, when dunked into the broth had me singing "halleuiah!" The sides of Brussels sprouts are worth a trip (what?? yes). The lemon tart is exquisite as are the beignets. The service is attentive without being overbearing or precious. I can't wait to go back. In fact, in the time it took me to confirm this review, I've been back three times and feel just as enthusiastic.
(5)Es D.
Went for a friend's birthday with a group and we all loved this place and can't wait to go back! Very cool ambiance and outside bar area. Our server was fantastic and the food was some of the best we've had. You must try the kale salad! All our apps, sides and main dishes were wonderful.
(5)Kevin M.
Had a great time eating here with my brother at the bar. Good drink selection, good atmosphere/decor, and good food. I had the scallops w short rib and it didn't disappoint. Would recommend to anyone in Atlanta looking for seafood.
(4)Somee K.
The Optimist lives up to its name. Everyone we came into contact with genuinely looked happy. I reserved a table for 2 at 9:15 PM. We got there on the dot and were seated immediately. This usually does not happen at restaurants even with reservations so I was pleased. We were seated at a table by the window and it was so romantic. My boyfriend is always taking me to new, trendy restaurants so I wanted to treat him out this time and I am happy that we both got to try The Optimist for the first time together. We asked our server what he recommended and without hesitation, he pointed to the Scallops so we both ordered scallops and assorted mushrooms. Honestly, the food was mediocre. The scallops were good but they tasted like any other scallops I've had before. It came with 4 pieces, which were not filling at all. Nothing particularly outstanding about the food. However, the ambiance was perfect for our date. It created an intimate atmosphere for my boyfriend and I. It was simple yet lavish. I was very content with my restaurant selection. On top of that, we ran into my best friend. We shared many happy moments at that restaurant. No wonder it's called The Optimist. I would come here again but next time, I'll try a different dish.
(4)J P.
Went for business dinner with out of town colleague - although the food was tasty the service was 'rush-rush' - whoa, sloooow down. Ordered the clams as starter to share and each of us ordered an app - all came out at same time - so dilemma was - cold clams or limp salad....given the price points here they should know better than this - shame on the wait staff - i know you want to turn a table but when you're spending $160 for 2 - you dont plan on eat and run as the mantra....then waiter came 3 times during our entrees to ask "are you still working on that?" - why yes, thats why i was holding my knife and fork!!
(4)Ken B.
One of the best meals that I have had. There aren't that many good seafood options in Atlanta, and this one would be good in pretty much any city. Wife, Mother and I went as a late birthday celebration and we started with the Clam Roll appetizer. This is really really good. I really could eat a couple of these things and just call it a meal. Also the starting bread is really good the way you wish it was good at all restaurants. It is warm, slightly buttered and topped with sea salt. Really good. The appetizer was so good and there were so many interesting appetizer options that we thought we were going to regret ordering appetizers. Boy were we wrong. I had the scallops served over a short rib with some sort of muscadine sauce. Really Really Good. My mom had the flounder which was also amazing. I didn't know that flounder was this tasty of a fish. Wifey had the monkfish which we don't see nearly enough on menu's in the south, but is a great fish and here was very well prepared. The side items are also really good. We tried the tandoori style fried rice which was the winner. But the field peas and corn tasted very fresh and was also good. This would be one of the few restaurants that every single thing I tried wound up tasting amazing. Definitely an expensive meal, but the quality of the food lived up to the price.
(5)Roy L.
I usually don't write reviews based on just 1 visit, but for this place I'll make an exception. The services was excellent. Our server was fantastic. The interior is nice and open. These are the only 2 good things about the place. They charge $3 and $3.50 for oysters now when oysters are in season. That's a total rip off. They also over sauce all of their dishes which is a clear indicator that the quality of the food isn't as great as they try to make it appear. You can tell because this is an semi-upscale joint that serves Tilapia, probably one of the most cheapest fishes you can buy wholesale. My friend ordered the Tilapia and I ordered the Short Ribs, better rephrase that to short rib since it was only 1 pathetic piece of meat that was over sauced and looked very familiar to the Korean Short Rib dish that I eat all the time. They charge $25 for this dish. At a Korean restaurant you can order a whole pan full of this for $25 and it'll come with about 3 or 4 pieces, not just one, and it won't be over sauced. We did have the Beignet style hush puppies, which were awesome. Being form New Orleans I always respect a New Orleans style or flavored dish. Now everything above was not that big a deal since my friend decided to pay for us. We had a group of 5 friends and she was in town for the holidays and decided to treat us because of her new job and new digs in Chicago. No the real complaint comes when I buy my friends a round of drinks. Only 4 since 1 guy is a moron and can't drink BC he has 2 dui's. So I order 4 Patrons. The bartender says they don't have Patron. So I ask, what do you have similar to Patron, he replies with Don Julio. So I order 4 shots of Don Julio. Very smooth until I got my check. $53 for 4 shots of Don Julio. I'm sorry, but is this a restaurant or a club? I know most of my complaints about this place is about the price, but I'm a dude trying to ball on a budget, not live like a spendthrift like most of The Optimist's customers. Also when you compensate quality with sauces, then that tells me the quality of food is not that great, unless of course the dish warrants such saucing. If you don't mind paying $3 or $3.5 for an oyster that tells me you're a spendthrift. So I checked in on my Yelp App which is connected to my Twitter feed. They tweeted me a few days later thanking me for checking in. Everything above was mentioned. So they tweeted back with this generic response: @roylee1 Sorry to hear you weren't pleased with your experience - please call a manager at 404-477-6260 if you would like to discuss further Actually I really don't want to discuss any further. I was planning on giving them another shot, but when you respond with less personality then a mannequin then I'm assuming you really don't care. I also don't like to be treated better after the fact, but if you look at my whole post you won't see a complaint about the service, because it was great. The food however, not justified for the prices they charge.
(2)Karina B.
I am coming out of Yelp retirement to share what an amazing experience we had at The Optimist! Service was attentive & well versed in wine selection. We had several appetizers - oysters, Little Gem salad & charred Spanish octopus - all delicious. But the green curry mussels were outstanding! Seriously, you want to eat this. We could have made a meal out of this dish. Entrees were perfect! The seared yellowfin tuna was easily one of the best dishes we've ever had...and we know food. We suggest sharing starters and entrees so that you can also try the sides. We shared a perfectly seasoned tomato salad & wood roasted beets. One tip: skip the dessert menu and order the corn milk hushpuppies beignet with cane sugar butter instead.
(5)Laura W.
The Optimist unfortunately falls into the trap of being overhyped. For months now this is the only restaurant I've heard people talking about, tried a few times to get reservations, finally had to make one weeks and weeks in advance. It is a beautiful space- not unique or original but big and open and clean. Of course the place was packed with hipsters on a Saturday night. The one thing that was excellent was our server. Unfortunately I don't remember her name but she had brown hair and cool glasses- had kind of a quirky look to her. She was great! Food however was just okay. I did not get oysters, as much as I love them, I just can't bring myself to spend $3-$3.50 per oyster, especially when I know of a great place in Marietta where you can get a dozen for $9. The she crab "froth" was just she crab soup- was good but nothing special. I'm not sure what I was expecting with the fried smelt, but I think I was hoping for something really salty like anchovies and it just tasted like greasy fried fish with some kind of aioli for dipping. I wanted to love the octopus- heard it was great- it was spicy and really flavorful but seemed overcooked and something about the flavors was just off to me- I wish it had something sweet in there to balance out the flavors. I ordered the duck fat poached swordfish because it sounded amazing. It too was just okay- seemed a bit dry even. The best thing we had was the short rib- it was absolutely fabulous. I thought it strange that the best thing was this considering it is a FISH restaurant. Mexican hot chocolate for dessert was delicious but was only luke warm. Overall, it just seemed that everything was so HEAVY. I don't expect that when it comes to seafood. I want lighter dishes- maybe in the spring they will offer some of those. I would go back- for lunch or if someone else is paying- my husband and I spent $150- we can't afford to do that often. I don't mind spending that much on an amazingly memorable meal (like we had at Tomo in Buckhead) but for just an average dinner that is way too much. For seafood, I actually have had better meals and cocktails at Lure and as far as Rocket Farm restaurants I prefer JCT Kitchen over the Optimist. The Sunday night dinner we had at JCT recently (at only $24) was much better than the meal we had here, and I didn't leave there feeling broke.
(2)B. C.
Came for lunch and the service, ambiance and food were simply wonderful. I ordered the Gumbo and Lobster Roll (which I am normally not a huge fan of) at the recommendation of my server and loved both of them. Can't wait to come back and try the rest of the menu..
(5)Craig J.
Went last night for the first time on my daughter's recommendation, she nailed it-Outstanding! We started with the Lobster roll which was packed with big chunks of fresh lobster and just the right amount of sauce, certainly rivals what I get in Boston! We then moved on to the starters which were delicous! My wife had the Arugula salad and the littleneck clams-loved it! I had the spanish octopus and believe it or not the fried smelt, both dishes rocked! We finished with a lemon tart that was slap your momma good! Service was excellent and we will definitely be back so we can try the main dishes!
(5)ATL n.
Began this adventure with an excellent death's door gin martini, knowledgeable and great bartender, before being sat near the kitchen in the gorgeous indoor space. I had recently watched a video somewhere (daily candy?) on the renovation of this space, so was looking forward to checking it out. We had potentially the best server I've had in ATL -- extremely dry, hilarious jokes who was attentive and brought us some gifts from the chef (we may have just wanted to hang out with after though - fine line?). We started with a dozen oysters and a bottle of white recommended by our waiter, which was paired nicely. The whole experience was laid back luxury and I'll be sure to return... it even got me to 246 (finally) in Decatur which just deepened my love affair with the Atlanta culinary scene.
(5)Tammi D.
When you walk in this place, it is big and spacious, has an open kitchen, and a chic look to it...reminds me more of some NY or Chicago restaurants. The tables are not on top of each other, which is nice. I sat in a large spacious curved booth, which was really comfortable. Service was just okay. The yeast rolls that we started with were very good, and good bread is usually a sign of a good meal to follow. But for me, the food fell short. The charred octopus was very tough and chewy. The spicy shrimp were good, but be prepared to make a big mess, because they come entirely in their shell, including heads and tails. The sauce was tasty. The sweet potatoes were good, but full of butter...how could they be bad? The tuna was just not good...I've had way better tuna elsewhere. It came served as huge slabs of meat...and it just didn't taste very good. My friend got the black bass, and we decided to each try an eye. Yes, you read that correctly. It was a Anthony Bourdain moment. The fish was pretty good. They were out of the banana pudding so I tried the Apple buckle and chocolate mousse. Both were good, but not great. I'd probably go back more for the atmosphere than anything else.
(3)Vicky J.
Just love this place! My 'goto' restaurant for lunch meetings. Great parking is a big plus.
(5)James D.
great service, everything is fresh Oysters were ok (didn't love them but were ok. East Coast were better than WC, imo) and everything was quite good. Nice plating but the mains were a little light, more like entree. You would be hungry if you didn't have a few apps and dessert, and I'm not a heavy eater. Otherwise, well cooked and seasoned. Nice flavors and quite nice atmosphere!
(4)David W.
Fourth visit, each time fulfills the hype. Freshest seafood, creatively prepared. Excellent wine and cocktail list. Top notch service and reasonable prices make for an unforgettable night of dining.
(5)Kristen M.
Went to The Optimist with some co-workers for lunch 2/28/13. Everything was amazingly delicious and well-thought out. Love the decor and the service was excellent. Our party had the shrimp loaf, blackened mahi sandwich and lobster roll. Definitely try the hushpuppies; and the grapefruit sorbet & chocolate mousse was great, too. Will definitely be back.
(5)Justin B.
i happened to be in atlanta for a few days for work, and all i heard was that this was the place to try while in town. i was just thankful when my colleague said that the place was known to have pretty decent oysters, so i was game regardless at that point. first of all, driving over here, you realize you're in a really up and coming part of town. there were several fine looking establishments by the side of the road, along with relatively new but well-designed condominiums, furniture and decor stores, etc. i was impressed. i didn't know that this was what atlanta really had to offer. driving up to this place, you don't really get a chance to fully experience what's in store. it's not until you park your car and walk up to this rather unobtrusive building that everything comes together. there's a little putt putt green out front with trees creating a center courtyard. strung lights sit above you, creating a warm romantic glow. that same warm glow is coming from inside, while some areas of the restaurant are open facing the green. each of the rooms inside are very nicely appointed. it's a mix of classic industrial design sensibility with antique flair and southern charm. i'm a sucker for type, so i was a bit fan of the typelogo and way the menus were presented. the lighting was smart, drawing your eye in various directions around, helping to create distinct spaces while keeping the very space you sat with your dining partner private. my one critique is that the reservation, restaurant, dining room situation is rather complicated. not having gotten a chance to familiarize myself with the place ahead of time, i didn't realize there were multiple restaurants inside with different rules for reservations, waiting for tables, terms of service, etc. i didn't really feel like it was necessary, to be honest. i like when a restaurant has one system. i don't mind a good private or seemingly secret room, but this system didn't seem to do them any favors. regardless, we sat in the oyster bar and rather enjoyed our whole dining experience. the waitstaff were lovely, the oysters were lovelier and the other items we selected from the menu were a mix of pleasant surprises and classic favorites that i knew i would enjoy. highlights included the garlicky clams and the preparations for the cucumber oysters. i love the shot pairings for the oysters, as well. overall, a really smart dining experience. next time, i'll manage to conquer the system and find my way into the main dining room. the real test, i presume.
(4)Matt P.
There are times when you eat food that is so absurdly delicious that you just don't know what to do with yourself. My first time eating at the Optimist was one of those times. I went with my parents and sister, and, in order to maximize the amount of things we could try, we shared a number of small plates and sides. The mussels appetizer was amazing--by far one of the best bites of food I've had in a while. Instead of giving you a list of what I ate and telling you similar stories about how amazingly delicious they were, I am going to let you go in, flying blind, to create your own adventure :-). Oh, and bring all the monies... this place is not cheap.
(5)Selena M.
What is there to say about the optimist? It's big, trendy, and impeccably decorated in shabby-chic/industrial/it's cool because you can see the ductwork style that seems to be the decided upon decor for all new restaurants. The space is really great and just generally gives off a good vibe. The server was knowledgable and helpful, the food came out promptly and drinks were replenished without being asked to do so. The food is...meh. I think The Optimist, like many other trendy but well meaning restaurants has sacrificed the integrity of the food in an effort to be experimental or cool or even avante garde. For example, the beet salad, which is a mainstay of any "good" restaurant these days was accompanied by some weird cheese. It was semi-hard, tasteless and generally not a good pairing. It should have been goat cheese. Goat cheese with beets is just better, no need to switch it up just to differentiate YOUR beet salad from another beet salad. Beets are rich and woody, you need that tartness to balance it. Likewise, the hush puppies, which come as a side WITH dinner were covered in powdered sugar. Were they yummy? Sure...But was it necessary? No. Did it in any way complement the fish? No. Did it come across as contrived and odd? Yes. It's all just trying too hard. Apparently the oysters were good, but that says nothing of the restaurant except they order good oysters. The octopus was overcooked and overseasoned. The baby gem salad (basically a Caesar) was wayyyyyyyyyyyy overdressed to the point of being sopping with dressing. I mean that's such a rookie mistake. I ordered the skate wing schnitzel. It was ok. I found the taste to be lacking, you could really only taste the breading. The fish was unremarkable in every way. Moreover, it came with a brown butter sauce which itself was markedly bland. And because the fish was sitting in a pool of butter the whole thing was soggy and greasy. My father had what I think was snapper in a lime sauce. What it amounted to was a decent cut of fish (albeit also pretty flavorless) sitting in a pool of limeade with slices of lime. The sauce was not complex or interesting...it just tasted like straight up lime. I guess it was a passable dish because how bad can fish and citrus be? But certainly not worth thirty bucks and would have been ten times better if it were just a whole,grilled fish sprinkled with lime. However, the key lime push pop was delicious and adorable and MADE SENSE. So, basically, as a a seafood restaurant they need to quit it with the gimmicks and just focus on the fish. It would be a million times better if everything weren't smothered in some bizarre sauce which apparently has convinced a lot of Atlantans that the food is actually good. They are doing just enough to fool the unwashed masses.
(2)Jemel D.
Very, very good, but just a little overpriced in my opinion!
(4)Kar T.
Stopped in on a very busy friday night. By the time we were seated they were sold out of 2 items on the menu, but it wasn't a big deal. For starters the whole shrimp were spectacular. I had the duckfat poached swordfish for an entree, which was okay.. but the hushpuppies are a must. The service was prompt and friendly, and overall it was a good experience.
(4)Marcel S.
I thought the food was ok. The rolls were yummy. Oysters were bad. And scallops so so. Last night must have been an off night. At least my company was entertaining.
(1)Cherie B.
Won't be back. I started out going to the Optimist for dinner Saturday night. I called in advance to see if we could get in wo a RSVP. I was offered an RSVP but was told I could probably get in earlier at the bar. She said there could be a short wait but she couldn't tell me for how long -- like no idea. Their parking situation has been jacked for months. That said we get there and valet says they won't valet any cars wo a RSVP. Yeah it's drizzling and there's no street parking. Is it appropriate to ask your customers to walk from God knows where in heels in the rain? And the mgr wasnt sounding genuinely apologetic and confirmed they had this unheard of policy when I called to complain. Once I told the manager about how unconcerned she sounded she offered to give us a gift card. She said we could come in or have it mailed. Of course coming in without a reservation is apparently a problem so I suggested mailing it. I haven't received a call about sending the gift card out like she said and it's been two business days since. The food is decent but not worth this kind of hassle. I said I wouldn't come back after I had to wait like 30 minutes for valet to park my car the time prior. I should've stuck with my instincts. Why have a special event when you can't accommodate parking for your customers? Get organized so your hostesses at least can tell people oh yes, you should make a reservation or you won't be able to park her. No point in going back to this place. We ended up at Article 14 -- good food, friendly service, plenty of free valet parking, and no wait.
(1)Jason S.
Meh is right. Were out of half of what we ordered on a Saturday night. Cool space and good energy but the food was a bit miss.
(2)Necota S.
Great drinks, great service, great seafood and please request the bread (server may not tell you). The wine list is good and this place is conducive for romance as well as your friends (that you know will pay their portion of one expensive dinner).
(4)Anup S.
Incredible food selection! Phenomenal seafood and beverages, highly recommend and will be a regular!
(5)Keith B.
Two visits to The Optimist. Oysters are good also the mussels. Main course (Fish) was very tasty and presented well. The building has a modern, beach house feel. Service was adequate, the waitress was a little over-tatooed, but what are you going to do? Be prepared, the food and drinks are pricey and it is has been very crowded. I guess it is the typical Atlanta rush for a new spot. I did not stop at the bar, but it looked about 3 deep at 6:30 on a Friday night.
(4)Kevin W.
What was Bon Appetit thinking when they included this place on their Best New Restaurants list? And then to put it on the cover?? Please. The Optimist is a terrific space with a good vibe and a very of-the-moment wine list. (The staff may be a little too hipster-coolio but that's par for the course.) The cooking, however, is ham-fisted. Great quality fish and shellfish gets clobbered with too much fat and too much salt in dish after dish. This is trendy dude food excess at its most dispiriting, and it spoils perfectly good ingredients. Ford Fry, who opened the place, is apparently a fancy chef, so it's too bad there's not a good cook in his kitchen. The Optimist leaves you wanting less.
(2)Jerry G.
Dined with the family recently. My first trip, the family had been to The Optimist before. Fish, fish and more fish.. That's not a bad thing mind you.. First up oysters.. Excellent.. Fresh, on the half shell, delicious.. For a main I had skate wing schnitzel. OK, the presentation side of the fish (the pretty side) was a bit over browned and the bottom of the fish looked like it hadn't hit the frying pan but the fish itself was excellently done.. Family had scallops that looked good, Vermillion Snapper and scallops that all looked equally as nice. Wine list is medium in length and a bit steep in price but, hey, it's an upscale Atlanta eatery so I didn't feel gouged.. Waiter staff is somewhat attentive.. Did the "let's pour out the entire bottle of wine on the first go around" trick but that's rather standard these days. At one point our server sort of "disappeared" and while I want to believe he was just giving us room to talk and sip wine I think he was really working other tables that he could flip faster.. More customers, more orders, more tips, etc. The restaurant itself is very tasteful but suffers from the trappings of the latest open architecture.. A conversation in a normal speaking voice is not possible. The prices were are a bit high but the presentation and quality of the fish is first rate. I would certainly go back next time I'm in Atlanta.
(4)Prisca W.
This is a pretty cool restaurant! This was my first visit, as I haven't hung out in this area in a while. I believe this building was previously an art gallery. But anyway, while I'm not a fan of oysters, the menu is chock full of other tasty offerings! The gumbo was pretty yummy! I'm definitely coming back with friends to sample more of the menu!
(5)Glynn H.
Have eaten there several times and had fantastic food and service. Could not ask for more. But are they still in business???.................have tried via email and phone to make a reservation but no email connectivity and no one is answering the phone or responding to left messages. I certainly hope they are still with us as they are one of the best in Atlanta.
(4)Heather H.
I really wanted to love this place. The restaurant is beautiful and luxurious in a relaxed sort of way. I went for lunch and then had dinner at the oyster bar and both times the food fell flat. The menu sounded amazing and enticing, you wanted to order everything. However, the execution was off. And what I ended up getting was a disappoinment., even their fresh "hot buttered rolls" were cold, hard, and made 12 hours earlier for an overpriced $4.
(3)Meredyth Y.
I have to give the Optimist five stars because the oysters are exceptional, and no other restaurant in Atlanta can match the Optimist's selection and variety. The rest of the food is still very good, but next time, I will go straight to the oyster bar.
(5)Joel Y.
It's the perfect date restaurant. All 10's on list Lighting Food Drinks Service Atmosphere Restroom The restroom one is important for me because I have gone to so many "nice" restaurants to be disappointed by the lack of thought given to their restrooms. But we had some great wine and the oysters. Not a huge fan of them but she convinced me to try some and I'm glad I did. They were prefect. Ruined me for all other oysters anywhere.
(5)Jen K.
Honestly, I do not understand how this place is so highly reviewed. The food was mediocre at best. I took about 10 people here for lunch during the week. We ordered the raw oysters (the only good thing I tried), the peel & eat shrimp (mediocre with old bay seasoning), the bisque (not good), some sides to share (also mediocre) and then our entrees. Not a single person in our group loved the food. Not ONE. So I know it wasn't just me. I had the lobster cobb salad. Frankly, I don't know how you mess that up. But they managed to do it. The salad sucked. The lobster looked limp and was just dumped on top. The dressing sucked. Just overall, the taste and presentation was mediocre. I will not be back.
(2)Tom D.
Delicious! The hush puppies are worth the trip! We had a party of 12 and everyone loved what they ordered, service was a bit slow, but like I said "we had 12 people" and it is a busy place! Get there early and have a cocktail.
(4)Barry G.
I'm kicking myself for not writing this review sooner. I actually visited the Optimist late in the summer 2012 and I was realllllly impressed. I'm a big fan of the Westside (my office is right over there) and the Optomist is an excellent addition to the fancy places starting to define the neighborhood. First impressions are huge here. the restaurant is beautiful. There's a huge dining room, huge bar and a smaller what appears to be a fish bar. We visited for an anniversary and were glad that we chose this restaurant. The menu is a perfect size offering several choices but not offering too much as to confuse or dilute the theme of the place. You're in a seafood restaurant. We found a table that worked out well for us (my fiancee, didn't like the first table....not sure why) and were introduced to our server. The food was excellent, we ordered oysters to start, as we tend to do wherever they are offered and were very impressed with the quality. As I recall 2 different types were on offer when we visited. One from the east coast and another from the west. It was great to really sample the difference and compare the texture & flavor of each. At this point it's worth noting that it was not cheap. Oysters are sold individually. This seems like robbery to those of us accustomed to the gulf where you can likely order them by the weight or half-dozen at very least. The premium cost was fortunately born out by the quality and selection of the oysters. Sadly I don't recall the entree selections of the rest of the tabel but I ordered swordfish which was fantastic. Everyone at the table was really impressed with their entree selections and the atmosphere of the place. Sadly I can't go into more detail as this was a few months ago BUT writing this review has helped me decide to visit again very soon. Look for an update soon.
(5)Will F.
Best restaurant in town. I've sat at the Oyster Bar 5 times and have always LOVED the food, my favorites are the Hush Puppies and the Swordfish. James, behind the bar, is great to talk to...my wife loves the specialty drinks he makes. One of the best bartenders in town hands down.
(5)Erica A.
I absolutely loved this restaurant! My boyfriend and I had reservations on a Sunday and they were surprisingly pretty busy since they were just voted best new restaurant in Atlanta. The hostess was warm, friendly, and greeted us right away. We got there early and she offered us to have a drink at the bar, or to be seated immediately. We decided to sit but it took a few minutes to be greeted by our waiter. I didn't deduct any stars for that since we knew they were busy. We loved that we could bring our own wine for a $15 corking fee. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was fun, the menu was diverse, and the service was friendly and not too "in your face". I would definitely recommend it to anyone going on a date or even just for a gathering of friends.
(5)Paul S.
I am a native Floridian. Seafood is my middle name. My wife and I went to The Optimist with very high expectations. We are light eaters so we shared some of the Oysters - which we phenomenal. The horseradish was not the normal creamy stuff, it was the true root and it was a perfect compliment to the homemade cocktail sauce that was served with the oysters. We then moved to a single main course, Redfish with cornmeal crust (very light dusting) with brussel sprouts. The side dishes were hush puppies (ridiculously good), beets with blue cheese and brussel sprouts. We had the beignets with a unbelievable sauce. They have a very reasonable corkage fee. The Service was some of the best ever. Excellent Meal - Will repeat!
(5)Johnston O.
Went for the first time last night, the food and atmosphere are excellent but our service was borderline awful. The food gets a 4.5, but the service was a 1. I go to restaurants for the food and very rarely rate for service; adequate service is all that I expect, but this was so bad it substantially affected the experience. Food: Oysters - half and half East Coast/West Coast - both were delicious and extremely fresh, it's nice to try both and really taste the difference Octopus starter - this was awesome, possibly my favorite part of the meal. Very spicy and cooked perfectly Mussels - these were great and fresh, but the bread was good for sopping up the sauce. More of a classic approach to mussels, nothing unusual. Monkfish - the monkfish was excellent - well cooked and great flavor. The description on the menu did not accurately describe it - I believe it only mentioned pickled fennel and onions, but it was served over tomato sauce with olives as well. Kind of a monkfish provencal, which I liked but was much heavier than I anticipated. Cocktails - very good and well mixed Service - It may be a product of a new or bad waitress, but we were ignored for the first 20 minutes after being seated. The junior server/bus girl brought us bread and poured water promptly, and luckily came back 15 minutes later when she saw that our waitress had not been by yet. This is understandable if the restaurant is crowded or understaffed, or if you're with a large party, but there were 2 of us, with plenty of open seats around and no one outside our area appeared to experience these problems. The service from our waitress was generally slow the rest of the night as well , with long lulls of being forgotten. This is only remarkable because she did not deliver any of the food, other staff did. I enjoy a long meal, but spending over 2 hours for 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 cocktails and a beer is a bit much. I plan on going back sometime in the not too distant future, hopefully this was just bad luck and if so I'll update.
(3)Foodie F.
Was expecting to not like this place after the disastrous dinner I had at King & Duke but here I am writing a glowing review. First off, the space is beautiful & very comfortable, like visiting your wealthy uncle's beach house. The food is also very good - for some reason I've found that brussels sprouts at most restaurants taste like gasoline but these guys are doing them in fish sauce & have managed to turn me into a full on enthusiast. I had some oversalted collards once but I am willing to overlook that on account of it being a singular experience. I will however shy away from a 5 star review because the bartender seemed a little disorganized & inattentive both times I sat at the bar which was a bit of a mood killer.
(4)caroline r.
Debating 2 or 3 stars on this one because the food was outstanding but the service was not good--spotty and terribly timed. We were at a table in the back corner and it sort of felt like they just forgot about us. It was 10min before our server came over and then our first round of drinks took nearly 25 minutes to appear. The waitress came to take our order before the cocktails had arrived, and one of us received soup about 10-15 minutes before the rest of the first course plates arrived. All said and done, we were there over 2.5 hours...a much longer meal than I had anticipated On a positive note, the food was so delicious. Between the 4 of us, we ate oysters, angels on horseback, scallops, halibut, sea bass, hush puppies, and beets. No complaints whatsoever about the food. On the whole, this restaurant has been open long enough to have worked out their service kinks by now. Had they opened a week or two ago I could be more understanding. If the bar and kitchen can't support service of a large restaurant at capacity then there are too many tables and the place shouldn't be so big.
(2)Roberta L.
We had dinner here for the second time - a Sunday night at 6:30p. I'm sorry to say it was quite disappointing in terms of the less than average service and the food was good but not special. I gave them a lower rating because of the service not the food. At a dining cost of about $75 per person I expect the service to be professional and finessed. * We were at the table a while before we even got water and then it was almost 10 minutes later before we were greeted by a wait person. The woman that poured the water did not acknowledge/greet us at all and she was a waitress. I expect to be greeted at the table sooner than 10+ minutes, acknowledge our presence. Those first few minutes set the service tone for the evening. * Server was pleasant albeit 'phoning it in.' We received salads and then had to flag him down for black pepper. A few of us had their version of a Caesar, the dressing was excessively salty from too many anchovies and not enough lemon....everyone thought it was bad. * Had to ask for bread and did not receive it until after our salad arrived. This is so basic. * Waiter never stopped by to check on our meal or if we had any other needs. But he cleared our plates far too soon during both the salad and the entrée course; it felt rushed and not relaxing. I also find it impolite to bus plates while others are still eating. * Please teach your servers how to properly serve wine and not let it drip all over the table. Carry a napkin to catch it... Everyone enjoyed their fish and the side dishes were very good but nothing was over the top delicious. And it's loud. Conde Nast Traveler - one of 'Top 70 best new restaurants in the world' - Really?
(3)Daniel T.
This place has two of my favorite things: a wood fired oven and seafood. I ate twice last week. They have only been open a few weeks. The service is very friendly and they are eager to answer my questions. My favorite items are the angels on horseback, fried oysters on little slabs of pork belly with mushrooms and a red wine fish bordelaise sauce: the garlicky clams are awesome with pork belly garlic broth, hot peppers: roasted carrot salad with a ginger vinaigrette: chilled roasted beets with horseradish and apple: beignet style hush puppies: and the soft shell crabs! All were really great. The duck fat poached swordfish was ok, but a little dry in spots. It was also a pretty small portion without sides so much as garnish and it was $24. Everything else was not only good, but a good value. There are two restaurants here, an oyster bar and a more elaborate restaurant. They have different menus. The oyster selection is better in the oyster bar section. The wine list is nice and varied. The bar selection is good with some interesting whiskies and tequilas. The one thing that raised an eyebrow was I was overcharged both visits. The angels on horseback were listed on the menu at $9 but rang up at $13 and the second time the bill had two bottles of wine and one glass when we had three glasses. Both times it was taken care of without incident or attitude. I am certain they were innocent mistakes but it is something to watch out for. I will certainly be back for more. With knowledgable selection, this place is a great value and can be a regular haunt.
(4)Tracy F.
Freshest oysters you can get in Atlanta!!! Great atmosphere. Attentive and knowledgable waitstaff. Def going back soon.
(5)K S.
perfection in every way. service: bustling restaurant, crowded and all but our server james was wonderful... attentive, wonderful recommendations, on top of it all. f ood: perfection. seriously we were a large group and therefore were able to taste a bit of everything... the she-crab soup was spectacular, the spicy grilled octopus was spectacular, the oysters were good, the wedge salad as good as it gets but unless you are craving leafs get seafood... and for the entrees... every bite perfection! the fish and chips were the best we've ever tasted. no joke. the seared tuna cooked just right. and the desserts! omg you can't go wrong!!! i'm not a merenge fan but at the optimist i am, and the apple strudel - wholly molly. don't forget the banana pudding... ha seriously you can't go wrong with anything on the menu here. oh yeah and even the design of the restaurant is perfection. pricey but worth it
(5)Mary Ellen B.
I ate at the Optimist and found the food to be mediocre and a let down especially considering the hype I had heard and the price. The bar staff was rude and had no desire to serve me a beverage. I have this two stars instead of one because my waitress was awesome.
(2)Alan K.
It's not often that you have a perfect evening following a hectic few days but we had a terrific evening at The Optimist as much because of the terrific food as because of the unwavering customer service and attention to detail shown by each member of the staff. The experience with The Optimist actually started earlier in the day when I called from New York where I had been stuck because of airline delays for two days. I had dinner reservations to celebrate our anniversary and with the connections and returning home there was no way that we could make our reserved time. Without hesitation the staff member on the phone offered 7:00 or 7:30 or whatever else would work for us. We arrived and everyone from the person who first greeted us to our wonderful waitress, Katie, we were treated like VIPs (although to be honest it appears that this is what they did for everyone). I spotted not far from our table another table where a noted Atlanta chef and restaurant owner was sitting with his party and the attention paid to them by the staff was no different than what we were treated to. The cocktails were fabulous as was their beer and wine selection. One of our favorite cocktails was the MOTHER OF PEARL, a combination of Death's Door Gin, Fever Tree Tonic Water, Fee Brothers celery bitters, celery salt/black pepper, fennel frond and celery leaf. Our server did a wonderful job steering us not so much away from some dishes as to some truly outstanding ones. Going back to the staff again, as we have all experienced at one point or another - you have wonderful meal only to have the experience ruined by one or multiple staff members who are just bad or perhaps having a bad night. Dinner at The Optimist was like visiting the Apple Store if it were a restaurant ... stay as long as you like ... talk to the staff ... meet your neighbor ....even play a little golf or Disney where the staff is always on since it is always someone's first time. The design and atmosphere were awesome as you can easily transport yourself to the beach or anyplace near the water that you want to be. As I said before, the food was perfect. Each dish came out hot, beautifully presented and delicious. We had oysters, figs, halibut, striped bass, mushrooms, hush puppies and dessert. I can't really describe the food other than to say it was excellent -- you really need to experience it yourself. In this day and age, especially with little kids (and having to pay a babysitter) no evening is inexpensive and when it's all said and done you hope that with all the money you spend that you have a great time ... we most certainly did here. Not only would I recommend The Optimist without reservation I would tell you just come and chat with anyone on the staff ... it will make you feel better about your day. The Optimist is clearly in our top five all time. Congrats to the staff and thank you.
(5)David B.
Ford Fry of JCT kitchen, Optimist has been recently ranked #1 esquire magazine restaurant in US. The design of this place is A+ and I heard it was done by local design firm. There is a putting green outside, raw bar area near the entrance, long drink bar in main dining area. The atmosphere is light and airy. The fish options on the menu were impressive. I have never seen speckled trout before at a restaurant. For appetizers we ordered bacon wrapped figs which were excellent and shrimp la plancha which were overcooked, chewy, and difficult to peel. I had a skin on red snapper with a simple salad. A rating on the fish and salad. I went back last night for drinks. I will definitely be back to this place. It has more to offer in atmosphere and menu with similar concept to Miller Union.
(5)Monica S.
So, not many restaurants open that often in Atlanta anymore due to "The Great Recession". That said, Atlantans flock to new restaurants the moment they open in desperate need for something new in their palate and (let's face it) to be a bit bourgeois, and claim they've "been there and done that". I am going to speak from two points of view. 1) from an event planner point of view as I had a private dinner for 15 last Thursday hosted at The Optimist and 2) from a normal patron,s point of view from my dinner with a few girlfriends celebrating a 30th birthday on a Saturday evening. To begin with, it's obvious The Optimist is a bit overwhelmed with the response they have received from the community. They haven't had a ton of corporations utilize their space, so their knowledge with food and beverage minimums and contracts are still being tailored as well as their response time (for Corporate America's point of view). However, AbbyKate (event manager), in the end winded up delivering as needed. The restaurant was flexible in my requests and constant change in numbers. AbbyKate also met with me unexpectedly the Saturday before my dinner to show me the space I had requested for my group and took the time to give me a tour of the space, which I greatly appreciated...especially considering how busy they were that evening. My internal client who the dinner was hosted for, thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and the food (albeit it was a bit slow...but they are serving 15 people at once, so that's a little expected for a new restaurant...which is why they push to order from a tailored menu as opposed to a la carte). Now, for the review you are probably most waiting for - my personal experience. The valet parking was atrocious. The poor valet has to work with a woefully inadequate parking lot and tons of impatient, hungry people. That said, if you can cab it, do so and be dropped off on Howell Street, not in the parking lot as it's hard to turn around. We managed to get a resi at 9:45 PM (made four days prior) and they made great timing in having us seated 10 mins prior to our reservation. I was a bit apprehensive when they mentioned the air conditioning was not working to it's fullest potential, but at least they told us on the phone when confirming our resi and were fully apologetic about it. Aside from the TERRIBLE noise level (all concrete), I loved the place. I ordered the east coast oysters (half a dozen) with the shoe string fries. Their homemade crackers were delish as well as the perfect, fresh oysters I slurped down eagerly. Our waiter was incredibly knowledgeable with the menu and helped my friends make their orders. While the sticker price is on the high side...everyone agreed that their meals were beautifully presented and well worth the price. I think it's funny when people complain about the portion size, because the portion size is exactly what we SHOULD eat and is healthy amount of food, but definitely not a Chilli's or Outback restaurant portion (nor should it be). I'll be coming again, as I love the Westside, the restaurant staff's professionalism and service...and most importantly they have the best oysters in town.
(4)Jo R.
Great service, great atmosphere, food just okay. Was told by so many I would love this place. I was really disappointed.
(3)Michael C.
One of my favorites in Atlanta. The octopus is phenomenal.
(5)Ronald T.
Optimal Opiated Optimism. Overly Overt & Overstanding. Oh, Oh, Oh was this an experience. As one pulls into valet, you would notice the regaling sounds of live music behind the mock mini-golf course. 1 star earned. Greeted well, and since we were guests of Chef Adam's we were seated front row center, almost on display in front of the inviting Chef Stations. 1 star earned.The Restaurant space provided a very open, yet cozy seating arrangement. After ordering our 1st bottle of Red, Chef Adam came by to greet us, and ensure us our time taken to spend with him would not be in vain. 1 star earned. We ordered 2 starters and were served 4 it was clear our experience was clearly going to be unique. 1star earned. Another bottle of Red and our service now had surpassed stellar and entering magical territory. The staff was attentive and thoughtful, at first I thought it was bcuz we were special, but soon I noticed that everyone in the restaurant was special, and THAT was special. Then came the Entrees, this was the coup. We ordered the Whole Haddock and the delectable Monkfish. It was accompanied by a Chef personally selected Citrus Sol. Best Flat Fish I have ever had. Hush puppies confit. Speechless. Overall, just Magnificent. For one not easily impressed, I was thoroughly impressed
(5)Pravin M.
They were out of a lot of food when we got there. Being from chicago I had some high expectations for this place, especially after the write up in esquire magazine. So I was destined to be disappointed. We had the oysters, and they were pretty good. the salmon was average, the ahi tuna was sub=par the quality of the tuna was sub-par. The hus-puppies were good, and the wine list was good. Nothing exceptional, except the ambiance. I would go back if I had to, but I don't have to go back.
(3)Amy P.
I would go again, older but wiser. This was a trip in 12/12 and the menu has thankfully changed since. Firstly, it was deafeningly loud on a Wednesday night. Just know the space is more like an airplane hanger than not. It was our 8 year anniversary and I made that clear in the reservation. The staff didn't make any acknowledgment of it, but no big deal. Cocktails were solid and our waiter helped me find something new served 'neat' (b/c why truck with ice?). There were two major letdowns in a three course meal: the octopus starter (which our server removed from the check w/out our having to even ask) and the chocolate cassoulet. The octopus was so tough I couldn't chew it. The thing with cephalopods is you have to cook them a long time or no time at all, in between they are inedible. We suffered through, but our server saw our discontent and removed the item even after we told him not to worry about it. Props! The swordfish entree is still on the menu, and as expected was a very firm cut of fish. It was good but kind of 'no nonsense' in spite of its lofty accompaniments . The chocolate cassoulet dessert was so sweet, gloppy and rich that it will forever remind me of desserts at Applebee's in the 90's. Nostalgia and memory can play cruel tricks. I was quite jealous of my neighbor's ginormous portion of fish and chips. Though that seems like a pretty pedestrian staple, it's probably what I'll have next here because of the surefire execution and value. I'll also second the lack of a proper pedestrian entrance. We parked on the street and had some confusion about where to enter. Service at the table was perfect for how busy it was. The front desk was crowded and a little sloppy.
(3)J. D.
I really want to give them 2.5 stars... The atmosphere, build-out, concept and patio all add up to one very impressive space. I sat at the separate oyster bar and we ordered off the menu there. Our bar tender was cordial, but sort of very serious and was strangely quite personality-free. I ordered the peel-n-eat Royal Red shrimp. Royal Reds come from the deep waters of the Gulf and usually are only available in the coastal resort towns in the region). The shrimp served to me were not Royal Reds. They were also completely covered with about a cup of dry seafood boil spice mix over the top. I have never seen cold shrimp served like this. Not only was it impossible to peel the shrimp with all this mess, the flavor was overwhelmed by dry spice. We sampled some raw oysters at $2.50 or $3.00 each depending on East or West Coast source. That's expensive for oysters, even in land-locked Atlanta. We sampled the sausage stuffed squid body as well. It was stuffed with a very spicy sausage meat that completely over powered the squid. The thick remoulade sauce was a poor match and added nothing to the dish. Some other little tweaks here would be appreciated. For example the oysters were served with home made crackers, a nice touch but they were too sweet and didn't allow the oyster flavor to shine. Traditional saltines are a better match as the bland taste is the perfect foundation for the briney sea creatures. I also didn't care for the cocktail sauce, it was quite sour. The addition of the freshly grated horseradish helped a tiny bit, but raw horseradish is quite a powerful thing. We tried the blackberry crumble for dessert. It was a nice dish but the thyme ice cream on top ruined it. The spice added a weird contrast to the sweet berries. Again, a simple vanilla bean scoop of ice cream would have been just fine here. The atmosphere and vibe of The Optimist is a traditional New England fish house. In the coming days I hope the powers that be here work out the recipes to better match that tradition. Don't reinvent the wheel, honor it.
(3)Christy A.
This place is wonderful and excellent fish and everything else. I like going for lunch because dinner gets very loud or an early dinner. It really is a great place. Never had a bad meal here or any of my friends. It is on the pricey side but worth it. It feels like San Francisco or Napa. Great atmosphere and the servers are always good. Don't forget to try the shrimp appetizer with the come back sauce. Yum
(5)Alan R.
Nothing specail. Really dont understand all the hype and how this palce is considered a top 50 in USA. Esquire, you are slipping. Just nothing at all to remark about. Wine list ok, service slow and not friendly. Went at lunch and not crowded and very slow service. Hard to get the wine ordered, even harder for that second glass. Menu very limited and just not the wow factor. I prefer Lure.
(2)Sharon B.
The Optimist is owned by the same company that owns JCT Kitchen, which is also in Atlanta. The food at the Optimist was great! I had the fish and chips and the size of the fish that was served was huge. Great ambiance and a good location. I would definitely suggest you give this restaurant a try if you like seafood.
(4)nancy m.
This was not our first dinner with The Optimist, however, with each dining experience my opinion goes down a notch. We had reservations with friends on Friday night, and agreed to go early to meet at the bar and have a drink. The bar service was very slow. When my friend's glass was empty, her glass was taken away instead of asking if she would like another one or something else to drink. My glass sat empty on the bar until we were seated at our table more than 15 minutes later. We reviewed the menu with our server and asked him what he recommended. He stated the swordfish was his fav, so 2 people ordered it. He came to the table a few minutes later, and informed us they were out of swordfish. My husband asked for the next best, and he recommended the snapper. A few minutes later he returned to the table and informed him they were out of snapper too. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AT A RESTAURANT OF THIS CALIBER-AND NEVER TWICE! Our meal was "meh". Then our server asked if we would like some dessert. We all declined and he responded "your loss". Not appropriate. In the past, we have raved about this place. But not now. We expect better service and food, especially at this price point. I'm not sure we will give The Optimist another chance.
(2)Oliver B.
Esquire magazine doesn't get it wrong. Best new restaurant in the country. This place is phenomenal. Been there several times including lunch and have been overwhelmed with the food. The service is good but highly recommend the bar for dinner. The mixologist is amazing. The food is bullet proof. Everything I've ordered has been off the charts. Having lived in many other major city's it's nice to feel like I'm in one. Prices are on par if not less than expected.
(5)Jerry R.
We absolutely love their lobster rolls and fries! Unfortunately you can only get that combination at lunch until 2:30. If you want it at night you have to order it from the cocktail menu and sit in the bar area BUT you are unable to get the fries that are so delicious. It is only served with chips which are no where near as good as the fries. Now if you want the fries you can order them in the main dining area. What a convoluted mess that is! Just be customer-friendly and don't make your customers jump through hoops that you have created to make your kitchen staff happy. Is it the staff who are paying to keep you open? I would have given them a very high rating for food alone; however they have a long way to go in being customer-centered! When discussing this particular issue with a manager in a very cordial conversation she was not willing to budge for the convenience of the kitchen staff. "They just get so busy," she said. Hmmm. Providing fries to the bar area? Sounds like a restaurant that doesn't have priorities in order. Pleasing kitchen staff OR customers. Go figure.
(1)Kai B.
This place has easily become my favorite restaurant in Atlanta! The food is AMAZING, especially the lobster roll in the oyster bar! The chowder is probably the best I've had EVER and I moved here from New England!! The servers are FANTASTIC, being in the restaurant industry myself (at another popular restaurant) I can tell the company put a lot of time and effort into the training because I've had almost every server and have always had a stellar experience. My overall favorite part has to be the atmosphere, I feel like I'm back on Cape Cod on the beach, it's so relaxing even when they're slam packed busy! I recommend this place to anyone who asks, it really is an experience!!!
(5)J B.
Hard review to write. Some parts of our meal were stunning others less so. On the bright side, the service was great. The young lady who waited on us was attentive and helpful and still not overbearing. Continuing on with the positive, dessert of chocolate mousse was great. Rich and flavorful but still light. Cocktails were very very good. My wife loved hers so much I had to go to the liquor store to get ingredients to replicate at home. With respect to side dishes, the hush puppy beignites with honey butter were very, very good. Jerusalem artichokes 3 ways was interesting, not sure we would order again but was interesting enogh that we are glad to have ordered them. Our entrees were very good with respect to flavor but very small. So while the flavor was definitely worth the price the small portions gave us pause. Neither of us were too impressed with our apps. Based on other reviews I should have gone with my gut instinct and ordered the she crab soup. So to sum up, I'm looking forward to my next visit.
(4)E B.
Another try at the request of friends. Same server who was excellent once again. Everything this visit was perfect and went off without a hitch.
(5)M T.
Was really excited to try this place based on all the media attention. Not sure if my expectations were too high, but it did not blow me away. I'm going to chalk this up to a lunch meal vs. dinner. The service is professional, the oysters were some of the best that I've had in memory and I'll be back to try the dinner menu once the crowds settle down a bit.
(4)Lolo H.
Having been on a bit of a restaurant tour of Atlanta for the past few months, I can say that the Optimist is the best of the bunch. Decor is pretty standard for Atlanta - that sort of hip industrial look. Service was excellent and not overly attentive. Drinks were fun and delicious. The food well prepared and extremely fresh, which is so important for seafood. NO ONE SHOULD SKIP THE SHRIMP A LA PLANCHA. It is amazing. Lobster roll was so good. I was not a big fan of the fried rice, but it is probably just a palate preference. We were stuffed but had desserts, which were also fabulous. Left the restaurant happy and full.
(5)Mom F.
We dined here after finally being able to obtain reservations. The food was ok - the fish was fresh and the taste was interesting. However, the price was outrageous. 28 for 3 scallops! The waitress said the side dishes were good for sharing....not so. 8 carrots for a side dish...really?? Won't be coming here again.
(2)Mick M.
Everything is very good just small portions. Its a bit pricey, but still worth it. If you only get 2 things....Octopus and lobster roll both best ever!!!!!! Only thing to bitch about if sit in dining you cant order from the raw bar.....thats dumb
(5)Chapman S.
The Optimist.. It's a rather appropriate name for the place because you have to be optimistic that you will be ordering a dish that this place happens to make correctly. Oh where to begin. I was coming to The Optimist on the invitation of a friend, my boyfriend, and several other friends for a party of 6. Apparently a friend said that they called ahead and were told that the earliest seating they could get us in on would be around 9:30; but we walked in around 7 and were told we could sit in either the 'tapas' styled menu bar area or the main menu dining room. We chose the dining room. The menu is small and gives you the option of the major seafood options. You will however find when you sit down, the menu is well ... rather pricy. Oysters well run you about $$2.50$$ A PIECE. Shrimp is 12 dollars for a half a pound. My boyfriend elected on getting the fish and chips (18$). The fish was very rich and if you like fish as such, you will enjoy it. The fries were made in a shoe string fashion and could be described as rather crunchy (to the determent of the dish). I had tried some myself and thought I have had much better; the bf also felt he has had much better as well. Fish and Chips should be served with steak fries anyway. More on this in a bit. I had elected to order the Seafood Gumbo with something called "pot luck" garlic bread. It was needless wrap in a busy piece of paper and string. The garlic bread was rather substandard. The bread was good but the garlic flavoring just came across as lazy. The gumbo... OHHH THE GUMBO. The gumbo was not gumbo. Some people might have reviewed this dish on here and liked it. More power to you but it was not gumbo. The moment I took a bite i could tell something was rather off. As a fan of Creole/Cajun, I believe they were going for the more Cajun variety in which the roux is almost burnt. A few bites in and the imposter 'gumbo' was giving itself away. It was flat and bland; I believe the chef (whom I can say for certain has NEVER been to Louisiana kitchen) tried to compensated for imposter gumbo by over spicing it. The issue the spice only kicks in the after bite and it fell flat on its face. I explained, along with two companions in my party our opinion of the imposter. They fessed up the roux was made with OLIVE OIL..... AH HA mystery solved. Roux is made with butter... and only butter. If this chef cannot make a good roux, he has no business putting this on the menu as gumbo. It was needless to say a major disappointment. Ok on to my next course. Shrimp. I got the half pound for 12 dollars. Sigh.. Ok well lets see here. The shrimp was very tender but sadly WAY over spiced. So much over spiced that I did not finish. Shrimp do not need to be this spicy.. they have quite enough flavor to stand up on their own. I would have complained but frankly I thought I might be pushing karma if I sent a second dish back. The highlight of the evening was some very delicious hush puppies with a very yummy sweet butter dipping sauce. They were the least expensive thing we ordered and because the wait staffed seem rather slow, we got them when we were pretty much finished with our food and they elected wisely (saving their tip) to not charge us for them. IF you get the chance be sure to order the push-pop key-lime pie, its rather yummy. A member of our party knew the pastry chef and we were given the range of their desserts on the house. They were all excellent. ALL and ALL, this place (other than the pastry chef) is run by a guy whom would rather serve you something complicated like over spiced shrimp or shoestring fries over the more correct steak fries and charge you something crazy for it than give you good down home seafood, made the way seafood should be. Skip it guys!
(2)Cathleen M.
This place is great, I travel to Atlanta for work and usually I stay within the Midtown area but The Optimist was recommended to me by a few locals in the area. The seafood is extremely fresh, the oyster bar is amazing, the service is phenomenal and the ambiance is great! Really what more can you ask for. Sara was a great server and very knowledgeable about the food and drinks offered there. She provided excellent suggestions. I would say this place is a must try if you are in Atlanta and off the beaten path of the usual Midtown/Downtown area. I had oysters, the whole GA white shrimp in a chile sauce and the arugula salad, all of which were very good. I will definitely be going back to try their entrees next time I am in town!
(4)Jeff C.
Went for lunch. Venue and vibe of restaurant were great. Service was excellent. However, my wife and I each had sable fish as an entree. The dish was virtually inedible--floating in oil and vegetables were mushy; tasted like bad diner food. I don't understand the hype about this place--very poor execution from the kitchen. Manager comped the bill and was quite accommodating but I won't go back.
(1)Marlon F.
Great oysters, great service, nice environment. Overall I give The Optimist 4 Stars. Only one complaint is that as a Georgia native I eat saltines with my oysters. I brought my own and have no problem with that. Good job! Add saltines to the mix and I'm a customer every week.
(4)Jian L.
it was great,very lay back place to eat.
(5)Mindy M.
Scallops with oxtail marmalade...Yummy! The clams were outstanding. The lobster cobb & Lobster Roll are to die for. The old salty dog is my new favorite cocktail. The space is beautiful. It is an absolute favorite!
(5)Gina C.
I've found my new fave restaurant! This is a sister restaurant to JCT Kitchen. I love the space, which is industrial with a touch of modern. We came for a lovely summer lunch and were immediately greeted by the sweet hostess. It wasn't overly crowded during a Friday lunch, so it was great to catch up with my bestie! We were first going to be seated along the booth, but the tables are so close to one another, so we asked if we could sit at a separate table. I started off with the she crab soup, which was creamy and delicious. My friend ordered the gumbo which I liked better. It was probably one of the best I've ever had. We each ordered a salad. I ordered the Maine lobster cobb salad with the dijon mustard dressing. I loved everything about the salad! It was a great summer salad! However, I asked for the dressing on the side and they gave it to me with the dressing already on it. When I saw it, it look like it wasn't drenched in dressing, so I took it. Towards the bottom of the plate there was too much dressing for my taste, so I couldn't finish it. My friend ordered the fried snow crab salad. It looked good. We also ordered a side of the hush puppies, which is a must. There were like little beignets. The butter that came with it was so good that I could eat it alone, but I had to tell myself that we are in a public place. We ended the lunch with a chocolate push pop, which brought me back to my childhood. Def splurged for our lunch date, but it was all worth it! My anniversary is coming up, so this would be a great place to try for dinner!
(5)Carey M.
Great atmosphere, good location. Service is descent, servers are pretty attentive, but not overbearing or annoying. Scallops and lobster gnocchi are delish! Flavorful food. Fun, lively place to hang out with friends and enjoy good food.
(4)Dorothy P.
Came here for a b-day dinner and it was the first time I've dined in here. I've eaten at the bar before and loved it (lobster roll was amazing!). Our reservation went smoothly. I hate it when you make a reservation and you still have to wait. I love the ambience, it does feel like the inside of a ship. We started out with the mussels (this is a must!)-delicious. Then for our main course we had the tuna and red snapper-both yummy. and for sides we chose the roasted beets (waitresses suggestion) and beignet hushpuppies. Can't say I liked the beets, mainly b/c I'm not a beet fan in the first place, but the hushpuppies were to die for! It's like combining my 2 fave starches in the world: hushpuppies and beignets. must get this. and for dessert we rounded it out w/ the chocolate cake and espresso ice cream. it was ok, a bit too rich for my taste. I think a lighter ice cream would've paired better with the heavy chocolate cake. For drinks I had the scurvy something and mermaid something, both were spot on. Overall a solid and delicious experience. Would definitely come back. The only reason I couldn't give it 5 starts was b/c I didn't like the beets and the dessert was too heavy. Nonetheless I love Ford Fry's creations!
(4)Eric L.
An absolutely amazing experience from start to finish. Perfect Anniversary dinner. The oyster appetizers are not just any fried oyster. Delicate softness and full flavor. Main courses were out of this world, but difficult for us to share because of the unique flavors in each. The wine recommendation from our server was spot on. We even went for dessert. Home run. Love this place for special occasions (only because of our budget). So many things to try, we could go back and score again.
(5)Annie B.
I really liked this place. The decor was awesome. Very relaxing and staff was great. I tried the lobster roll and though iit was tasty, it was very small for the $18.00. The app. was the hush puppies that are really treated as beignets. Dusted with powedered sugar and served with honey butter that is out of this world. Desserts were also a big hit at our table. Overall, it was a very nice dining experience and we will make the 35 mile trek again.
(4)Jennifer T.
Went with a group of friends for a birthday. Service was ok, nothing special. Drinks were good. Food, well some of us enjoyed our meals while others had to send there food back for the fish being under cooked. Staff did immediately take care of the problem. My grouper sandwich was pretty blah. Over all not terribly impressed for one of the best restaurants in Atlanta.
(2)Kim F.
My trip to The Optimist was nothing short of grand. We were quickly seated (had reservations, but that doesn't always mean you won't wait). My date is a frequent diner there but I had never been. He insisted we start with the shrimp a la plancha. I cannot begin to tell you how divine this incredibly messy dish was (you just have to dig in and pull the heads off, which was a little dicey for a woman who won't even buy chicken with the skin on it). For the next week I wanted to move to Atlanta just so I could have these more frequently. I chose the scallops for my entree, which was three very large scallops in a sauce that tasted to me like a cross between teriyaki and soy (I know that's not how they describe it, but that's how it tasted to me). Very good, perhaps a bit overpriced since it was accompanies by nothing. My date had fish, can't remember what kind, but it was delicious, not that that helps you since I don't know what it was. For sides we shared the basmati fried rice, which I definitely recommend, and the multi-colored beets, which were also good - I just expected them to be warm and they were cold. Not that we were still hungry, but lastly we had the beignets with bourbon praline and fired pecans. There could not have been a better end. Unless you topped it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The service and the ambiance were also first-rate.
(5)Gayle B.
Okay I have been wanting to try The Optimist for a while. We walked in and sat at the oyster bar, just thinking it was the only bar. We then switched to the bar inside the restaurant. The service at the bar was bad. The bartenders were right next to us. They never asked us if they could take our order. I ordered wine (3 times) that was at the "other bar" and they didn't offer to get it. Ordered the lobster roll (that too was at the other bar and we had to ask them to get it). It was delish! If I ever came back here, I would have a lobster roll and drinks. Dinner was meh. I had 3 scallops (thats's how many were on the plate - and they weren't huge). I've had better at lesser hyped restaurants. The bok choy (ala carte) was excellent. I honestly don't know what everyone else had, but the consensus was that it was another "trendy Atlanta restaurant." No dessert. I would try lunch here. Dinner wasn't bad, it just didn't live up to all the hype.
(3)Nush Y.
Considering all the great reviews I read for this restaurant, I was deeply disappointed by the quality of the food. Although the atmosphere was energetic and the staff knowledgeable, the food itself did not warrant the $100+ cost of the meal. The fried oysters we ordered for the appetizer were very over salted, and both of our entrees were just "okay." My boyfriend had the fish and chips, and I had the cornmeal crusted red fish. The fish and chips was heavily over breaded and over salted. My red fish meal, on the other hand, was incredibly bland. There was simply too much fish and too little red pepper jelly to flavor the meal. Dessert was good, we had the lemon tart with lavender meringue, but again it did not warrant the final costs of the bill. Perhaps we caught this place on an off night, but most likely I will not return anytime soon.
(2)Anne O.
Went to the Optimist a few days after their opening and was impressed! The staff was all very friendly and a great amount of teamwork was obvious. Kudos to the staff on that! As it is a new place, the service was a bit slow and wordy as they explained the concept, etc. It was also a bit difficult to tell who the servers were as there doesn't seem to be any uniform except an apron. Now, the food...It is so NICE to see a seafood house that truly has that as it's focus. Each entree is offered steak house style...protein on the plate and you order shareable sides. You can tell just how much love, time & attention went into concepting this menu. My faves were the duck confit swordfish. AMAZING!! The meatiness of the swordfish paired excellent with the confit, who knew?? The scallops with oxtail marmalade were another huge hit at the table. The oxtail was prepared perfectly and was not too heavy to cover the delicate flavor of the scallops. We ordered pretty much every side and the winners were the mushrooms and the gnocchi. The mushrooms were prepared K.I.S.S. and were perfect. You also can not go wrong with the lobster butter and corn the gnocchi was soaked in. Yum! I will be back again and again. Thank you, Ford!
(4)Brian B.
Wow is all I can say. It is expensive, but it was very very very good. The lobster roll was excellent. The beat salad was full of flavors and excellent. If I had to have a complaint it was the soup with whitefish had a salt sprinkled on the top that made it a little bit too salty, but still very delicious.
(5)Regina R.
Delicious!! My husband and I bellied up to the bar tonight after a day at the park and we were not disappointed. Michael took excellent care of us - recommending the classic punch which is akin to a top shelf long island ice tea and east and west coast oysters to enjoy. The wood roasted oysters were so plump and full of flavor. And what a surprise that they make their own saltines- waaay better than Nabisco! Great service, comfortable setting (The Optimist is fine dining, but the adjacent Oyster Bar is laid back, Miami Beach feel) and delicious food. Not a cheap evening, but certainly quality for the dollars spent. We will return!
(5)Jason L.
Wow - had an outstanding meal here. Nice drink menu, tried some kind of twist on gin and tonic, and later some wonderful draught beer. Started with east and west coast oysters, then onto the (duck fat cooked) swordfish. The sides were good, and I especially recommend the fried rice and the mushrooms. It's possible there was crack in the mashed potatoes they were so go, but not certain. Our server was knowledgeable and always there when she needed her. And on a Sunday evening the place was hopping at 8:30pm. Great place, highly, highly recommended.
(5)Liana H.
I have been to the Optimist 3 times now. I really want to like it but the bad experiences just make me not want to go back. Pros: - Atmosphere - a great building that has been redone inside, different from typical - Atlanta seafood joints - Nice servers - The Beignet-Style Hushpuppies are to die for! - Some of the other dishes are great as well (Fried rice, fish sandwich, long bean appetizer) Cons: - Often Pretentious - Overpriced, under-portioned - Charged a higher price than what was on the menu for a meal - 10% "gratuity" added to our $400 bill because we brought in a small birthday cake - The Oyster Bar will not serve many items from the main restaurant The first time I ventured to The Optimist was a Wednesday for lunch shortly after it opened. The place was practically empty yet service was slow. We had drinks and ordered the Beignet-style hushpuppies as an appetizer. These alone will make you go back even if the food is grossly overpriced and under-portioned. Our lunch was delicious but a joke in how small it was. We think American-portions are usually way too big so I look forward to properly sized portions in nicer establishments -- but this was entirely too small. I left feeling like I needed to have lunch afterwards. My husband had a lobster roll/wrap that he was overcharged for (and didn't realize until we had left so we didn't bother bringing it up). It was the size of a small hotdog on a bun, about two bites. The french fries were the small mini-stick variety like the dried kind you'd get out of a can at a grocery store. They were extremely difficult to eat and left much to be desired. I would expect a delicous fresh-cut flavorful fry from a place like this. My fish sandwich was absolutely delicious with flavors unique but not too out-there. Again, the portion size was just a few bites. I'd guess about 3-4oz of fish max. It was like getting a big slider appetizer. But there was only one on the plate. The second visit was to the Oyster Bar on a Sunday afternoon/evening. We met clients there and stayed a good while. It was a comfortable, casual yet nice environment. Uninformed at our previous visit that the "Oyster bar is a separate restaurant from the main restaurant and they do not serve the same food" I had been raving to our clients about the hushpuppies. It was a great disappointment to learn they would not serve us what we came for unless we moved to the restaurant. We were already comfortable and had part of our order already in.... the server thought the chef/management may make an exception... but it turns out they did not. Instead, I had to go to the bar in the other room, order a drink and our hushpuppy order "to go" and then bring it back to our table at the Oyster Bar. Any place that charges $6 for 6 pieces of fried dough you think would be willing to make an exception to their self-imposed rules and walk our order an extra 20 feet. I had to wait 25 minutes at the bar away from the rest of our group. The third visit was a Thursday night for dinner, party of 7. We made a reservation and when we showed up at 5PM the restaurant was nearly empty. Even with a reservation we had to "wait while we get your table ready." Hu?? I guess they want us to wait long enough to spend some money at the bar first? That's the vibe I got. We started off the meal with a bottle of bubbly to celebrate us 7 local small business owners getting through the holiday rush. We ordered long beans (delicious tempora-battered fried green beans with a dipping sauce) and the hushpuppies as an appetizer. Our party ordered a variety of entrees, soups, and seafood appetizers. No complaints on the taste but everything was small portions except the fish & chips which was enough to split. We also got an array of what they claim should be "family style" sides at $6/each. All of these were very good, but somewhat small portions if meant to be shared. 3 of the 7 were celebrating birthdays so we brought a small homemade cake, plates, and serving utensils. The server later brought us our check and we noticed 10% gratuity already added, so we added 10% more to make it 20%. As we were leaving the server informed us the "10% gratuity" was actually a "cake cutting fee." Hu? No one cut our cake nor served it it us. We certainly were not informed it would cost $35 for us to eat our cake there. Happy birthday to us, right!? We spoke to the manager on the way out as we didn't want the server to get stuck with only a 10% tip and her excuse was the server should have told us about the fee in advance. I was thinking of going here again in a week for my actual birthday, but I don't think I'll be returning. They took away the festive spirit of an otherwise wonderful evening. The Buckhead Life Group Establishments, Canoe, Rays, or Fifth Group Restaurants all have seafood and service that surpass that of The Optimist....
(2)Kira M.
I've dined here twice since they've opened and both meals have been excellent. The quality of the fish and seafood is excellent and the wine list has great selections for all budgets. While I didn't find any of the items tried mind blowing, surprising or overly imaginative, they were all very, very good. So far, we've tried the fresh oysters, bread, green beans, octopus, mussels, gumbo, tuna, whole sea bream (rare find!), and scallops. All dishes were a hit. The service is very good as is the atmosphere.
(4)Brian P.
Very good restaurant. Worth trying. I've now been twice and can recommend it. It is a little pricey, but the quality is excellent. The hush puppies and the Brussel sprouts alone are worth the trip. The octopus appetizer is spicy, but too small and not worth the $13 price tag. The mussels are very good, but the portion size is smaller than expected. The peel and eat shrimp were excellent. The seafood gumbo excellent. We had seven there for dinner this past Saturday night. The scallops were excellent, the trout excellent. The fish and seafood entrees were all terrific. Service though, was weird. Our waitress was really very nice, extremely articulate and friendly. We really liked her, but she made some garish errors. For example, my friend only ate a few bites of her fish, but the waitress didn't offer to box it up. Instead she put a dirty plate on top of it and took it away. When we pointed out her mistake, she got defensive, but did have a fresh one made to take home (only after some gentle prodding). Then, there were over $40 in desserts on the bill even though no one ordered desert. She said the prior party at the same table had ordered desert, but none of us understood this excuse. She took the deserts we didn't order off the bill. Overall we liked her a lot, and said nothing to the manager, but it was bizarre. Back to the food. Better than The Fish Market. Oceanaire has better portions, but I'd say the food was better at Optomist. Kyma is probably the closest comparator, but the Optimist is better because the room is more hip, not as stuffy, and the energy is significantly better. Overall, I'd say for a great place for a date, birthday celebration, or for business.
(4)Rob B.
The Optimist opened only six days ago, so I think three stars is more than fair for a new restaurant. From the minds of JCT and 246 - the space is just as cool as you'd expect (the bar is even cooler than its predecessors). Service was what you'd expect for a young restaurant, but the food made up for it. Cocktail- Mother of pearl Refreshing gin on rocks with celery salt. Good but not great. Starters- Fresh homemade rolls Dozen oysters Angels on horseback The rolls and oysters were both winners. Oysters are on the pricy side, but you get the freshness that you deserve. This will be my preferred oyster spot from here on. Angels on horseback missed the mark. Too rich and unbalanced components. Maybe they can tweak this idea to pull off a better result. Mains- Snapper with vidalia onion broth Skate wing schnitzel Snapper was the fish replacing the normal grouper dish. Fresh but too simple. Skate wing was tasty. I would certainly order again.
(3)Craig P.
Have eaten seafood gumbo in probably over 100 restaurants in my life. If its on the menu I will always give it a shot. The best is always and will always be found in NOLA but the bowl I had at The Optimist tonight was by far the best I have ever had outside of NOLA. Can't wait to back again to try the mussels.
(5)Jie Y.
nothing special, average seafood and good service
(3)Denise D.
I so wanted to like tis place since oysters are my very favorite food in the entire universe and I adore JCT Kitchen so I expected the standards to be similar. Not so. Loved the space...hip, noisy and fun. Server Nicole was helpful though I seriously doubt she cares for seafood or either knew how bad it actually was here because she recommended the hamburger for our entree (not a good sign if you ask me). I am just sorry we didn't listen. Fried oyster appetizer came and the oysters were cooked well, but they were those HUGE GROSS chewy kind that you could cut into 4 pieces. Just nasty. The remoulade sauce was tasty. My daughter had also ordered the oyster loaf because we love oysters, but that went completely uneaten due to the caliber of oysters.So on to the fried soft shell crab sandwich. The menu should have stated ...comes with a huge handful of shredded carrots and cilantro that overshadow any taste of crab whatsoever, you might as well order cardboard. Gumbo had no crab...just more of those disgustingly chewy oysters and one shrimp. Roux was waaay too dark if that is possible so I am guessing this was the night before's dish. I will say that the french fries with malt vinegar aoili were delicious. That's it. I am sad because this place is half a mile from my husband's business and we love having lunch dates. It's back to JCT Kitchen and Canoe for quality. Trust me, go to Serpas' if you want a decent fried oyster. This is so not the place. The wine was good. Pricey,but good. The day you see me pay 40 bucks for a dozen oysters on the half shell is the day I give up eating seafood for good. saw the lobster roll. It is the smallest thing I have ever seen, but I also saw the burger and it did look good. I have no idea how it tastes. Spent quite a bit for lunch to only like the fries. Can't see myself even thinking about returning here.
(2)Sandra M.
We ate in the bar, as we usually do. Never a disappointment. It was more than delicious. Service is friendly and knowledgeable. Atmosphere is friendly, people actually talk to each other! Food is prepared right at the bar in a wood fire grill. Everything was wonderful!
(5)J'aime La Nourriture O.
Enjoyed the decor. Fish & Chips just OK. The plate was piled high with lukewarm fries and a HUGE portion of fish which was full on batter but bland tasting fish. Not a fan of the menu selection being driven by where you are seated in the restaurant. I will return, however I will not order the same entree again.
(2)Grant D.
I had a great experience at the Oyster bar at the Optimist. The scene, decor, and atmosphere were great. The octopus was amazing and I've been thinking about it since I ate it. I considered ordering it again immediately. The service was just ok, but everything else made up for it. I will definitely be going back.
(4)L M.
Loved, loved, loved this place. Great atmosphere, amazing food & our server, Sara, was fantastic. Our party of 4 ordered oysters that were reported to be delicious, fried long beans were amazing & the shrimp la plancha - was beyond amazing. The sauce that the shrimp comes in - well, I could just eat that with a spoon. Sara, our server, was very helpful and knowledgeable about the menu. Gave great suggestion, helpful in selecting oysters (discussed difference between east coast vs west coast oysters), great info about the entrees. So our table had grouper, mahi mahi, snapper & halibut. All were delicious - but mahi mahi was the favorite. Maple sweet potato side was super delicious. Field peas were good, not great. Dessert - apple buckle was amazing, banana pudding was the only misstep in ordering - too much whipped cream, not enough pudding/banana - just not worth the calories on that one. Cannot wait to go back here & will most definitely be back.
(5)Chandler V.
we really like this restaurant - we have been several times and the food is good and the service is good too - try the fish sandwich and the gumbo - the manager is friendly and seems to take care that all of his guests have a great dining experience - save room for the desserts too
(5)Bianca C.
Actually 3 1/2, I'll have to try again to bump up. Hubby and I started with the she crab soup and lemon anchovy salad. His soup had a piece of hair in it, despite that it was sort of promptly replaced with another which he loved, especially the shrimp toast. I didn't care for the soup. I think the salad needed a little more dressing especially more of the lemon vinaigrette taste. Entrees: I had the scallops with braised oxtail. Yummy! All around good flavors but no flavors were too overbearing. Hubby had the swordfish with puréed cauliflower. We both thought this dish was just 'meh', not bad, not great. Probably won't order that dish again. We shared a a side of the curried fried rice which was very good and incredibly spicy, which we were not warned about and the menu didn't say. We shared the apple crisp desert, comped of course along with the HAIRY soup (I didn't put up a fight for a larger part of the meal because my hubby wouldn't let me). The desert was so rich and yummy. The drinks were good. We will be back to try some stuff at the raw bar. Wait staff was nice. Food came out in a decent time frame.
(3)Karen M.
Amazing seafood dishes. The octopus starter is small, but spicy and paired with cubes of watermelon for the fire and ice effect. Fried long beans are good for a table to share. The place is really loud. Snapper entree was just the fish. It was good, but fish portions here are small so order a side if you want anything else with your fish. Rolls were great, although very salty. Would expand the wine list to include Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Also allow lobster rolls to be sold on the dinner menu, not just the bar menu.
(5)J M.
Today was my first trip to The Optimist and I have to say, it is definitely worth your time and money to go. I went for lunch, and made a reservation on their website through a link to open table and highly recommend doing that, as they were full when I arrived on a thursday afternoon at 12:30. The restaurant is beautiful. bright, clean lines and open, light filled space.The staff is very pleasant and helpful. We didn't feel rushed at all-in fact, we had a 2 hour lunch and never once felt like the staff was trying to move it along and turn the table. I recommend the raw eastern oysters with house made hot sauce and house made wheat saltines for a starter. not only were they very fresh, but each oyster had been FULLY loosened from the shell for ease of consumption. the whitefish chowder was also very good and the gumbo is one of the best offerings. The lobster roll was fresh and airy-not slathered with tons of mayo like some other places tend to do. the lavender and lemon meringue with fresh honey comb was perfect for sharing and just delicious. Even the coffee was good, and that is saying a lot because in my experience, most southern restaurants serve exceedingly week coffee. it was bold and had a smooth finish. Allover, an excellent experience. I will be going back one night to visit the adjacent oyster bar where the menu had at least six different kinds of oysters on offer. As the warm weather comes, it is a great time to go because you can dine outside. they even have a mini putting green. The only drawback is the location-on howell mill road, right past star provisions, but directly across the street from the union st. mission. I felt a bit guilty coming out of the restaurant and walking through the banks of luxury cars in sight of the "working to eradicate homelessness" sign after paying $120 for lunch for two..other than that, a great time and worth seeking out.
(5)ted B.
My first (and probably last) dinner at the Optimist last night was very disappointing. We had reservations for 5 for 7:30. The first and biggest complaint is that the noise level is overwhelming. You cannot have a conversation with your tablemates unless you shout. I realize that "energetic" restaurants are trendy but this was the noisiest restaurant I have ever visited. My voice was hoarse by the time we left from shouting above the ambient noise and the music. The service was poor. We were seated after 8 for a 7:30 reservation. Then for 20 minutes we were totally ignored until we finally grabbed a waiter who turned out to be a trainee. He got us water and then disappeared. Five minutes later another waiter showed up and immediately started explaining the specials without asking about drinks. So it was a good 35 to 40 minutes before we got drinks. After that the service improved but there was no attempt to apologize for the bad start. The food was average at best. Oysters on the half shell were good but the mignonette was warm not chilled and much to vinegary. I ordered the scallops and they were okay but I have to say $22 for 3 scallops and nothing else is pricy. None of my tablemates was impressed with their dinners either. The halibut in particular was overcooked and bland. I would give this restaurant a C at best. There are much better restaurants in West Midtown than this--Bocado, Miller Union, and JCT Kitchen.
(2)Rex O.
#NAME?
(3)Rich K.
Everyone is raving about this restaurant so I hate to be a contrarian. We went there Monday night, 12/3/2012. Very nice open, modern decor, my only complaint is that the tables are very close together and you become part of your neighbors' conversations. My wife started with the frothy she-crab soup. It was very subtle, not what you'd expect in Charleston. For me the saving grace was the shrimp fritter that accompanied it for dipping into the soup. I had the grilled octopus salad. The octopus was absolutely covered in a paprika and other sauce so that it was difficult to actually taste the grilled octopus. Kyma, although not my favorite restaurant does a better job and more traditional job with this appetizer. For our main course my wife and I split the flounder. Absolutely perfectly cooked and delicious. We couldn't finish it and took almost half of it home, but it was absolutely awesome. Cooking fish is delicate and difficult business, and these guys do an absolutely great job. The flounder like a great last hole on the golf course, is what will bring us back again to this place. As sides we ordered the fingerling potatoes and turnip greens. Like the octopus, the fingerling potatoes were dripping with this paprika sauce and again you really couldn't taste the potatoes underneath. The turnip greens were fresh and clean, not overly cooked like you would expect in a southern style barbecue joint. They were sweet and we enjoyed them. For dessert we had the lemon tart with lavender meringue and honeycomb. Absolutely delicious. The lemon taste with the lavender was so interesting. Not sure I understand the honeycomb on the side but we dipped the desert in the honey. I would be curious to know the rationale behind the honeycomb with this dish which clearly didn't need it. To drink we split a bottle of the Rose Cremant, sparkling wine at $55 for a bottle which sells for approximately $20 retail. So not so bad. Without tip, our bill came $139 for two. I will definitely come back to this restaurant solely based on their ability to prepare fresh fish. Last night I had dinner at Hal's with a couple that had similar observations, except that their sweet potato fries/chips were crispy on the outside and not cooked on the inside and corroborated my feeling about the octopus salad. However like us, their yellowtail tuna was expertly prepared. Unlike us, they went to the restaurant early on a Saturday, enjoyed the putt putt and outside ambience before having dinner and had a really great time. I would be curious to hear other people's comments on the appetizers and side dishes. I was thinking about trying the tiny clams in garlic broth and the smoked fish soup.
(3)Theresa N.
They do have the best oysters in town. And the food is great as well. But the service is not what it should be for a restaurant of this quality. We've been here twice. The first time our server treated us like she was too good to serve us. This time our server was good. But when our food came out....my sister's food came out first...with our sides....then 5 minutes later my friend and my fiance's...and then five minutes later...my food. And five minutes is being generous. And nothing was said other than a quick rushed apology from our server. The only saving grace for our server was we could see him getting stressed urging the kitchen to get our food out.
(3)smacksmackgulp K.
I think all in all, a 3.5/5.0 experience, but I'm rounding up due to the fact that it's still early. Been opened, what, 2 months now, max? Had a girls' night dinner with two others. The positives - tasty, fresh, non-gulf oysters with a delicious vinegar mignonette sauce. We got a dozen, half East Coast, half West Coast. Very good bread/roll service, could eat those till the cows came home: yeasty, buttery goodness. BEAUTIFUL, open dining space - and I love the Oyster Bar side as well...very retro-fun decor. Service was quite smiley and eager-to-please. Did not rush us, even though we stayed past 10pm just chatting and drinking wine. The scallops were cooked perfectly, and the beet salad was yummy. Good wine selection too. The not so good - while nice, the service was still a little stumble-y. The server wasn't exactly sure where the oysters that day came from (other than knowing East Coast/West Coast). Mind you, this isn't the usual douchey, "where exactly was this chicken raised? Free range? Heritage?" Portlandia b.s. The breed of oyster actually lets you know what they're going to taste like. A Fanny Bay tastes waaaay different from a Malpeque, that tastes way different from a Kumamoto. And the Optimist has raw oysters as a specialty, right? Its prices reflect that ($2.50 - $3/per oyster), so the servers should know the daily selection verbatim. When the oysters arrived, they were just plunked down by a runner. No explanation which side was from which coast, and we had to flag someone down so they could tell us. We were also 1 short of a dozen (although once we brought it to their attention, they brought out four more, which was very nice of them). The oxtail reduction next to the scallops--while the sauce itself was nice--it had dry, tough pieces of oxtail. I've cooked oxtail before, so I know the reduction needed to just cook a touch longer to loosen the tendon of the meat. The gumbo was a little too salty, but the spice was nice. The mussels were fine, but have had better made at home. The price point was that of a nicer restaurant, so I would like to see a little bit...more. But very promising. I would go back...after all, I'm an optimist too :P
(4)DoAnn B.
I was so excited to try the Optimist for lunch. After arriving, the hostess said we had to wait 10-15 mins although 60% of the restaurant was empty. After sitting down, it took our waitress about 10-15 mins to come over to bring us water. I really wanted to try the lobster roll but decided to go with the shrimp po' boy instead (we both did). BIG mistake. After ordering, it took about 10-15 mins to get our soup, which is fine. No biggie. But after the waitress picked up our empty soup, it took another 20 mins to bring us our sandwiches. There shouldn't be this much time in between courses, and especially during lunch. Them, when we both bit into our sandwiches, the shrimp were incredibly tough and dry. I waited all this time for an inedible sandwich. I seriously took one bite and couldn't eat anymore. I could understand if I waited forever and the sandwich was delicious and cooked correctly, but in this case, I waited a really long time and ended up with a sandwich I couldn't eat. The waitress picked up our sandich not even wondering why we barely touched it. I should've said something but by that point and 2 hours later, I just wanted to get out of there.
(2)james e.
We were right on time for our 8:30 reservation but were told we would have to wait a few minutes. No problem, but 50 minutes later we were still waiting and watching others just walk in and get seated. So after spending $76.00 plus another $14.00 tip on a dozen oysters and four rum sangrias we left
(1)Betty R.
Took my folks here on Friday night in honor of Father's Day - but my super hip dad had already been twice (he loves the place)! The space is fabulous - really beachy and laid back but still upscale. Biggest non-food/drink complaint - the chairs are so very uncomfortable - I had a sore back for the rest of the weekend. Service was a little spotty, but generally available and helpful. Cocktails were good (I had a strawberry basil punch and the Old Salty Dog), and the wine list was surprisingly accessible. For apps, we had oysters (yum), the fried crab roll (really tasty), and the "angels on horseback" (parents loved, but for me, at a seafood place, you can keep the pork belly). We had four different kinds of fish for entrees - tile fish, skate, grouper, and halibut - and everything was delicious and cooked perfectly. The pickled ramps with the tile fish and the sauce with the halibut were particularly notable. We got shoestring fries, gnocchi, and carrots for sides, and they were all very good - the fries come in a HUGE portion, but somehow they disappeared (along with the tasty malt vinegar aioli they came with). Desserts were a disappointment all around - the only thing keeping The Optimist from a 5-star review. We tried the chocolate "pop tart," the blueberry pie, the grilled pound cake, and the grapefruit tart. I didn't try the pound cake, but everything else left me cold - they were technically perfect (for example, the crusts/pastries on everything had wonderful texture), and they were presented beautifully, but there wasn't a whole lot of flavor to speak of. The grapefruit tart, for instance, didn't taste like grapefruit unless you actually landed on a piece of the candied grapefruit garnish. Next time, I will skip the sweet stuff and order another round of cocktails and oysters!
(4)Dillon O.
It's NOT all that. First of all the physical space is open, very loud and warehouse-like. I get it -- it's trendy; however, I just don't care for it. Service was excellent but the food was OK at best. I ordered the fish & chips expecting a couple pieces of fish and thick traditional chips. Instead there was one big piece of fish and the "chips" were shoestring potatoes. Both the fish & so-called chips didn't taste of anything much except grease. I'm sure I could have gotten better at any pub and probably much cheaper than the Optimist's $20 price tag. On to dessert -- I ordered the lemon meringue tart. It is a mound of overly sweet very heavy meringue with a very thin layer of lemon curd and a thick crust -- simply hideous. And I love just about any kind of dessert but this was by far the worst I've ever had -- at $8.00, no less. I would never go back to the Optimist -- it's your typical over-hyped, over-priced, trendy BS Atlanta restaurant.
(2)Travis R.
The food was good, but the service was abysmal. 8:30 reservation, sat at 9:10, didnt get out till 11:45! It was brutal waiting 20-30 mins between courses and the server's attitude almost felt like we were the problem. Won't go back.
(1)Kelly W.
My boyfriend took me to The Optimist for my birthday dinner, which I was very excited about since I couldn't wait to try this new hot spot. I have to say I was intrigued from the minute we walked up, spotting the small putt putt golf area for while you wait for a table- cool. Love the atmosphere here, feels intimate when you walk in, but when you turn the corner to head to your table the space opens up dramatically to the super tall ceilings, awesome bar, and open kitchen concept. It was packed on a Wednesday night so I was glad we had a reservation. We had probably the best table in the house, a large booth for the two of us, positioned in the back which was perfect to watch everything that was going on. Service was excellent, and I enjoyed looking over the fun cocktail list. I stuck with a classic, the salty dog while my boyfriend sampled a few beers. Everything we ate was fabulous. Started with oysters, of course, and they were fresh and came with all the fixings. Then we had the octopus with watermelon- I was hesitant about this but it was AMAZING. I also tried the she crab soup that came with these yummy shrimp toasts. For our entrees, I had the duck fat poached swordfish that I pretty much devoured, while my boyfriend tried the lamb belly. Also a winner! Overall we loved this place and had a great time. We will definitely be going back.
(5)Richard R.
I was in the area for some research and development. As a chef from Louisiana, I have to say that the gumbo was incredible and authentic Cajun gumbo not New orleans gumbo. Oysters were so fresh and delishes. The price for the oysters seem to reflect that they are not gulf oysters but flown in from east and west coast. Ambience was great as well as the service.
(5)ZsaZsa E.
My dining club attended this restaurant at the recommendation of a friend. She raved about a few dishes she tried a while ago. The venue is very nice, comfortable and visually interesting, was great for a warm spring day in Atlanta. The valet service was definitely a perk.... Drinks were delicious and unique, the Spanish style charred octopus, kale salad, and fried oysters were a hit with the table. The Monk fish, chicken, and curry rice were just average, nothing to rave about. Service was amazing as well. No complaints there.
(3)Sadiha A.
Love! Love! Love! This was my second time going there and I have wanted to go back since the first time I went. You cant make reservations for more than 4 or 5 on open table so it seems like there are never any open reservations. Call them! Not only is the food amazing, the service is outstanding. Also, the people working there add to the eye candy ;)
(5)Michelle K.
This place gets better with every visit. We recently visited this beautiful restaurant to celebrate an anniversary. It was the place where we first met and we both thought it was fitting to return for a romantic dinner. My first impression of this restaurant was A. it's worth the drive to W. Midtown and B. their patio set up rocks! I was very pleased with the mussels appetizer during our first visit together and catching up over drinks by the tables near the bar is quite nice and a lot quieter than the main dining area. The bar here is so nice and I look forward to returning and just sitting at the bar while snacking on appetizers and enjoying one another's company. Dinner here was quite memorable. I had the grilled mahi entree and it was far better than I could've imagined. I rarely order fish entrees when dining out since I'm a major carnivore at heart but when I do, I have pretty high expectations. My fish was perfectly cooked, flavorful and the portion size was great. The boyfriend ordered the swordfish cooked in duck fat. "Duck fat" must make everything taste 10 times better because his swordfish just melted in your mouth! Highly recommended. I was intrigued by the "Gentle Reminder" cocktail because it had watermelon listed as one of its ingredients. One sip later, I was eager to share with my man because the combination of the watermelon puree and whiskey plus other ingredients that I can't remember right now, made my drink savory and sweet. Our dessert was the "hot dog bun" one with peach ice cream, blondie mini squares and toasted coconut flakes. Who knew that toasted coconut flakes would taste so good with ice cream?! It was pretty fantastic to say the least and this is coming from a non-dessert person. Service was fantastic so much so that I was very happy to leave her a nice tip. The main dining area is very loud on a busy night but the food is so tasty that you don't really mind it much. If you're bothered by such things, then I recommend asking for a table near the bar area. Not sure how that area is on a Friday night but it has to be quieter than the main dining area. After dinner, we spent some time lounging on the patio which outlooks their valet service and entrance to the restaurant. Between the comfy lawn furniture and hanging lights from the trees, it's the ideal romantic setting or relaxing ambiance when out with your friends. We both look forward to returning again soon enough to enjoy other menu items and of course the patio.
(5)Thu M.
Oysters were Amazing. The attentiveness of the staff, as well as the ridiculous line and the "stand by the bar and maybe you'll get a seat at the bar to order food that's not on the full menu" ordeal was beyond me. Yes, the food we had was good, but they are not worth standing around like a food hooker beside a bar of happy gluttons who planted themselves on their stools for the long haul. We sat at the oyster bar, where service was slow and spotty. With all the other happy hour places and oysters with no lines, you'd only come here to experience the ambience from a spectators point of view. I really wanted to try the dirty shrimp.
(1)Mark B.
I have been to the Optomist before and I apparently did not review. My wife and I went for our anniversary dinner. We arrived to a traffic jam. Right now with all the construction the valet parking is a mess! I hope it gets better because coming and going was quite a wait. There is also a $2 fee. We were seated promptly in a nice comfortable booth. The Optomist is lively and I must say a little loud. We ordered cocktails and oysters to start. The oysters arrived but they did not bring the correct number. They were OK nothing special. Also ordered the octopus, the server recommended the version that is served outside at the oyster bar. It was SO tender! Outstanding, the best I have ever had. The cocktails took quite a while to arrive. They just seemed so busy. That being said our server seemed to be rushing us. Next we ordered shrimp toast and a New England shrimp roll. The shrimp toast was flavorful with some fresh pickled items. The roll was not good. Nothing New England about it other than the bun. We decided to split the duck fat poached swordfish and short rib. The dish was good although it did now wow me as something really special like the octopus did. It was a good idea for surf and turf. All in all I enjoyed my first trip a couple years ago to the Optomist better. On that trip we sat at the oyster bar and hour waiting on a table inside. There are items and drinks that you can only get there such as the punch. It is open air and usually has entertainment. I also do not remember the inside being so loud. I am talking about the music and people. The dining scene on the Westside has gotten very trendy and hip. I am sure the Optomist has got to keep up. It just did not give me a feel of fine relaxed dining. The quality is there so it is definitely 4 stars but is is pricey. You hate to be rushed. It was a good meal and I would definitely recommend the Optomist for seafood.
(4)Nauman B.
Trendy eatery nestled in the heart of west midtown area. If food was the only criteria that makes a restaurant top notch then Optimist wouldn't make it on the best restaurants list in Atl but it's the whole package that certainly makes it among the best. Extremely friendly staff, trendy ambiance with a full bar that creates great cocktails. Great for a romantic evening or family/friends event.
(4)Kristie A.
One of my all time favorite spots and definitely the place to visit when you're in Atlanta! Second time in and it was amazing once again. I ordered the Lobster Roll and it was by far one of the best I've ever had, roll was perfectly toasted, small amount of celery and the lobster was stacked high on the roll in huge chunks!!!
(5)Molly T.
Just had a terrific time at The Optimist's oyster bar after a long hiatus from the establishment...the oyster shuckers were friendly and attentive, and our server Gary went above and beyond to ensure our experience was top notch. We enjoyed the hamachi dish from the raw menu as well as 5 different varieties of oysters. The cocktails were great, loved the tiki feel of the drinks, and Gary helped me choose a glass of dry rosé with a taste of 2 varietals. Wish we had a server as professional and personable everywhere we went! Be back soon for sure.
(5)Daniel B.
Atlanta chef-owner Ford Fry opened The Optimist, a now very popular local seafood restaurant, in Westside (West Midtown) Spring 2012. Fry also owns nearby JCT Kitchen, King + Duke in Buckhead, and No. 246 in Decatur. JCT and No. 246 are excellent restaurants, among Atlanta's best, so it shouldn't have surprised me when I found The Optimist right up there with them. The Optimist is named after a sailing dinghy. The restaurant is located in an unassuming part of Westside near other hotspots such as Bocado, Le Fat, Bartaco, and Miller Union. Outside, the restaurant has a small lawn with lawn chairs, small table seating, and 3 holes of mini golf. You can grab putters and balls inside from the hostess. The restaurant doesn't look like much from the outside, but the inside is awesome. It's divided into 2 areas: (1) the oyster bar and (2) the dining room. The day's oysters are on display at the oyster bar and you can only eat most of these oysters at the bar. They aren't available in the main dining room. If you eat at the bar, you can watch the oysters being freshly shucked. Also at the bar is a wood-burning oven decorated with octopus tentacles. There's small table seating in the "oyster bar" section of the restaurant, so you can have a quiet meal there if you want. Most of the action happens inside the large dining room. It's a very cool-looking, open, and tall space with a viewable kitchen on one end and a beautiful, lit-up bar on the other. One thing I really like about the layout is there's not a bad seat in the house. Every seat has a good view. Like No. 246, there's a finishing table in front of the kitchen. On a busy day/night, which is pretty much every day, the tables are tucked cozily together. You may be sitting very close, within point-blank earshot, to those dining next to you. The atmosphere is loud (but not too loud) and energetic. The individual restrooms have a playful design with numbered doors, like a game show. Like many of Fry's restaurants, The Optimist's menu is seasonal and constantly changing. Your favorite dish from your last visit might not be available on your next visit, but one constant is certain: seafood. Oysters, shrimp, crab, scallops, mussels, octopus, squid, and all sorts of fish prepared in any number of ways, from raw to cooked. Most of the fish is wood-roasted. Prices are expensive. A single oyster will set you back about $3.00-$3.50. Roughly speaking, appetizers are $8-14, fish entrees $25-30, and desserts $8-10. A multi-course meal with drinks adds up quick. Everything I've tried has been phenomenal. It includes: East coast oysters from Quivett Creek, MA West coast oysters from Sister Point, WA Mussels with green curry broth, bird's eye chili, and herbs Georges Bank Scallops with smoked shortrib and brown butter chicken jus Monkfish with summer corn relish, pancetta, and blistered shishitos Boston cream pie, vanilla ice cream, cocoa nibs The east coast oysters I tried were larger and brinier than the west coast oysters. The smaller west coast oysters were sweeter. Both types were fresh and succulent, melt-in-your-mouth quality. If you really like oysters, order a sampler. The oysters come with fresh horseradish and housemade mignonette, which is cilantro heavy. Almost everything at the restaurant is housemade, except for two types of bread. The dinner rolls are out of this world. They are served buttered and salted. The outside of the rolls is buttery and consistently crispy, while the inside is fluffy soft. To date, best dinner rolls I've had. The mussels are served in a green curry broth, which I believe has coconut milk too. The bird's eye chili (Thai chili) and herbs (basil) give this app an obvious Southeast Asian flair, like Thai coconut soup. The mussels are plump and the broth is delicious on its own. A slice of buttered toast also accompanies this flavorful dish. The scallops are spectacular. Slightly charred and cooked in a sweet, semi-thick brown sauce, the silky smooth scallops pair well with the savory short rib slice. Green and purple muscadines also accompany this dish to add a layer of fruity flavor. Monkfish is sometimes referred to as the poor man's lobster because of the fish meat's lobster-like consistency. It's a white fish that's certainly meaty. The corn relish is refreshing. Two spicy Japanese shishito peppers are served with the fish. A Boston Cream Pie is a cream-filled, chocolate-frosted cake. The Optimist's version includes a scoop of ice cream and cocoa nibs, which are raw, unsweetened chocolate chips. If you're looking for a good cocktail, the Damson in Distress has 4 types of alcohol: plum-infused Lunazul blanco, Damson Gin Liqueur, plum bitters, and Prosecco. It's tangy and doesn't taste strong. This is a great restaurant for special occasions and to take out-of-town guests. Reservations are recommended. Book on OpenTable for free dining points. Valet parking is complimentary.
(5)Lawrence C.
I've been here a few times, and yet apparently I never provided a review, until now. It's been one of our favorites in Atlanta, and we have fond memories of each dining experience. HOWEVER, regrettably, I must DOWNGRADE the restaurant to FOUR stars. Note that they started out as FIVE stars, years ago, when they first opened. The food is well presented (see photos), yet the portion size has decreased (I would have preferred a larger portion and higher price----or waiter to promote another appetizer instead of us getting one to share). We shared the Softshell crab for a starter, $16; and our mains were Wreckfish w uni butter, $26; Striped Bass, $26; side order of Snap Peas, $6.50. Dessert to share was the chocolate mousse cake, $8. The flavors are all well balanced and tasty, yet lack that WOW factor. The service is good, for the most part, but overall the wait staff is a little too relaxed and quick to move on (This was observed at numerous tables). The environment is average on summation; exceedingly noisy as a result of the tile flooring and high industrial ceiling, even when the restaurant is not full, as on this recent Saturday night. One of the two bars provides the effect of a wall on one side of the dining room. The spacious dining room with open kitchen in distance is a plus. There is a good selection of wines by the glass, at varying prices ranging from $9-$25.
(4)Brigitte B.
Cannot say enough good things about this place! From the ambiance, to the service, and (most importantly) the food...everything about The Optimist is top notch! My boyfriend and I visited The Optimist for the first time a couple months ago. I did some research on Yelp for menu recommendations prior to our reservation...here's what we decided on: Appetizer: Shrimp a la plancha..amazing! Whole, local shrimp in a delicious chili butter sauce. The sauce was definitely the highlight of this dish. It was rich with just the right amount of spice. The shrimp are served with a piece of buttered toast to soak up the remnants of the sauce, which I highly recommend! A messy, but delicious start to our meal. Entree: Duck fat poached swordish: The fish was tender, juicy, and cooked perfectly. When I had this dish, it was served with bacon and sauteed strawberries in a light sauce. For the sides we ordered the "beignet style" hushpuppies (which I read raving reviews about) and the collard greens. The hushpuppies are out of this world! They come served with powdered sugar and honey butter on the side. Overall, I absolutely loved The Optimist. It is not a cheap meal, but in my book it is completely worth the price. I will definitely be going back!
(5)Andrea A.
This review is about a napkin. Yesterday I had a late lunch at The Optimist. I've dined there dozens of times before and this time I enjoyed my food too much to write about it. The pleasure of the Key Lime Pots de Crème alone was like a moment shared between lovers. I dare not kiss and tell so let me tell you about the napkin instead. After a couple minutes of sitting comfortably in a booth, it occurred to me that the napkin in my lap was black. The sea of napkins adorning the other tables were bistro-style--white with red stripes. There wasn't another black napkin in sight. I asked the waiter, "Did you swap out my napkin so I don't get white napkin lint on my black pants?" He laughed knowingly. Of course. I appreciated the fact that he didn't want me to leave the restaurant looking like a Dalmatian. It sounds elementary but little things mean a lot. I didn't even have to ask for a replacement and that's the level of detail and attentiveness that I have come to know and love from The Optimist.
(5)Jen H.
I've been here a couple of times but my experience yesterday was so worthwhile I needed to write an review. It's quite hard to find a decent seafood restaurant that serves fresh seafood with delicious flavors. I came here to celebrate a birthday and everything we ordered was exceptional. This is one of the best natural lighted restaurant and I love the atmosphere. Our server was very knowledgeable and great at explaining all the difference between the 12 types of oysters and the menu. We had all of the types of oysters, the octopus starter. Then for entree had the grouper, lime flounder, duck fat swordfish and lobster roll. I never thought you could treat oysters as a wine tasting event where you eat one and reflect on the flavor of the oyster description, who ever writes their oyster menu is amazing because I could taste every flavor described and also realize what type of oysters I'm more interested in eating. They did a phenomenal job on the octopus, it had a kimchi finish and a slight heat but the octopus itself was tender and not tough at all. I personally loved the duck fat poached swordfish. I've never had swordfish that was so succulent , pillow liked soft and flavorful. The brisket pairs really well with the fish. The cocktails were also tasty. As you can tell I loved my experience here!
(5)Carrie Neal W.
After three years, I made a return visit. Lots to say- from the errors in my first review (ie, unless the fish and chips really was haddock then, though it's cod now...) - to taking my parents for a visit I thought they'd love, to trying different menu items and more. First, I am kinda sorta between a 3.5* and a 4+* - so the subjective CN algorithm settles on a 4.* This could be a mini-novel, so know you were warned. The service was great- Adam has a good personality, and while he was a bit long-winded, he did a great job with details and such (he stopped juuust short of describing everything on the menu and saying "it's all good,") and his presence was consistent but not intrusive. A perfect approach since I think it was obvious the three of us were focused on each other and having great conversation. The food was kind of up and around. They still have those delicious rolls - yay! I liked the yellow tail starter (the pineapple mixed with the fish was great), and we loved Dad's fried oysters. I have always been wary of any kind of oysters, raw or fried- but loved the kind of parmesan/sesame (?) crust and the wonderful sauce. I would definitely get these again. Dad's entree choice was also a winner - the trout was deliciously tender and well-flavored. I only got a small bite (he'd have given me more but it would have been selfish to ask) and I would definitely get this next time. The ice cream cookie sandwich was delicious as our dessert- we all enjoyed the peanut butter ice cream/oatmeal cookie package (I think I got that combo right- we did have a lot of food...) was perfect with the not-cloying pb ice cream and the soft-ish cookies... Mom got the fish and chips people highly love (and my friends tried last time). Mixed reviews here. If I recall correctly, a few years ago the "chips" were fries not potato wedges; the current po-tah-to version is decent, not that mushy-center-kind, but ... not as good as frites. The cod was lightly battered and ok-flavored, and still a very generous portion. I did like their version of a tartar sauce with a twist. Overall - impressive because it is a large dish but probably something I would just try once. I did not enjoy my grouper. I decided to go with it vs the hangar steak (I'd been in the mood for that, but thought I'd keep in the seafood theme since I had steak last time), and thought it would be a tender, simple entree with the lemon, olive oil and rosemary (?). The flavor just wasn't quite enough but more noticeably, it was just too tough. My parents love hush puppies and thought these were ok, yet surprisingly sweet; my Mom is no rube but she did remark "wonder if these are meant more as a dessert..." I love mushrooms but there was just something uninspired by these. Not tough, not soft, not well seasoned (Adam explained that each type is cooked separately, bc different types need different cook times...I didn't know this so, hmm...), overall just ok; I'd try the asparagus next time. And, to wrap up the not-so-great part, this is a place that does not have s&p shakers on the table. In general, I dislike this. I know chefs season dishes as they design best; I also know that palates differ. It is correct in my Southern debutante country club world to taste your food before adding more seasoning, esp s&p, but it is just plain ugly for a request for such to be met with a harrumph-y look. Just sayin'. I do enjoy all of Mr Fry's restaurant and am glad we went for a (kinda important - my daddy just turned 70, y'all) family dinner. As I said, food was up and down, and I was leaning toward a three, and kind of wondered if the newer concepts like K+D and more recently St Cecilia were a distraction... But. While I very much dislike being charged for mandatory valet, I understand that parking is a challenge with the lot situation. However, it's not cool for a valet to have a pen or something in his back pocket and leave a streak across your very light grey leather seat. Here's where the 4+* comes in: my mom was talking with the valet - in her Southern (and unnecessarily apologetic) way- while he tried (unsuccessfully) to rub the stain out. I slipped out the backseat to get a manager. I calmly asked and got him (amazing what being polite and direct will get you) and explained. He came out and talked with us and simply said that what happened wasn't ok; he was glad we came to him and would both make a report for the restaurant's records and for the valet company's use - and asked my mother to please take it to a detailer of her choice and they would cover the expense (he meant it because he asked for our information to make sure all was covered). I didn't even have to mention I was a Yelper (and therefore would be elite-y and promptly write a review). Handled with class. Final answer for $1000, Alex? Solid. Glad to live down the street. Will definitely have a boy take me for a nice dinner - and have some of those dishes I enjoyed....and give some others a shot.
(4)Kris A.
What an amazing place! Lets start with the layout...there is a turf aka lawn in front with a small putt-putt area for the kiddos to entertain themselves while everyone is waiting for a table=brilliant. There are also patio and picnic tables scattered on the lawn if you decide to dine al fresco. Lining the lawn is a covered area with more outdoor tables and an uncovered area with lawn chairs and benches for additional seating options when on a wait. We visited on a Tuesday evening and they were on a 40 min wait. So I highly suggest reservations even on a week night. As you walk in, the hostess is situated on the right and a large oyster bar is straight ahead with ample stools. There is also a wood fired oven in this area which gave it that fire and ice effect. The dining room has vaulted ceilings and low lighting. Very modern, classy and elegant. Servers don't wear uniforms which added to the relaxed atmosphere. They offer their raw oysters in a really unique way. You are given a paper list and a pencil. The list includes oysters from several different regions all cold water and mostly east coast if I remember correctly. It even provides the size of the oyster (sm, med, lg) and a short description of its flavor profile. They are served with fresh grated horseradish, house made saltine crackers and a mignonette sauce along with hot sauce, etc. We also ordered the she-crab soup and the whole GA shrimp a la plancha which were both delicious. I highly recommend this restaurant and I'm looking forward to a return visit already.
(5)Candyce V.
Lunch here was delightful. The smoked white fish chowder was served hot and with oyster crackers. I enjoyed it until the trout with peas, cippolini, pancetta, and oyster mushrooms arrived. The fresh was fresh and perfectly seasoned. And I indulged in a bit of dessert--the strawberry sundae. I lingered in the restaurant until after they closed to prepare for dinner, and no one rushed me out of there. My server (oh, I wish I remembered her name!) was such a sweetheart and super helpful. Can't wait to come back here for dinner.
(4)Lindy F.
"Do you consider the eating of oysters to be moral and the eating of snails to be immoral?" -- Spartacus (1960) So many dining experiences to choose from - so this will be an overall review. I love this place and there is a lot of seafood items I cannot eat. But Ford Fry grabs my attention every time he opens a new place and I usually become a big fan - well, this is yet another gem. I will say that it can get loud in here at dinner, so my lunches have been more enjoyable from a noise perspective, however, in every instance I have been seated at the exact. same. table. All 4 times. There is this decent-sized round table that seems to be in the middle of the walkway when you come from the entrance - apparently that is my spot. It doesn't hurt that I always come in a larger party. If you get nothing else from the menu when you come here, you must indulge in the hushpuppies. No, no, I insist. Little fritters of corn goodness served beignet style with a cane syrup butter that I would kill people over. It is that delicious. I could eat two orders on my own. That being said, we can discuss other items now... I guess. I've had several cocktails here and the barkeeps do an excellent job. You have to mix a great craft cocktail to keep my attention - and that they have. My faves are: peel & eat Georgia white shrimp, "come back" sauce & lemon fried oysters, horseradish mayo, vidalia onion, celery whole Georgia white shrimp a la plancha, "sopping" toast, arbol chile, lime Oyster Loaf (think po boy) confit fingerling potatoes, pork belly, chile oil, scallions Pork cheeks with Spaetzle Okay wow - I've eaten a lot... considering there is very little I can eat under the sea. I'm quite impressed with myself. I do tend to come here when someone else suggests it, but I am never disappointed. I cannot do the raw oysters, but my friends always enjoy them. The best things I have eaten are the shrimp a la plancha and the oyster loaf. I am dying to try their burger as well. So if this girl who cannot so much in the way of seafood enjoys the Ford Fry pearl... you know it has to be good, right? Service is always stellar and they do an amazing job keeping the tree nuts away from me as well - they take that allergy VERY seriously. I have never had an issue. Now, if they could hire this level of staff at another of his restaurants... I might go back there.
(4)D.J. K.
Came here for dinner and loved it even more. Had the clam roll, mussels, kale salad, oysters, seafood gumbo,and scallops. Everything was fresh and delicious except the gumbo - it was too fishy and salty. The atmosphere is definitely trendy, hip, modern, and dining room can get loud as it tends to echo. Can't wait to come back here again!
(4)Richard R.
February 16th, 2015 My wife and I didn't get out on Valentine's Day. So, since the kids were out of school for President's Day and Atlanta was expecting a pretty severe cold front to come through, we took the opportunity to travel into the city for lunch (knowing it would be a light traffic day). THE SCENE You may have saw in the news (about this time last year) when Atlanta had Snowmageddon. We aren't used to severe winter weather in the South and the city got caught totally unprepared as motorist were trapped in their cars for hours, some even running out of gas and becoming stranded. Others parked their cars on the side of the expressway and walked. There was even a case of a local Target opening their doors to feed stranded motorists and let them sleep for the evening. Well, we knew the city would NOT want bad press like that ever again, so we braved the cold temps and risked the threat of black ice with full expectation the city was not going to let anything like last year happen again. THE EXPERIENCE Although they have their own valet service, we were able to find a few street parking spaces just outside the front entrance. The exterior is kinda cool, particularly the mini-golf course set up in the courtyard where they also host live bands in warmer weather. However, there were these rusty looking old school metal tables and chairs that looked like you might require a tetanus shot after sitting in one of them. I can confidently say no clean freak such as myself would be caught dead eating at those tables. Once inside, part of the space looks like an old ice cream diner while the other space looks sleek and modern. A large expanse of windows bathes the dining area with natural light. However, plenty of cool lighting also hangs down from the air hanger-ish ceiling. There is an open kitchen on one side and a long bar on the other with pleasing wood tones on the floors and tables in-between the two. We found it interesting that both the hostess and our server were from the same Northern suburban county as we live. Seemed like a long way to come for work, but they relished in the idea of working for Atlanta's #1 restaurant (currently). Although I was highly tempted to switch to the Lobster Roll, I stuck to my original plan of getting the burger. It was ranked in Atlanta Magazine as #3 on the top 20 Best Burgers List. - - - - - - - - - - - - T H E F O O D - - - - - - - - - - - - CHOWDER FRIES $13 | 4 Stars If you follow my reviews at all then you know I lean heavily towards being a traditionalist. But I am also easily amused when a kitchen can present a creative new twist on a food I love. These chowder fries were magically delicious. Smothered with bacon, clams, white cheddar and scallions, it tasted exactly as though you were eating French fries dipped in a rich, creamy chowder. I thought this was brilliant, but probably not something I would order very often. OPTI BURGER $13 | 3.75 Stars This is a great burger, but it's not a Holeman & Finch or Bocado burger. I found the Opti Burger to be a tad bit salty and I'm still undecided on whether or not I liked having my bun slathered with butter (NO PUN INTENDED). Seems like unnecessary calories. There is also something called come back sauce on the burger. Perhaps that was what gave it too salty a flavor. Whatever the case I found the burger to have just a little too much of something; still can't put my finger on exactly what it was. The Opti Burger comes with heavily seasoned shoestring potatoes or a few alternatives for a small upcharge. CHOPPED CHICKEN SALAD $15 | 3.5 Stars My wife enjoyed this salad and actually ate more of the chicken than I expected. She is kind of a part time vegetarian, but occasionally will eat meat that doesn't taste super "meaty". She did comment that it was a tad pricey for the taste. SERVICE was excellent with the only real issue being a wobbly table. Our server kept my coke glass filled and checked on us often. This was refreshing given the lack of service we've been experiencing as of late. FINAL THOUGHTS Chef/Owner Ford Fry was in the kitchen today so I feel privileged that our food was exactly as he intended it to be. His Sous Chef was off today according to one of the staff, so we were happy to know our first visit would be in his capable hands. I must say I disagree with the Opti Burger being placed in the top 3 for Atlanta burger. It definitely deserves top 10, but I can think of at least 9 burgers I would prefer over this one. Good burger? Definitely! Overhyped? Most certainly. I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars, but in the end, they are closer to 4 stars than 3. Maybe next visit I'll stick with what they are known for... seafood
(4)Michelle H.
The food overall was decent but the service left a lot to be desired, which is unusual for restaurants of this calibre in Atlanta. None of the dishes were particularly remarkable or memorable, and I especially did not enjoy the shrimp ala plancha - they were incredibly and unnecessarily messy for this type of dining experience (I will peel crawfish with the best of them, but at a nice restaurant, why leave the heads and shells on and slather the outside with sauce??). They were also out of the one dish we really wanted, which our server failed to tell us until we ordered it. Too many misses overall to return.
(3)Will S.
Came here the Sunday after Valentine's Day. It was pretty crowded and probably due to the holiday. I had reservations, so no wait. The dining area is completely open so you can see everything. They have an open kitchen on one wall and a large, well-organized bar that's lit up in a dim blue light. Seating is pretty tight. We sat at a two-person table, and had two tables on both sides of us only a foot away. Could definitely hear people next to us talking about our food, but that didn't bother me cause I was talking about the other tables food. At the entrance you'll find the oyster bar where you can select from several different oysters to try. STARTERS -Yeast Rolls You get two pieces of rolls for free. They are buttered and have salt on top which is different. Pretty good -Seafood Gumbo I'm not a super huge fan of gumbo. I like it, but it's never blown my socks off. I'm more of a chowder guy. The gumbo here was pretty good though. It had a nice spicy kick to it. It has sausage, oysters, and a little bit of crab meat. It's about a bowl size, maybe a little smaller. It's served with a bread with a thick spread of garlic butter in between. -Mussels These were excellent. You get about 16-20 served in a bowl of curry sauce. The sauce is sooo good. Reminded me of the times I used to eat Thai Curry 2-3x a week. All of the mussels were a decent size. I highly recommend getting these. It's also served with MORE BREAD, but this bread was a garlic toast and really good. You can ask for more to soak up that curry sauce once you finish the mussels. ENTREES - Nice selection of seafood. They even have a small section for non-seafood eaters which I was tempted to order from. Prices range from $22-33. -Peacan Crusted Flounder This is what my girlfriend got. I had a few bites, and it was really good. Flounder is a pretty thin fish, but it looks like they fold a couple of pieces on top of each other, so you get a good amount. The pecan crust was pretty good, and my girlfriend really enjoyed. -Duck Fat Poached Swordfish I've only had swordfish a couple of times and each time it was a thick, dry piece of fillet. It came with pork belly and the waiter really recommended it, so I went for it. Best swordfish I've ever had. The fish was super moist, and easily eaten with just a fork. I need to find out where to get duck fat, cause I want to cook everything in it. It's made with a sherry au jus which was really good. There are little bits of pork belly, but I'm not sure how those fit in with the dish, but they were good nonetheless. SIDES - All the sides are pretty large and meant to be shared. -Collard Greens These were pretty damn good. Maybe some of the best I've ever had at a restaurant. They were smokey, but had a sweet flavor to them. -Hush Puppies Another awesome side. They have a nice texture on the outside, and warm and soft on the inside. They sprinkle them with sugar and serve with a side of cane syrup butter. The butter was so good, I had to keep my girlfriend from eating it all after we had already finished the hush puppies. DESSERT -S'Mores Ice Cream Sandwiches Couple of chocolate cookies with a graham cracker ice cream. These were good, but nothing too special. One order comes with two sandwiches so easy for sharing. Overall this place was pretty good. Everything tasted great. It's definitely pricey so it's not somewhere I would come to regularly. No idea where parking is, but valet is $2. I would recommend making reservations at least 2 weeks ahead of time.
(5)Amy C.
I've been here for a couple dinners with DH, but today I was here for a business lunch and the food was exceptional. I had the lobster cobb salad, which was a real winner. There was a bunch of lump crab meat over a bed of bibb lettuce, nice bacon, hard boiled egg, watermelon radish, regular radish, avocado, blue cheese crumbles and some really nice dijon dressing. Someone else at the table had the fried fish sandwich, which he enjoyed. It came on thick, Texas toast and was severed with really crispy shoestring fries. Another person really enjoyed the cornmeal crusted fish. My only complaint (there has to be one, right?!) is that the chairs are very uncomfortable for a shortie like me. I'm 5'2" and my feet were dangling and it wasn't pleasant. The service was efficient and not intrusive; perfect for a business lunch. The vibe at lunch is so different that at night--much more chill and a great place to "do lunch"!
(5)Sarah F.
We ate at the bar in the main dining room which has a full menu and comfortable, high-backed chairs. The hostess was a little helpless--struggled with menu and seating questions and left it up to us to find seats together at the bar. Very nice oyster selection--options from PEI, New England, NY and even a West coast oyster or two. You order sushi-style, marking per-piece quantities on a checkbox card. Prices were high, but appropriate given geographic location and quality (around $2.50-$4 per oyster). They also have appetizers, soups, entrees and sides if you're not into oysters. I went with 6 oysters and a side of hush puppies. The oysters were very fresh and nicely served. The hush puppies were incredible--savory cornbread with a light dusting of powdered sugar and brown sugar butter for dipping. I wasn't sure about the sweet/savory combo, but now I'm sold. The place is a little hard to find, at least for out-of-towners (although our local Uber driver passed it twice before finding) and parking is valet.
(4)Lauren L.
My first time dining at The Optimist, the power went out. When the power goes out the fans in the kitchen don't work... So the entire restaurant filled with smoke. We had to leave (with nothing comped from our bill). Despite this first experience... I keep going back. THATS how good the food is. I have never had something there that wasn't fantastic. The raw bar is my personal favorite- the lobster roll and their oyster selection. Please please please get the key lime dessert. - @gluttoneats -
(5)Tom G.
Outstanding! Has a really cool vibe. Was in Atlanta for a business trip and we went as a small group. The place has a lot of character. Putting green outside then when you go into the restaurant he see a large oyster bar that is quiet impressive. Has a warehouse feel in the dinning area an a large bar area. We had the octopus app, baked oysters and hush puppy's all great. I had scallops and others had the whole fish dish (little strange looking but they can remove meat if you don't want to look at a fish looking at you while you eat it!! Would highly recommend this spot. Enjoy.
(5)Carolina M.
Finally. I've been hearing about this place for years and it's nearly perfect. Cool nautical, beachy theme for some of the freshest seafood. Here's what I had: Various oysters: We picked a few from this list. Some of the favorites we had were the Katana Bay and Komo Gway. I think the choices change from time to time, but these were both delicious. I really enjoyed the homemade saltine crackers that I'm going to try making some myself at home. Uni: This was listed under the "Opportunity" category on the menu. This was a little unexpected because the uni appears to be mixed with some other ingredients and is served on a top of a fine potato chip that closely resembles a Lay's potato chip. The taste was pretty amazing because the uni is creamy. 3 of these for $9 makes you feel like this is some super fancy Superbowl party snack. While this was a unique twist with uni, I think I'm still a purist at loving uni on its own at a Japanese restaurant. Grilled octopus: Served with a miso yogurt sauce and some pickled bokchoy, there are tons of flavors to this, but it was overpoweringly salty. I suspect that the octopus was given a little more salt in addition to the old bay seasoning that was already put on it. I had a hard time eating this because of the salt but the texture of the octopus was perfect. It's not the best octopus I've had but I'm thinking it might have been just an off day for this dish to be SO salty. I would try ordering this again. Monkfish: I had this as my entree and it was served in a broth with mussels and squid. I really liked this. What really drew me into it was the additional seafood. Mussels were cooked til they're soft and creamy and the squid shape was almost in fine chewy noodles. The monkfish was cooked just right. If you've never had monkfish before, it's often been referred to as "the poor man's lobster" and it's exactly that: a soft, chewy texture. Shishito peppers: Life changing. I loved this side and it was generous as a side portion. They are surprisingly sweet brought out from a slight acidity added to the peppers. I know these peppers as "Korean peppers" where sometimes you get a surprise pepper where it's spicy. Delicious. I would definitely order this again. Basmati fried rice: There are some pieces of fish in here which make it a bit salty and there's some smokiness to the overall flavor. Not a bad side to get if you want something a little more filling. Key Lime Trifle: This was a cute little dessert with very intense key lime to it. Honestly, it's a bit too small/shallow of a dish to see the layers to it, but the flavor is all there. Key lime pie taste in the form of a little trifle. I would love to come back. $2 valet + tip, but worth it. The service is great and maybe it's just me with the attire here, but I thought people were dressed a little too fancy for how casual The Optimist's scene seems to be. Small putting green is a nice touch too while you wait, but I'd definitely recommend making a reservation in advance.
(5)William T.
Food was simple but delicious. We had octopus and oysters for appetizer. The octopus is tender and well flavored. The oysters also had a great flavor. I had a simple olive oil covered fish. It was tender and perfectly cooked. A must try is the cornbread. More like a dessert. It was quite delicious. As a good comparison for three of us with a few round of drinks it was about 220.
(4)Mary Margaret B.
I had a wonderful experience at The Optimist. The staff is knowledgable, and they have a great wine list! I feel like our servers name was Dotty. I also had copious amounts of alcohol so please just know she was amazing and I hate that this review is being written weeks later and not everything is fresh in my mind. The famous charred octopus app was every inch as amazing as I had heard it was. We also ordered Hendricks martinis a bottle of wine which I can't remember the name of except it was a Pinot Noir, and it was excellent suggestion given by our server. We decided to all pick an entrée so we could share around the table. I chose the hanger steak medium rare. We also had the swordfish and the trout. I will say that the portions are unbelievably small, however the food was so delicious it felt like it was worth every cent. Having split entrées between four people each person got a very small portion of each but it was the best way to try everything. Only complaint- the high ceilings, bright lights, and low music gives off a slight 'cafeteria' feel. The low rumble of conversation was all I could hear at one point... Next time I will set at the oyster bar and partake in some of the oysters as everybody says this is an extremely important part of the optimist and something that should not be missed. We finished our meal with some tawny ports, and some warm grandma. Yum!
(4)Christine W.
We went here last night to celebrate my birthday! We had a fabulous experience and meal. First of all the service, ambiance, and decor were perfect. The restaurant has an elegant and modern feel. My fiancé ordered the striped bass and shared a bite with me - it was perfect! It really didn't come with much else as far as sides go. Apparently sides are extra. So, if you have a hearty appetite, you should probably order some sides and plan on a rather expensive bill. I was dying to try the lobster roll. It was delicious. They don't skimp on the lobster! The roll is buttery and doesn't overwhelm the taste of the lobster. Our waiter described it as "reminiscent of dunking your lobster in butter". We also had the beignet style hush puppies - they are sprinkled with powdered sugar and come with cane butter. They were also good and worth trying. I really enjoyed my dinner. The portions are not big, but they were perfect for us since we had a late dinner. This place is really nice for a romantic dinner or to celebrate a special occasion.
(4)Shelly H.
Went for a birthday dinner. The place was cool. Drinks were creative and well made. We had the lobster soup and gumbo. Lobster was a 10. Gumbo was a 5. The gumbo was really soupy, which is not what I'm looking for in a gumbo. I had the Ciopinno for dinner and it was fantastic! Tres Leches cake was to die for. Overall great meal!!
(4)Shannan J.
This is my favorite restaurant in all of Atlanta. The service, food, atmosphere - everything - it just can't be beat. Try it once and you'll come again and again!
(5)Trevor W.
Undeniably one of the best seafood houses in the United States. Ford Fry opened this magnificent Fish Camp in the Spring of 2012 to accolades that included Restaurant of the Year and 7th Best New Restaurant in America. After two years, The Optimist (a type of sailing dinghy used for teaching kids) is still sailing strong, impressing both new and return visitors alike. Your experience begins as you dock your car with the friendly and swift valets in front of the restaurant. Valet is now $2, but there is street parking a block away on Marietta and free lots in the Brickworks complex. From there, you walk past large putting greens designed to keep you busy in high traffic times and enter the the building. The restaurant is divided into two main sections: an Oyster Bar that also serves as the reception area and main dining room featuring a separate cocktail bar in the center. You may choose to relax at either of the bars and the friendly hostesses will fetch you when all is ready. The dining space is reclaimed wood Savannah chic with massive floor to ceiling windows, filament lighting, and coastal themed decor. The open kitchen sits in the rear of the dining room with individual bathrooms down the side of the kitchen space. (and incidentally I love their restrooms: individual doors, white hexagonal tile, pedestal sinks. Gorgeous!) Service here is on point and regal without the pretentious feel of fine dining snobbery (black linen also available upon request). When seated at the table, they offer an Oyster tasting menu paired with their lunch or dinner menu. If you are price conscious, I cannot recommend the lunch menu enough. Half the cost, all the goodness. We've done numerous lunches here and it is a great way to do The Optimist on a budget. Otherwise, it commands a price commiserate with the quality of the ingredients and preparation of the food. You'll easily spend $30-$50 a person on dinner, but they have a surprisingly affordable cocktail and wine list to match. The Oyster menu rotates out with the seasons and is split fairly evenly between Atlantic and Pacific options. I'm partial to the wonderful, large oysters of PEI, but you must try some of the Pacific fare as well. Oysters are ~$2-3 a piece and come with in-house saltines, cocktail, shaved horseradish, and vinegar ingredients so you can dress your oysters your way. The Dinner menu features starters that range from salads to shrimp and octopus, progresses to wood fired seafood mains, and has a separate section for sides that serve 2-3 per dish (We tend to order the sides and share them family style with the meal). I've yet to have anything here short of delectable. The presentation is as beautiful as the meal tastes with everything served in unique pans and ceramics to match the preparation. Standouts: * The Lobster Roll. For $15, you won't find anywhere better in Atlanta short of the late night menu at The Octopus Bar in EAV. Always available at the bar or your table (it is off the main dinner menu, but just ask), a generous amount of claw meat overflows a warm, buttery roll. * Sides: Beignet hush puppies, beets, brussel sprouts, succotash * Mains: the servers are very knowledgeable. The monkfish, octopus, and scallops are some of my go-to favorites The Optimist, redefining a gourmet seafood experience in landlocked Atlanta!
(5)Amanda W.
I have had the pleasure of eating at The Optimist several times, and each time my meal has been excellent - actually some of the more memorable foods I have ever had. Since I'm a raw oyster lover, I always have to sample a few off of their daily selection. My preference is for the cold water oysters. The oysters always taste fresh, and they even come with homemade saltine crackers. The cocktails are also always top notch. The cocktail menu is always different every time I have been, but the drinks would put some of the other fancy cocktail places around Atlanta to shame. As for the main course, everything I've had has been delicious. Though if you're not a seafood lover, there is usually a beef or chicken dish available. Since my husband isn't much of a fish person, he has gotten the beef and it was good. I got the Crispy Whole Flounder once and it was phenomenal. I got a whole fish to eat. It was a pain in the ass trying to work around the bones, but it was so good. However, the best part of every meal I've had at The Optimist has been the dessert. The 2 desserts that stand out most to me is Apple Pie covered with melted, sharp, cheddar cheese. This may sound gross, but the salty / sweet flavor was insanely good. Another dessert I had was an ice cream sandwich. What sold me on the ice cream sandwich is that the waiter described it as tasting like Captain Crunch Berry cereal. It had homemade cornmeal cookies filled with homemade berry ice cream. And yes it did taste like the cereal.
(5)Veronika D.
I tried their oysters from different states and some bass with grapefruit. Fish was ok, nothing special but the oysters were delicious!
(4)Loan N.
Must try the scallops and oysters!! Like taking a bite into the ocean with the fresh seafood.
(4)Nicole O.
Super cute place! The bar and the restaurant so full of character and charm, Prawns ala plancha! They are served with the head and tail, but worth every bit of work to eat. The bread, the sauce...altogether delicious.
(4)Victoria V.
My boyfriend and I were blown away. Food, service, drinks are all amazing. Ian was our server and his service was impeccable. I had the snapper which was fresh and full of flavor. We will most certainly be back again.
(5)Annie J.
Our amazing server Chris, combined with the phenomenal menu, made our family lunch absolutely wonderful. YOU MUST TRY the Grilled Octopus and the shrimp starters!
(5)Andrée P.
We went to The Optimist our first night in Atlanta and loved it! That atmosphere is trendy but cozy and welcoming, and the staff are professional but fun. We ordered a couple of their seafood dishes along with hush puppies and the fried rice to split and everything was delicious. Before our meal arrived we were brought bread to the table and it was amazing. I could've eaten it all night! For dessert we shared the key lime trifle - and ordering dessert was definitely the right choice. If I lived in Atlanta I would have definitely already been back by now!
(5)Kimberly J.
I came here to accompany my friends on a city wide burger tour. While the burger was tempting, I opted for the lobster roll. IT WAS DELICIOUS!!! Best lobster roll I've had! It's very hearty with nice fattening buttered bread. I did get a chance to taste the burger and it was tasty. It tasted very fresh. I must admit that when I return, the burger will probably be the last thing on my mind. Every dish that passed us looked delicious. The service was great too. My only issue was the uncomfortable chairs. They just weren't suited for me. Thankfully our wonderful served exchanged the type of chair for me. The decor of the place is really nice. Prior to my party arriving, I sat outside in the blue chairs and enjoyed some sun. I could definitely see myself eating outside here.
(4)James T.
Food = 4 Price = 3 Experience = 5 Very cool setup... not cheap. Get ready! I thought it was worth the money. The hushpuppies were great... the watermelon ahi was very minimal for 9.00... the lobster roll is good, but expensive.
(4)HyeWon K.
We ordered lobster roll, clam for the starter, Grouper, tomato as a side dish. I felt eating the salt except Lobster roll. This is the 5th visit and I realized I expected better food every time because I loved the interior but no more....
(1)Dani L.
Every time I come to this place I find it why I really love seafood Absolutely incredible cooking skills! Cheers to Chef Adam and Tonny for their absolutely great menu options. The octopus is absolutely to die for and the whole GA shrimp a la plancha is probably the closest thing to perfect you can find out there. Very New Orleans style dish, spicy, creamy, Yummy! If you have a chance to drive to that area in Atlanta please do yourself a favor and visit this place. They also have some oyster specials
(5)Vicki N.
I've heard a few people raving about this place, so we went ahead and made reservations here. Parking can be difficult if you don't want to valet. We found a spot a street or two over. They seated us right away and in front of the kitchen, so we can watch them bustling around. For the food, we ordered the spicy charred octopus appetizer, hush puppies and the crispy haddock. Each dish was very good! While we were ordering, they placed a plate of bread on our table. It was basically a toasted Hawaiian roll, basted with butter and sprinkled with coarse salt. My favorite dish would be the octopus appetizer. Usually octopus is very chewy, but this dish was soft and easy to eat while being very flavorful. The hush puppies are fried using a beignet batter then topped with powdered sugar and served with a honey butter side. It was extremely good! The crispy haddock comes out as a whole fish, so it's slightly difficult cutting the fish apart, but you'll get the hang of it eventually. The haddock was perfectly crispy while tasting of ginger and cilantro. The fish also contained a lot of meat, so it is fulfilling and worth the price! Service was a little slow that night. Our appetizers took awhile to come out. Other than that everything was great! I would definitely venture here again to try other items.
(5)Fefe P.
I realize there are hundreds of great reviews of The Optimist, but I promise you--they are well deserved!!! This is one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta. As a heads up, there is construction happening in the parking lot of the restaurant. You have to make a pretty sharp turn into the lot, which can be hard to see at night. Please don't let that deter you, as there is valet parking which is $2. Once you get past the construction, the restaurant itself is unassuming on the outside. When the weather heats up, there is patio style seating in the courtyard. Once inside, the atmosphere is always very cool. There is an oyster bar as you walk in and a large, open dining room. Service has always been outstanding and our last waiter (Chris from NY) was phenomenal in making our dinner experience amazing! Here are some tips: 1) Come Hungry--I guarantee you that there is not 1 bad thing on the menu...you just might be tempted to overeat, maybe :-). Also, they provide buttered, salted dinner rolls that have to be the best in the history of the world, possibly (hope you're not low carb). 2) Try the Starters--there are numerous Starters that will knock your socks off e.g. Mussels in green curry coconut broth, she-crab soup, charred octopus...to name a few. These will give you a nice variety to taste and share. Plus, portions are appropriately sized. 3) Corn Milk Hushpuppies--enough said 4) Leave Happy--the Fish & Chips and the Duck Fat Poached Swordfish were total standouts. If you leave room for dessert, it will be difficult to go wrong with anything on the menu (these usually change anyway). Happy Eating!!!
(5)Tricia N.
My husband and I were visiting from NYC and we decided to have our anniversary dinner at The Optimist. I am so glad that we did. It was an amazing meal that we still talk about to this day. Our waiter was super friendly and knowledgable. He knew the menu and the ingredients very well and was able to make recommendations to us. The atmosphere is very modern and hip. They have a great, yet pricey drink and wine list. We started with some oysters, which were super-fresh, served with homemade saltines and horseradish. We shared the she-crab soup, which was amazing, as well as the shrimp a la plancha, served with an outrageous chile butter. I had the trigger fish entree and my husband had swordfish, both of which we really enjoyed. All of the food is presented very tastefully. They really know what they are doing with local ingredients. We sat near the open kitchen and liked watching the hustle and bustle. It was a great dining experience. This place is a little on the pricey side, but it was really worth every penny. I would absolutely come back on my next trip to Atlanta.
(5)John G.
Definitely one of the best restaurants I've been too in years. 5 stars in every sense. Service, Atmosphere, Delicious Food, Amazing Drinks, and 100 % Clean. They've been open just shy of 2 years. I will be back.
(5)Lindsay E.
My husband and I went on a date a couple weeks ago to The Optimist, and I loved it! The atmosphere is super chic but relaxed. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful. The food was very, very good. Here's what we had: Shell on GA shrimp a la plancha for our appetizer. This was amazing. Garlicy, creamy, seafoody sauce over succulent shrimps and perfect toast. How do they get it crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside?! My husband got the fish and chips with hushpuppies as a side. He didn't like how thick the fish's batter was, but I thought it was okay. I like the faint scent of beer you got right before biting in. Hushpuppies aren't usually my thing. These ones were sweet, which was cool. I got the NC flounder with a side of assorted mushrooms. I enjoyed it all, but by the time I was getting full, the mushroomy taste and the fishy tastes started to overwhelm me. I guess that meant it was time to stop stuffing myself! I'm looking forward to visiting again, and then I think I'll have a better idea of the Optimist. I'm suspicious that the chefs might be trying too hard with some of their dishes, but then again, I'm not terribly familiar with fine dining. Keeping with some of the simpler recipes might be a good idea for me next time, except for that shrimp a la plancha! Can't go wrong with that! The restaurant was quite loud. There were many interesting looking people, and I enjoyed surveying the room looking at the groups at the bar, the bachelorette parties, and the couples on dates. This would be an excellent place for a classy night out with a date or a group.
(4)Tom C.
The Optimist is the answer to Atlanta's "We have no good, fresh seafood here." Optimist's food was incredible. Fresh, quality seafood. They even have a raw oyster bar. I was trying to find a good restaurant to take a date to. Several my friends recommended the Optimist. I was skeptical. I was looking for a place with a good ambiance and décor and judging by the google pictures it didn't seem so. But when I dined there it met my expectations. The ambiance and décor were nice. The pictures can't capture it. Service was awesome. Server anticipated my date and my needs. Reset silverware. And most importantly the food was good. Oysters were fresh, shrimp planche was delish. Entrees...scallops were tasty and the mahi mahi was delicious. We had side items of basamati rish and bok choy were both were good. I would definitely recommend this place.
(5)Luckie D.
Why 5 Stars.......many visits 2nd review....They get it on all fronts. Delicious creative food, friendly knowledgable service and a "vibe" The place has a soul and a funky, hip and eclectic combination of diners, sraff and decor. A must try is the homemade caramel sea salt icecream!
(5)Jennifer N.
I was excited to score a last minute reservation. The meal was great. We started off with the scallops. The broth was so good, I asked the server to bring me a couple pieces of bread to sop it up! Delicious. I had the tuna and my friend had the grouper. Both were spot on as far as taste and preparation. I skipped desert and just had another cocktail. Overall, it was a great dining experience. I hope to come back the next time we are in ATL.
(4)Brooke M.
Absolutely fantastic seafood! Wow. This is our new favorite restaurant in Atlanta. Nicole, our waitress, was fantastic and just adorable. She said fish and chips or the lobster roll was perfect for lunch, but for dinner, go for the grouper with miso butter (incredible velvet masterpiece), swordfish cooked in duck fat (words can't even!), and the redfish encrusted in corn meal (wow!). We had all of those dishes and 12 oysters to share from the fresh oyster bar as an appetizer. They were awesome! The cocktail sauce was delicious and you felt like you were eating those oysters at the beach they were so fresh. The fried rice was so great we ordered 2 for the table and the asparagus with goat cheese is incredible. As you can tell, this is our favorite restaurant in Atlanta! Bravo x a billion! This place is incredible! WE WILL BE BACK SOON!
(5)Dale N.
Killer octopus! Great cocktails and winning ambience.
(4)Franklin J.
The food quality and taste was amazing. I got the $20 Lobster roll which was stuffed full of lobster. Wife got the scallops and they were giant sea scallops that tasted fresh, were well cooked and deliciously seasoned. Atmosphere is also a good one. They have putt putt while you wait. Little pricey for what it is I feel but definitely good.
(4)Sebastian M.
The optimist is a little over priced in my opinion. Their oysters are good though. They tasted very fresh, which is big to me because most places in Atlanta that have oysters are going to be hit and miss. I almost always have at least one bad one in a dozen. Atlanta is landlocked so any oysters here are brought in so you can't really have high expectations. We had several drinks and oysters at the oyster bar after we ate dinner at Bartaco which was fun and it was great because they are like walking distance from each other. I got the Three Sheets Under which was really good. Fresh tasting and refreshing, nice and strong. I love strong drinks because I like the taste of alcohol so that was perfect. My wife and her friend had a Winter on Cape Cod. She enjoyed it as well. We would be back for another after dinner drink but I doubt we would be back for dinner.
(4)Alexander G.
Wow! West Midtown has another hit on its hands. I ordered the Cobia served with Chorizo and a cream sauce, the white fish chowder, some oysters, and the key lime desert. Everything was fantastic and the portions did not disappoint. The mixture of flavors in each dish complemented each other perfectly and magically surfaced the unique flavors of the primary item. Did I mention how awesome the fish chowder was? I am optimistic (hehe) that I going to go back often just to order this fantastic appetizer.
(5)Chris H.
I was very Optimistic about our romantic dinner at the Optimist. Having eaten here three times before, I had no doubt that our two year anniversary meal on Valentine's Day would be "da bomb" (as you chaps say). It was "da bomb" alright unfortunately it was an explosion of sodium. Picture an IED made of salt and you will understand how our meal tasted. Please allow me to explain... I booked our prix fixe menu reservation months earlier because I knew how popular Optimist would be. I really wanted this meal to "hit" the spot because our next stop would be '50 shades of grey'. The hostess seated us right away and even congratulated us on our anniversary. The waiter arrived shortly thereafter and took our drink order. He had a great attitude and was very attentive. Our first course was creme of cauliflower soup. I hadn't eaten all day in anticipation of this bad ass meal. When the soup arrived, it was the size of a thimble. A thimble! I kid you not! It was about a spoonful and a half and most of it was salt. Blah! Then they brought out some dinner rolls which looked like Hawaiian rolls with some melted butter on top. We passed on the rolls despite our hunger. The Heart of palm salad was decent and the only course seasoned properly. I had the escargot with bone marrow and egg. I took a giant gulp of water because I had a sneaky suspicion of the days worth of sodium I was about to ingest. I've had escargot a couple times before and liked them but these were a little tough and not every tasty. The combination of the marrow and egg was a good touch but it would've been nice to have some veggies or something to defray the "taste of the ocean". The meal was really slow and we were about to be late to our "steamy flick". I ordered the short rib which wasn't really that tender and it was...you guessed it salty as a MOFO. My GF ordered the blackened Cobia. It was mostly tasty except the last couple bites were sushi. By the time we finished our entree, it was 5 minutes until Mr. Grey began to discipline his Sub. I won't ever do VD here again but I know they are much better than this unfortunate experience and will try them for a regular meal.
(2)Amy N.
We were greeted as soon as we got there. It took a couple of minutes for the waitress to serve us but she was great: she checked on us regularly, was extremely friendly, and answered all the questions we had about the wine and food. We sat at the oyster bar which limited the menu options but that was ok since we were only there for the oysters.They have a wide range of different oysters for you to choose from. I tried 7 out of the 12 they offered; they were delicious! They also have a nice selection of wine, beer, and cocktails. I will definitely be coming back!
(5)Maya S.
Food had no taste #gross Do not come here You will leave sad #sadface Optimist? More like pessimist #HA
(2)Erika E.
Finally made it to The Optimist for dinner last weekend and I am so glad that I did! The food, the drinks, the service, and the beautiful atmosphere all made for a wonderful dining experience. We decided to order some fresh raw oysters for appetizers, and I had the cornmeal crusted sea bass with an order of hush puppies on the side for the main course. I wanted to try dessert, but I was stuffed and couldn't have eaten another bite if I tried. I look forward to going back to The Optimist to try one of those lobster rolls for lunch one day and would totally recommend this place for anyone looking for a phenomenal dining experience.
(5)Geordie J.
Better than average. Wife loved her scallops, I was underwhelmed with the blackened mahi. Way too much seasoning and slightly overcooked. You must try the spicy clam roll starter, that was amazing. Had a side of crispy fingerling potatoes with bacon that were very good. Atmosphere is typical for a newer, hip restaurant in west midtown; open, light and airy, with all of the servers in the usual plaid shirt and skinny jeans. Service was above par, very attentive. It was a hot day today so I drank a lot of water, they must have refilled seven times. I had the bourbon special, which was very good. I'd definitely return, but would not recommend the mahi. The cornmeal-crusted snapper was my second choice so I'll try that next time.
(4)Kenny N.
Upon looking and searching for anniversary dinner location, optimist came up as a top seafood restaurant here in Atlanta... Made reservation at 5:30 because that was only time available..and yes they were very busy...We ordered Appetizers Crab soup and shrimp toast 9 Spanish octopus 14 Entrée Lobster roll 24 Fish and chips 21 Side Hush puppies 6.5 Soup was very salty, and didn't like it at all. Spanish octopus was well cooked and steamed, and fermented bok choy complemented the dish very well, but they should name it Korean kimchi octopus since it tasted exactly like kimchi octopus .. Although lobster roll was not on the 2015menu, our waiter said we can order it.. And My wife loved every bite of it..then again you can't really go wrong with lobster.. I had the fish and chips and it was nothing out of ordinary.. Hush puppies was on the average side also.. Interior design of the restaurant was very open and modern.. Loved the furnishings and decor.. Some what romantic and detailed.. Only problem I had was that our table was way too close the next tables..it made me feel like I was having dinner with the couple next to me.. At this price range I need some elbow room:( Service was good and our waiter checked on us often.. I find the optimist very romantic place and perfect place to dine with some fine wine with your family and friends.. Although, I got the impression that lot of foods are on the salty side to complement your alcohol..
(3)Swati K.
The starter fried oysters were not to our liking ( may be we are not oysters fans!). My lobster roll was just fab, and so was the side hush puppies( please don't leave this place without having them melt in your mouth!). Friendly people, good atmosphere, small quantities, good food! Our dinner started alright but ended well
(4)Amy O.
Was "squeezed in" for a table of 10 but the restaurant ended up being pretty empty when we got there. The oysters were amazing. I ended up getting the whole fish which was delivered then violently but open in front of me. Made me loose my appetite, wish they would have done that in the back as I had suggested. However food and atmosphere was great. I would go back for the oysters.
(3)Charles C.
This was my 3rd time to go but my first time I ate in the dinning room. We started at the oyster bar and had excellent service. The oysters were fantastic. Next we moved to the bar in the dining room where Don took great care of us. The gumbo was very tasty And the Cobia was outstanding. It is a bit loud but not overbearing. If you are looking for a great dining experience give them a try
(5)Mai H.
My friend and I had greasy food for the past couple of days so we decided to splurge on our last night in Atlanta. We came here due to the near perfect review. Gumbo - taste funny and bitter. It looked very black for some reason. I Informed the waiter and he said kitchen apologized. Took order off our bill. Thank you. Fried oyster - oyster was very fresh. But the breading fell apart and was very soggy. Left most of the breading uneaten. Fish chowder - watery like a milk broth with ingredients thrown in it. It was forgettable. Definitely don't have the feel and look of a chowder. Baked oyster - I can't tell if the oyster was fresh or not. It was prepared with a hefty layer of sea salt and garmishes. I just did not realized the amount of the salt that was on that oyster. Unfortunately, i ate the oyster with all the preparations and I was not happy when the oyster hit my tongue. It was like eating a spoonful of salt with a small soft pouch of something that burst in my mouth. This this the point where I thought to myself it was a mistake to come here and I want to cancel the rest of my meal but I didn't act upon it Grilled squid - sold out Grilled Mahi - was very watery as if it wasn't completely thawed or it was boiled prior to putting on the grill for grill marks. The fish was not truly grilled. We can taste the grains of salt on fish. Part of it was very salty. Part of it was very bland. We just threw the fish in our mouth and quickly ask for a check. Service - not so good. I thought this restaurant was suppose to be a bit on the high class since the prices are not cheap. A drop of sauce got on the table and the waiter ignored it. We decided to shared an entree. He placed a sharing spoon about an inch next to the sauce on the table and left. I thought to myself this is unacceptable in this kind of environment. I was sort of annoyed. I have to remind the waiter to refill my drink. I felt a bit ignored by our waiter. I shouldn't but I put down my 20% tip. We got out of there as fast as we can because there was not a chance we will buy another dish from the menu not even dessert. Overall, they have fresh ingredients but dont know how to cook them. I think the main chef was out of town for the night and left an apprentice to take over because there is no way yelpers will give this kind of ratings with what I just experienced. This place is definition very memorable for me, but all for the wrong reasons.
(1)Jennifer H.
Appetizers were awesome and good size. Octopus was so soft and the sauce was just great. Large shrimp was cooked perfectly. Their bread is buttery that you can see and feel the melted real butter. Probably the best dinner roll I have ever had anywhere... The whole fried snapper was good, but seemed overpriced. Soft inside and crispy outside. Cobia was plain and again overpriced. Will come back for dinner but order a few appetizers and try the oysters. And of course just to get their dinner rolls. The place looks spacious and nice.
(4)D M.
Very good experience with a business dinner. Servers were attentive and friendly. Great wine selection, awesome appetizers (fried oysters, little gem lettuce, and seafood gumbo highly recommended). Georges Bank scallops were perfectly cooked as was the grouper. Definitely recommended.
(5)Lester D.
All seafood--all good. Great hush puppies--with powdered sugar. Octopus and tuna crudités were very good. Swordfish a little dry-- pork belly saved it. Could use more sauce. Very attentive and polite staff. Will go back.
(4)Thi T.
Came back during lunch for the infamous lobster roll. Honestly don't understand the rave. The chunks of lobster were big and tender but the sandwich was not very flavorful. I also got the frothy she crab soup which lived up to its frothy description. The soup was a bit too fishy for my taste though. The shrimp toast that came with it was very greasy, if that is your cup of tea. I made reservations for 1230, just in case it was packed. Sure enough, the lot was full but the valet attendants were prompt. We were seated immediately and the server was very friendly. I give this a 2.5 at most. I don't consider the food to be of average deliciousness an I definitely did not feel it was worth the price.
(2)Jamie S.
Optimist has it all...ambiance, amazing food, and hand crafted drinks. We ordered a bit of everything from oysters, halibut, swordfish, kale salad to gumbo soup. The sides are shared portions....highly recommend the award winning fried rice! There is a putting green outside with an outdoor dining patio as well. Great experience!
(5)Ray M.
Today after much ado I finally was able to eat here. The service was great the ambience simple yet elegant. I had the shrimp appetizer it was quite good probably the best thing I ate. Though tasty it was very messy. I also had the scallops and a friend had the sword fish. Both were perfectly cooked . But not exceptional in flavor . The hush puppies however were terrible! Salty nasty sea biscuits is what they should call them . Barely edible really . They were gracious to remove those nasty bites from our bill. I don't know if I'd be back. I did not experience the wow factor .
(3)Marcella G.
I like this restaurant, not just because of the food but because of the atmosphere. It's trendy, it's romantic, it's cozy and it definitely served good food. The staff is very attentive (hello never-empty-glass) and they know what's good on the menu, so if you ever undecided just ask them. I came here with my BF. I ordered the grouper with truffle oil and my BF got the swordfish and they both are really nice. The fish were cooked perfectly, the sauces were both amazing, it's just that it left me unsatisfied, somehow. I think it's just that the food were nice by itself, but just okay combined. Or maybe for the price that I paid, I expected something more. We also ordered the sides (beets), which was amazing and also the dessert chocolate tart which extremely amazing. The beets were tender but not mushy, and coated with delicious vinaigrette so it's sweet and also a little bit sour. The chocolate tart, came with a very light cream that made the chocolate more present. The cream just blew me off I guess. The tart was flaky and the chocolate filling was almost like brownie. Oh my, I need more.
(4)Lindsay B.
Really delicious. Had dinner with out of town work colleagues and this was an excellent choice! Have been several times and The Optimist comes through again. Cocktails were delicious and maybe a little too drinkable, the seafood fresh and the meal - exactly what we wanted. Top 3: 1) clam roll 2) hush puppies 3) house made hot sauce/koozies! (tie) Great place to host a dinner big or small. And, who doesn't have to play a little put-put and drink a cold cocktail before a seafood dinner?
(4)Helen K.
Went for lunch today and although you can definitely tell that the seafood is very fresh, I might have had too high of expectations that I was little underwhelmed. However, I hope to go for dinner and hopefully re-update my review with additional stars. Located near all the eateries on howell mill area, the location, restaurant decor, and ambiance was very nice. We started off with the oysters, both the East coast and the West coast and overall preferred the East coast and felt the West coast oysters a bit fishy. On the plus side, the house made crackers to eat with your oysters were pretty delicious. For entree, we had the lobster rolls since this was only available during weekday lunch menu. Despite my love for lobster rolls, this was not my favorite. I thought it had too much of the sauce/mayo and didn't really taste refreshing compared to the one that I had in Washington DC, which tops in my books at the moment. However, the sides were amazing, which gives me high hopes for the dinner menu. Hush puppy beignet was to die for and the shoe string fries were very flavorful. Overall, I would not recommend the lobster roll and I hope to find other entrees that meets my tastebud here.
(3)Jillian A.
A dear friend of ours came into town from Chicago on a visit. Right off the plane we ask what he's in the mood for. He calmly replies "seafood". I have been jonesin' to come to the Optimist. He abides. What awaited us was far beyond my expectations. We'll start with the fact that we were without a reservation on a Thursday night and expected that we might wait. Luckily for us, seating at the incredibly charming oyster bar was available. Our waiter promptly came to us and took our drink orders. Considering we were newbies to the experience, we asked our waiter for his opinion on how to order. He recommended that we all agree on an appetizer and agree on three meals that we can share amongst each other. We came to the consensus that we would start with the Charred Spanish Octopus, then we would order the Fish & Chips, the Grouper, and the Duck Fat Poached Swordfish. This is the best decision ever made. I am a fan of octopus just based on the experiences I have had with sushi. Knowing what I now know about how it's suppose to taste has ruined octopus for me in these familiar settings. You can cut the octopus with a fork at the Optimist. Enough said. Everything we had was my favorite, but if I had a favorite over all favorites, the Duck Fat Poached Swordfish is the winner. It was so tender that it melted in my mouth. I've had swordfish before, but not swordfish like this. It was fresh and enjoyable until the very last bite. The grouper was meaty and refreshing. The Fish and Chips are easily the best that you will have in this city. It sounds silly considering it's a fairly average item on many menus throughout the world, but I would be hard pressed to find a place that did it so right. Finally, we were sold on dessert. We indulged in the Maple Ice Cream Sandwich and the Banana Cake. The Banana Cake was easily the victor among the two, but don't discount the ice cream sandwich. The pumpkin butterscotch cookies that create the sandwich are excellent. If I had a complaint, it would be that I can't see myself venturing back anytime soon due to the cost. However, you DEFINITELY get what you pay for and I will never discount that when it comes to good food, good friends, and good vibes.
(5)Karen L.
ATMOSPHERE: The Optimist is a good seafood restaurant! I love how much open space the restaurant has. It feels like you're sitting in a clean, urban warehouse with fancy lighting and full bars. SERVICE: Our server looked very young but was really impressive! She had a lot of knowledge of each dish and was very articulate. FOOD: The rolls that they bring out are SO soft, fluffy -- they are super buttery and topped with salt. Can't be very healthy, but I couldn't stop eating them. We got mussels as an appetizer, and it was pretty good but not amazing. It had a good coconut broth though. We also got spicy charred Spanish octopus as an appetizer, and it tasted like BBQ wings! Except with chewy octopus. For my main dish, I had the duck fat poached swordfish. It was amazing! It came with chunks of smoked short rib, which were super tender and a great complement with the fish. I also tried some of my friend's crispy whole jack crevalle. It's a whole cooked fish, bones and all -- unfortunately, more bones than meat. I liked my swordfish a lot more. This place is a bit pricey, but I don't think you'll be disappointed. Their menu seems to change daily also -- I'm really sad I couldn't get a lobster roll, which I'd seen pictures of! But I do like that they have so many unique dishes. I wish some of their plates were better, but I was really happy with my swordfish.
(4)Ken R.
Lunch today was incredible. The Chowder fries are insanely delicious. Hushpuppies and lobster roll equally awesome! Cannot wait to return, only regret is have not been before today!
(5)Jenny D.
This is a great place for a special occasion. The service was OUTSTANDING At first the host tried to sit at the table closer to the kitchen, I told the host that I prefer not to be too close to the open kitchen and he moved us back without any problem. Once we were seated we were greeted by server immediately. Food was very good and very fresh. However be prepared to pay a lot for the food. Actually the appetizers were decent price. I'll try to remember how much things cost. I believe the appetizer mussels were about $14, they give you a hearty portion so I thought it was worth it. Other appetizers I believe were reasonable priced. What I think was a rip off was their main dishes. For example I ordered the mahi mahi, all by itself it cost $26. It was simple dressed with a lemon and parsley. That's it. Yes it was good and fresh, cooked to perfection. But really for $26.00 they can't add a vegetable or starch. You have to buy the sides separate, which I realize that's how some of the finer restaurants sell their food. ihat is just a reason not to come restaurant too often, save it for special occasions. If I do go back just as a usual Friday night dinner, I might just order appetizers and couple of cocktails. This way I feel like i'm getting my money's worth. Oh by the way, the sides were about $9. I ordered the basmati fried rice that they claim was voted best fried rice in the US. I was suckered into ordering it, it was good but I wouldn't say it was the Best as they claim. In my opinion it was on the salty side. Our other side was hush puppies - this was delicious and I would order it again.
(4)Tamera B.
I guess after 3 satisfying visits I can write a review now. The Optimist has been great for: - Some of the best fish preparations I've had in this city. Each time I've tried a fish I've never had (or heard of) before. The latest was cornmeal crusted tautog prepared with charred okra and a pepper jelly - excellent! - A leisurely, no-cell phone dining experience with friends and loved ones. And it was good to see most diners did not have phones out but were enjoying the company and food. - The most delicious salty and buttery yeast rolls. I could shamelessly eat a plateful (I haven't) and not share. Get your own. - A well-thought out wine list - One of my favorite things to eat in Atlanta - a clam roll! - Celebrity spotting. At least 2 of the 3 times. Well, let's say 1.5 of the 3. I don't want to count a "Real" Housewife of Atlanta. But I absolutely will count Aaron Paul. Breaking Bad Bread, bitch! I would absolutely count The Optimist as a place I'd take guests, it has been a consistent representation of stellar food in Atlanta. Cheers!
(5)Greg A.
We found the Optimist to be a creative seafood venue with great service and nicely prepared meals. The octopus was probably the best we've ever had and we regularly try it since it's so difficult to get right. Morimotos was number one but the Optimist's preparation and presentation took over with room to spare.
(4)Carrie B.
Finally went for my birthday earlier this month for more than just the bar and cocktails and I really am sorry I didn't give this place a shot sooner. I'm a huge seafood-lover and tend to be pretty disappointed with my overall experience at a particular Buckhead seafood establishment. Not only is The Optimist way closer to me, but the service and food were spot-on. The octopus appetizer was amazing as was the cobia and tuna. Don't waste your time on the fish & chips, anyone can do that, branch out and explore this amazing menu, I promise you won't be disappointed! Oh and the place is stunning and they must have great sound-baffling since even though it is a huge place, we didn't have to elevate our voices to hear each other.
(5)Doug L.
First the good. Our server was attentive and when we had an issue the manager came over and tried to make us feel better Not sure I have been more disappointed with a restaurant than here. I am a vegetarian and they acted like I was from Mars. I get it, I'm not Mainstream but most places here one choice. They did a vegetable plate. The sauce the beans were good, I love horseradish. They had little peppers that were flavorless and a pile of mushrooms that were, just mushrooms. My wife had a fish and she didn't like the sauce, it was supposed to be a ginger sauce and almost no ginger. They did bring her a rice side that she loved but Order a crab which was forgetful. The decor is nice but based on this I can think of 50 other restaurants I would send you to first
(2)Abhi K.
We went for lunch on a weekday. The space is large and since it was an off-time, there was no wait. Walking in, I was immediately impressed with their wall of liquor. Not only is it comprehensive, but it is aesthetically pleasing. The main dining room looked like a converted warehouse with exposed piping. I know that's super trendy and it's really un-hipster of me to say this, but that stuff still impresses me. There is also an oyster bar, which was closed during the day. I got the filet-of-fish sandwich, which was pretty good. It was a good chunk of fish between two buttery pieces of jalapeno texas toast. The jalapeno gave it a little kick, but was not overly intrusive as I only placed what the taste was halfway through the meal. I also had a side of hush puppies, which were amazing. They were little balls of cornmeal with whole corn niblets, deep fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar. They came with a brown butter, which was like crack for a foodie. Do not order the burger (the fact that its the only non-seafood entree on the menu should've been your first clue). It is greasy and nothing special. Parking is a $2 valet. I'm against places that charge for valet parking, especially when there is no option to self-park. Economically, people would probably be willing to pay more than $2 if it was a voluntary gratuity. This really hurts the drivers since I'm sure they keep less of the $2 than if they received the same amount as a gratuity.
(4)Trinh N.
The atmosphere was nice and hipster-ish. Very loud too, but it's because everyone was enjoying their time. The waitress I had was super super super nice. Heck... Even the people that sat next to me were so friendly. If you're looking for a place to relax and enjoy your time and have good food, this place is it. For starters, I got the Frothy She Crab soup and it was sooooo yummy! If you love crabs, get this soup. You'll be in love. I honestly wouldn't have mind eating this the whole time there because it was that good. Everyone kept raving about the hush puppies and I couldn't help but ordered one for myself and I'm not all that into it. Maybe it's just the hush puppies today because they were too salty for me. If they didn't sprinkle some salt on any of them, I'm sure they would have been so much better. And you would think that by sprinkling powdered sugar would make it sweet, but actually doesn't taste sweet at all. The duck fat poached swordfish....can you say AMAZING? Yelpers weren't kidding when they recommended this dish. You can't go wrong with it.
(4)Laura K.
Had a disappointing experience last weekend. Server was missing for majority of our meal, we had to ask two people for a new round of drinks (which were made incorrectly), and our swordfish was overwhelmingly fishy tasting. The octopus appetizer was the only highlight of the meal.
(2)Mark M.
This is a great place. I haven't been here in months because of a job transfer. The food was just as good as the last time, the service is excellent and the atmosphere is just terrific. If you're in the area I would highly recommend that you stop.
(5)Lilly Y.
After a long wait, I finally stopped in with a work colleague for lunch. The Optimist has been on my list for some time now, and it was worth the wait, for the most part! First off, they have a really small parking lot. Like they can only fit maybe 10-15 cars in it, and have access to an overflow lot somewhere else. I didn't see where, but we waited for a bit to get our car back. Once inside, the atmosphere was really cool. Classy, clean, not overpopulated, and slightly nautical without being cheesy or gaudy. We sat in a corner booth and got to look at the whole restaurant. The chef was walking around and making sure all the food was prepared properly before going to a table, and the servers were quick and efficient, without being too quick or overbearing. It seems they found a happy medium and are sticking to it. I ordered the gumbo to start with, and it came with some bread wrapped in parchment paper held together with twine. The gumbo was fantastic! I could come back and eat it as a full meal. A little heat, but not too much, and the consistency of the roux and other flavors were spot on. For my entree, I had the red snapper over sauteed okra and bok choy. The snapper was good, and served with the skin on. I could tell it wasn't super fresh, but I have to admit I'm a little biased and rotten from spending time on the Gulf Coast. My boyfriend is from Mobile and his family always gets us the best, freshest seafood when we go down there. I knew I would take a gamble when I got snapper at The Optimist, but wanted to try it anyway. The flavors were good, and they did a good job with it. Bottom line is that it doesn't compare to how fresh the fish is when I order it in Mobile. Moving on, the bok choy was hard to eat. It was sauteed in oil, I think, and it was chewy and wouldn't break apart easily. The leaves were soggy and hard to tear with your teeth, so we ended up chewing on them for too long (my colleague got the same entree), and just it was not a pleasant experience. The okra was good, and I ended up eating around the bok choy just to get the okra that was cooked properly. For dessert, I had the chocolate creme brulee with Oreo whipped cream, and it was heavenly! Rich chocolate flavor, and the whipped cream was even better. I don't think I've had a chocolate creme brulee before, and I think the bar was set pretty high. My colleague had the banana bundt cake with ice cream and caramel sauce (can't remember the exact description, and the menu on their website isn't the same as the restaurant, at the time of writing). I had a small bite of the cake and it tasted like my mom's homemade, from scratch banana bread fresh out of the oven. In other words, good with a touch of nostalgia. My least favorite part of the experience was our server. He was too formal for our liking. We both prefer bubbly servers who take the time to get to know you, whereas this guy was all business. He was stiff, and didn't have much personality, but did everything technically right: kept our water glasses full, checked on us when our food hit the table, etc. So, I can't say he was a bad server, but it would have been nice to see more of his personality while we were there. I'm definitely coming back, but probably for a drink with boyfriend and to split some gumbo and dessert if we're hungry.
(4)Katie R.
I love this restaurant, and I can't believe it took me so long to discover it in West Midtown. I met a colleague here a few weeks ago for drinks and dinner. I arrived early, so I posted up at the bar. Good wine list, interesting cocktail menu, and nice bartenders - the perfect combination. There are actually two bars in the restaurant (I think one is the official, so there is plenty of space to stretch out. The decor is all over wood/distressed metal, and it works really well in West Midtown. Lots of open windows, too! Moving on to dinner. Everything on the menu looked great, and I've never had a friend who told me they had a bad meal there. I'm pretty sure I had scallops, but really, it's all good. As mentioned in other reviews, service was excellent. I really have nothing bad to say about any part of the experience. When I first got to the restaurant, I went straight to the bar (really, it had been a long week), and I completely missed the outdoor garden area. I was able to check it out while waiting for my car, and I'm sad I missed it. Lots of green space, picnic tables, in general a nice outdoor space to enjoy a drink. Valet parking.
(5)Ada K.
We had a team dinner here, so nothing was spared: we basically tried everything on the dinner menu! The appetizers were amazing, the shrimp scampi (while messy) and the octopus (while well octopus) stood out the most! That octopus is a must try -- haven't had one so well prepared in the states in a while! I also got out of my comfort zone and went with the monk fish and it didn't disappoint, a very unique lobster-esque taste. Definitely worth a try! Great atmosphere, wonderful wine selection. Had a great time!
(5)Adrienne F.
We had an early dinner here last night. I'm not from Atlanta so this place was recommended for light and innovative seafood. They did deliver!!! I'm from New Orleans so I've enjoyed seafood in hundreds of different ways but the optimist still surprised me. We started with Charred Spanish Octopus, Lemony Mayo, Chorizo, Calabrese Peppers - there was a flavor explosion and a few bites were extra spicy but a very good appetizer if you like spicy - and the texture of the octopus was not chewy at all. Next I had a seasonal entrée with monkfish and heirloom tomatoes - very moist and the tomatoes added a good amount of sweetness. The ambiance of this place was wonderful. With such a large main dining area I was surprised at the relaxing feeling. Staff was very attentive but not intrusive in our dinner or conversation.
(5)Strunk F.
I really liked it. Took a date here; we ordered varied oysters and I had the Octopus. Everything was prepared very well; I will be coming back
(4)Craig M.
I'm from out of town and got the opportunity to eat at this place last night. The food was excellent but what really stood out was after waiting a little too long for our entries the manage brought out our food saying the wait was unacceptable to their standards and did not charge us for the main course. Very classy and not expected.
(4)Daniel L.
Oh, hello there! Came here for a wedding last saturday and my expectations were blown away. I blame the alcohol and great company. 4.5/5 To start, this restaurant is hidden behind Octane, near 5 Seasons and M St apts. Tall ceiling and wide spaces, I really enjoyed that there was space to host a wedding and dance as well. After the ceremony, they walked around with a couple notable hors d'oeuvres. Chicken tenders - I was going to pass on this, but after the look of amazement on a few faces, I gave in (and I'm glad I did!) They were lightly breaded and just enough flavor to want more, but what was the kicker was the sauce it came with! thebomb 5/5 Spicy octopus bites - I had a few of these, and although they weren't spicy, I could tell after more than 3 or 4, you'd sweat a little. This says more about my tolerance though, since I stick to Mild. 4/5 After a few beers, we were seated and the main dishes came out. The appetizer was a little gem lettuce salad, with lemon anchovy dressing, croutons and parm cheese. Pretty average. The dressing made it worth finishing, would not want another. Reminded me of standard caesar. 3.5/5 Main entree: Skirt Steak on a bed of pinto beans garnished with jalapeño peppers. Very very very good. The steak was (seared?) or grilled medium-rare and sliced. Paired with red wine and a bite of grilled(whole) jalapeño pepper made this an exceptional experience for me! 5/5 Dessert: Banana bread cupcake. You HAVE to take a bite of this properly (unwrap, and devour an entire 1/4 of the cupcake from the top cream to bottom) to truly appreciate this. I absolutely loved the fluffy bread paired with the banana whipped cream washed down with a hefeweizen beer. 5/5 easily. All in all, wonderful food from this place. Can't wait to try more seafood next time (what they're known for, I know... what am I eating steak here for?!) 4.5/5
(4)Cheryl T.
This restaurant lives up to all the hype. Seriously one of the best seafood restaurants I've ever experienced, and definitely the best inland restaurant. Worth the wait to get a table, and while not cheap, the food is fresh and deftly prepared. We ate here for my birthday, six of us, and no one was dissatisfied. Not even my 83 year old dad, who thinks a plate of food should cost the same as it did in 1950. Doesn't matter what you get, it's all good, but if you love oysters, definitely try a few with their homemade cocktail or minionette sauces.
(5)arlene d.
Went for an Anniversary lunch with my husband. We had a great lunch. The service was good. We had the she crab soup more like a bisque but I like the creamy smooth texture. Would have liked to seen a small garnish of crab on the top. Shrimp today was very good pretty heavy though. We had a mixed salad, the mussels which were delicious quiet spicy . We did get the lobster roll based on all the reviews but that was the one thing I was disappointed in the lobster was water logged and the flavor was lacked .Would pass on that . Fries were very good.
(4)Tim H.
Went for lunch and sat at the bar for faster service. The gumbo was so so. The lobster roll was also ok. Did not think it was anything amazing like previous reviewers.
(3)Bruce L.
Dinner Review: I came here for lunch before and seated my self in the casual section of the restaurant. "Take my money!" - should explain my experience. For this review, I am fixated on my dining room experience. This venue is divided into two sections (Dining area and casual area). Menu for both area are different which adds to their diversity of selections. I recommend a minimum of two visits to experience both. An establishment like the Optimist thrives on providing extraordinary service to multiply the adventure of dining that you already get from their wide selections of seafood preferences (Great for seafood lovers). OYSTERS - To have a generous range of selections of oysters is stimulating to my relish appetite and this privilege is not easy to come by within Atlanta combined with fine quality (I'm referring to seafood - It's FRESH). I recommend any deep-sea oysters (Lucky Limes and Kumamoto are two of my favorites). Any time I see arugula salad on the menu, it's a no brainer. I am surprised that I do run into people who had never had arugula O_o (Arugula consist of many variation of flavors between sweet and spicy - for those who might be curious). If you are one of those who never had it, get it! The arugula salad is a fine selection to begin your meal. Selecting my main entre, I was leaning towards the snapper but when I saw GRUNT on the menu, I was intrigued by the name. I had to inquire about this fish labeled GRUNT! I understand describing a type of fish is a difficult task for anyone. My server had proficiently explained the type of texture, made comparisons and described the preparation of the grunt fish. Of course, I made my selection to the grunt fish and let me simplify it.... It was meaty (Like a tuna steak). Yumm The Optimist is a place you may take your significant other or a prospecting significant other ;) I do not see why your date wouldn't think you're a great "catch" after being nourished and delighted with what this establishment indulges you with.
(5)Velvet B.
#11 out of top 50 restaurants on Atlanta according to Atlanta magazine. The lobster roll was divine for $21. Oysters are expensive and they were out of there homemade crackers. :( The decor is fabulous but our waiter was fumbling all night. Cannot wait to come back for a full dinner not just a snack. But be prepared to spend$100 for 2 sans alcohol.
(4)David G.
I went to lunch here with my parents. I am not an oyster eater, but they are. They claim they are the best they have ever had. I ordered fish and chips. It was a good choice. My parents ordered the fish sandwich and the shrimp burger. Both were excellent. This is a good lunch spot downtown.
(4)Kiki J.
Cool atmosphere. First time eating there. We ate on the oyster side on the patio by the putting green. We were on our way to a concert at Terminal West and just wanted to get a small bite and some drinks before the show. The oysters did not disappoint! Good service. Friendly wait staff. Definitely going back to try the other side of the restaurant which is slightly more formal with an extensive menu, in which to our dismay, was not an option since we were sitting on the 'oyster side' of this eclectic joint. Did I mention there was a putting green?
(5)L S.
Visiting from Chicago and planned to visit the Optimist after clients of ours told us it was the "Only restaurant we need to go to while in Atlanta". With a recommendation like that- and limited time in town- it seemed to be our best bet. Since it was brunch time, we started with Bloody Marys- which were outstanding- just enough spice and perfectly balanced. Our waiter was extremely helpful in guiding us through the menu, so after discussing our tastes he recommended we try the grilled octopus (crispy potato salad, chorizo, herbs, creme fraiche) and the head on ga white shrimp a la plancha, ("sopping" toast, arbol chile, lime ), and the east coast oysters (fresh horseradish and mignonette). The octopus was very good and was an interesting play with the texture of the petite crispy chips and creamy creme fraiche. The oysters were fresh and tasted as oysters should. But wow-sweet Lord- the shrimp- That was an experience all on its own. I would honestly say that dish alone was the greatest thing I have tasted in at least 3 years. It was perfectly done and went so well with the deliciously made in-house crackers they had on the table (which btw they should sell in stores because we would eat them everyday they are so delicious!) Okay so all of that sounds great right? So, we decided to order more food as we were settling in. The next round began with a lobster cobb salad (dijon mustard dressing), 2 cups of seafood gumbo w/ potluck bread and rice, and another round of Bloody Marys. Okay-now I'm not sure what happened from our first set of dishes to the second- but honestly and quite surprisingly it wasn't even in the same realm as the first. The lobster cobb- even though the lobster was cooked perfectly- the butter lettuce was sopping wet from the amount of dijon- so much that no other flavors could be tasted. We actually just picked out the lobster and left both salads on the plates. The gumbo was attractively presented with individually wrapped bread servings, but the gumbo itself was lifeless and felt like the roux had been rushed therefore lacked any real depth of flavor. And finally, and most sadly- the second rounds of Bloody Marys had clearly been made by someone with less care and attention as the firsts, as they tasted bitter and overly spiced. One came with an olive and one didn't, and the lime wedges were both dried out. I know that can sound sounds overly picky- but as we discussed during the meal- the change in quality while dining, etc flavors would have been the difference between a Michelin star (or two) and nothing. We were poised for a shoo-in and left feeling slightly disappointed. Probably best they don't offer that rating system here. Anyway- overall it was a positive experience- simply because I was able to taste their shrimp dish. I really think my life might actually be better as a result of those flavors! The dining room, bar, and exterior seating area were beautifully designed, and the wait staff could not have been more pleasant. But the turn in taste half way through almost guaranteed we won't be dining again the next time we are in town.
(4)Craig S.
What is left to say about how amazing The Optimist is? I recommend this to anyone in Atlanta - love Seafood? This is your spot. Love a fun bar? Check. Want good food, while also nice but not stuffy? Make a reservation ASAP. They keep the menu changing, and I've yet to have anything bad. Much like St. Cecilia, I think the side dishes are some of the best things on the menu. Don't skip on the sides!
(5)Kate M.
I was really excited to visit The Optimist for my birthday dinner after hearing all my friends talk about how great it was. Overall it was just OK - there were good and parts to the meal and experience but I don't know that I would necessarily come back here again to celebrate a special occasion. They had an awesome area outside with putt putt on the lawn. On the Saturday I went they had live music that was fun and folksy and a really nice touch. all the doors were open and the warm night air breezed into the bar easily. It was neat to see the oyster bar and wood fired hearth where they made all of those style plates. I think if I do return it would be to grab a few cocktails and some apps. Not only would it be more laid back, but the price point would certainly help my wallet. The staff was welcoming, and the restaurant was still very busy at 9:15 pm which was the earliest we could get our reservation. The valet was not complimentary which was surprising, but it was only $2. The hostess had great attention to detail and while seating us flipped out our napkins from white to black so we wouldn't get any fuzzies on what we were wearing. Definitely a good eye! The space itself is industrial chic with a cool beach atmosphere. They have a beautifully stocked bar and open concept kitchen where you'll see the chefs at work and flames shooting up every once in a while. Now, on to the food! I absolutely love seafood, but was a bit disappointed when our waiter told us they were already out of multiple dishes and if we wanted a dessert we better order it now since they were running out of most. We hadn't even looked at the menu yet! We got some drinks (They were delicious! I highly recommend the Jolly Roger.) and perused at our leisure. For apps we got the frothy she-crab soup and the salmon "opportunity." The soup wasn't made with actual crab meat - just crab roe. It was very frothy as the name implied but it had the viscosity of water. The flavor was good and I could have drank the whole thing in two minutes. That being said it was described as a bisque to me and I really prefer them to be thicker than the dish we got. The shrimp toast with it was very tasty but super greasy. You could see the oil spreading all over the napkin it was placed on top of. The salmon opportunity was four bites of raw salmon with peaches, oil, and marcona almonds on top. It was just an alright bite. I don't think it was worth the $10 price tag since the oil really overpowered the fish. For entrees we got the monkfish and the skirt steak. The steak was incredibly tasty with a lovely demi-glaze on top. It had roasted zucchini and squash underneath which really soaked up the flavor. The monkfish was in a creamy tomato broth that paired nicely with the dish. Both of these were solid and I would order them again. The plates were small but well presented. We didn't order dessert because almost all of the choices were already sold out. Our waiter was nice enough to at least attempt to cajole us, but we were ready to go since it was getting pretty late. The Optimist was a solid three stars. I'd love to go back at lunch to see what their offerings look like or for a happy hour where I could get a few cocktails and maybe some oysters to munch on. Fingers crossed they won't be out of much then!
(3)Ruben O.
Came here for a client lunch meeting. Mandatory valet for $2. Super cool modern nautical environment with an oyster bar and a great bar for alcohol. Could be loud at happy hour, but #turndownforwhat APPS Chowder Fries - Covered in creamy chowder goodness with great fixings like chives and bacon bits. LUNCH ENTREES Shrimp Cobb Salad - The best salad I've ever had and I'm an LA salad snob. Big pieces of shrimp with heirloom tomatoes, avocado, blue cheese and a smothering Dijon mustard dressing. Lobster Roll - Everything you'd ever want. Huge chunks of lobster prepared perfectly with tons of fries. DESSERT Chocolate Creme Brûlée - TOPPED WITH OREO WHIPPED CREAM. Oh. M. Gee. Ice Cream - Salted Carmel YES PLEASE. Maple not as good, but okay. Depends on your tastes.
(5)Amrita R.
I really, really, really love the lobster roll here. Granted it's the only one I've tried so far but based on photos, I really love the large chunks of meat here vs some other places that do smaller pieces. Also, the housemade potato chips in vinegar or lime (something acidic/citrusy) is the perfect complement to it. I ordered lobster rolls for my mom and I from here once and she loved it so much we went again with two of my friends. This time we tried some cocktails and apps and entrees. Everything was A-OK but I still thought the lobster roll was the best thing I had. My friend greatly enjoyed her oyster and both fish entrees (we had one poached in duck fat that I had been so excited about) but I ended up finding both of them lacking in flavor. I would have loved to take them home and add some more seasoning. The corn hushpuppy app was pretty good but nothing amazing. I will def be back for the lobsta roll!
(4)Christine U.
My boyfriend and I came here for our 3rd anniversary dinner because he read on The Week that it was one of the best restaurants in the US. We were definitely not disappointed! The charred octopus was by far the star of the night. PERFECTLY prepared and the accompaniments were very well thought out. Our entrees were also very well cooked and the service was excellent. The only low note was the carrot side that we got. It was crazy salty and a little burnt. I believe they've since taken them off the menu so I'm sure everything there now is great. Would definitely go back and I would certainly recommend it for special occasions!
(4)Martina L.
The ambiance was very nice and they were pretty busy. I confess we expected more. We had oysters and octopus as appetizers, they were really good! The bread they serve was like a Hawaiian king brushed with olive oil and Seasalt - I prefer when restaurants as expensive as this, serve a freshly baked bun. Out of the entrees, mine was definitely the best of the 3 different our table ordered, none of the others were impressed with the fish they got or the sides.... Mine was monkfish and it was quiet exquisite. It's definitely a fine restaurant and service was pretty good. For the price I did have higher expectations though.
(4)Jenny H.
I am disappoint. A friend of mine and I decided to go out and enjoy some fine cuisine. Like most folks in Atlanta, we'd heard amazing things about this place, and were very excited to try it out. Firstly, I like my wine, and I was disappointed in the selection. Not that it was bad or subpar, but it wasn't great, and our server didn't really seem to have a ton of knowledge about the wines. I asked for his help pairing, and was underwhelmed by the results. We started the night with a hamachi sashimi dish and some oysters. While delicious, I felt like the sashimi was way overpriced for the portion. The oysters, as expected, were amazing. We then each ordered a soup. I didn't see sizes on the menu (cup vs bowl), and our waiter didn't mention any either, so when we received our soup, I was surprised by how large the portion was. There was so much soup that I was almost full by the end. It seems strange to complain about, and certainly I could have eaten less, but I've always been told to clean my plate. Anyway, I think I would have been happier with cup or something. My friend ordered a gumbo and I ordered a chowder. The flavors were okay, but nothing special. Our main dishes were the scallops and the halibut. I was surprised by how small the scallops were, but my friend seemed pleased. I think these were the highlight of the evening. Great, obviously fresh, perfect seafood. The halibut was...not what I expected. It was a whole fish - head and all - and it was fried. I asked the server to fillet it for me, as I didn't know where to start. It came with a tangy bell pepper side/sauce. Because it's a whole fish, there were obviously plenty of bones to be had. I wish I'd known, as I probably would have ordered something else. I felt like our experience was pretty mediocre. Nothing stand out, but nothing offensive - which to me, after hearing so many wonderful things about this place, made it a let down. So, not a great experience for us, but I hope to try again someday. At the very least, I'd love to visit the oyster bar.
(3)Leang C.
Seafood, seafood, seafood! If you don't, you should be ashamed. JK! The seafood here is done really well. Oysters are fresh and very tasty. Octopus, shrimp, fish, you name it. Larger than most list of custom cocktails for those with adventurous taste buds. Service was attentive and knowledgeable. Make a reservation if you can as it does it pretty busy.
(5)Tamara G.
Everything I had was amazing. The seafood was fresh and the cocktails were refreshing. I'd definitely return.
(5)Nestor R.
Service was top notch! Thanks Andrew! Our table had: whole snapper (awesome albeit a bit salty), blackened mahi (solid, but just ok), cobia (very good), and monk fish (I didn't try, but the verdict wasn't too good - chewy). Appetizers: grilled octopus (fantastic!!), little gem/Caesar salad (very good), arctic char (minuscule, but good). Our sides: Brussels sprouts (good, but very salty), collards (inedible), fried rice (delicious), hush puppies (what's not to love?). We had various desserts and they were all tasty. Overall Optimist lives up to its reputation and hype. I'm not giving it 5-stars because there was an underlying saltiness to many of the dishes and the sides were generally weak. That should not be the case at a top restaurant. Pricey, but a good special occasion option.
(4)Erin H.
I chose The Optimist for my birthday celebration meal this year. We arrived about an hour early to sit outside and have a cocktail before moving to the table. I let the hostess know about our plans. She kept an eye on the clock, and came to get us at our reservation time. Very nice! Our cocktails were very tasty and nicely balanced. A word of warning, however: the jalapeno infused drink is far from mild. We also tried the peel and eat shrimp, which were perfectly cooked and well seasoned. We were lucky enough to get a table right next to the window. The space is huge. I was honestly a little worried that the large space meant that the food wouldn't be good. I was dead wrong. The rolls that are brought out at the beginning of the meal are awesome. I had the swordfish, and my husband ordered the halibut. Both dishes were cooked and seasoned perfectly. I am pretty picky about fish, and this was, by far, the best fish I have had in recent memory. The halibut was particularly succulent. The wine list had good depth; I was happy to see vinho verde as an option! Too full for a big dessert, we opted for the white pepper ice cream to finish. I wish I could have taken a pint home. I'm beyond excited that The Optimist lived up to its reputation. I cannot wait to go back.
(5)Christopher K.
Lovely venue that offers a variety of settings. A dinner setting which I would recommend reservations. A bar setting with small plates and refreshing cocktails for small get togethers and a more intimate room for special occasions. We sat at the bar and our server Mike took us on a tour of their most delicious and house specialties. Starting with an array oysters, grilled octopus, steamed clams, soft shell crab, shishito peppers and some pretty amazing fried rice. All with fresh made cocktails to compliment the dishes. What an amazing night!!!
(5)Chataun D.
With nearly 600 reviews, mine isn't all that necessary but here-a-goes. We had the fish and chips (sweet potato steak fries), almond crusted trout, the collards, hush puppies, and lemon pot dessert. Everything was absolutely amazing! The food temperature, seasoning, and even the cocktails were exceptional. Despite our positive experience with the food, the parking valet was not so positive. There is very little self parking. And my husband was disappointed with the amount of dust and dirt that was left on his car mats, on more than one occasion. When busy, the valet suffers from incompetence.
(5)L P.
There's nothing negative to say at all! The food was out of this world, and the service matched! Five of us went for a Mother's Day outing and it was the best meal I think we all have ever had, and specifically in Atlanta. The seafood was spectacular (mind you we are from Daytona Beach and I don't want to pat myself on the back, but we know good seafood). Do NOT pass up on dessert! The cookie ice cream sandwiches and home made ice creams were all divine!!!
(5)Justin D.
Fantastic meal. Great food; great service. My wife and I split oysters, little gem salad, hush puppies, and fish and chips. All were great....especially the hush puppies (a la beignet style). Highly recommended.
(5)Dio S.
Good seafood restaurants are always welcome addition. Like other FF restaurants, Optimist is well conceptualized with trend setting menu, mostly solid executions, and stunning space. The restaurant had halfheartedly marketed itself as evoking the charm of a seafood shack on the New England shore. What we really have is large high ceiling dining room, enormous fancy bar, gorgeous natural lighting via gigantic windows which makes it a pleasure to visit early evening or at lunch time. It does not look like a seafood shack, ha ha. It looks every bit as elegant and recognizable as the other FF creations. That's good enough for me. I ate here a few times over the past two years. It's mostly hits with just some misses. The menu is easy to like: small plates and sides are many and varied. Many oysters. The requisite lobster roll. Most of the mains come with different, unique preparations, sides, and/or sauces. The fancy bar makes you want to order one of the trendy cocktails, which at any FF restaurant usually turns out to be quite delightful. I like almost all the small plates I ate here, except for the soups which makes me sad. If you are a traditionalist with seafood preparation, you might not like the mains as much. I am not a traditionalist but I still felt a couple times where the fish was messed with a bit too much or that there's just too much distractions in a smothered plating of lots of different things (delicious things, though) on the fish. I have no verdict on who has Atlanta's best lobster roll. Optimist's will certainly not disappoint. Overall, even if the food is not perfect and there probably isn't any dish I would crave and regularly want to eat, Optimist delivers a smooth, pleasurable dining experience, with foods that generally excite, very much meeting justifiably high expectation of a FF restaurant. And is a good option on the Howell Mill corridor that has become a mini food mecca over the years.
(4)Dawn L.
At last :drumroll: I made it into The Optimist! Surprisingly, we were able to walk right in and get a table. For starters we ordered the Mussels in the Green Curry Coconut Broth, I just couldn't get my boyfriend to be adventurous enough to try the charred octopus as I was hoping. :whimpers: However, the mussels were excellent! I was one fraction of a second off from lapping it up like a dog, right there perched on the table. Their complimentary dinner rolls were absolute heaven soaked up in this creamy spicy decadent sauce. I also ordered two of their raw oysters, I LOVE the little house-made saltines & fresh horseradish that they come with. I ordered the Grouper with Rock Shrimp and Bacon in a Lemon Sauce, while I enjoyed it, I also found it mildly bland, it could have just used a *little* something extra. The grouper had a wonderful crispy exterior, and was cooked to perfection inside. My boyfriend ordered the Blackened Mahi with Charred Jalapeno Butter, this was my favorite, while my grouper was his! As a side I ordered the Basmati Fried Rice with Smoked Fish and Curry. It was the only side dish without meat we could find to order, and I am glad I did, I could make a meal out of this alone! The saltiness of the smoked fish and crispness of the peanuts was an explosion of happiness to my taste buds. To finish we had the Salted Caramel Ice Cream, what can I say, it was sweet, salty, creamy and full of what dreams are made of.
(5)cath g.
What the heck is the deal with the parking now??? Can't even get in safely!!! The food was good last time but damn that construction project prevented us from even dining there!
(1)Nemil S.
Free valet parking. They don't seat until the party is there (even if only one is missing). Sat at the oyster bar and got some drinks while we were waiting for the other guests to arrive. Interesting/unique cocktail selection, although not a lot that caught my eye as a bourbon and whiskey fan. Apps - Oysters - I enjoyed the oysters, although I am not too picky. The other's at the table seem to enjoy them as well. Cocktails - We received the wrong martini and the waiter had poor knowledge of the beer selection. When we did receive our correct order, it was a decent martini (not that it's too hard to make a gin martini). Octopus Appetizer - Would have been nice if it ever showed up. Fried Whole Haddock - 5/5 - Perfectly fried, nice and flaky and flavorful. The presentation was wonderful and the taste was exceedingly delicious. I would definitely recommend!! I only wish they had more of the other items on the dish. Side Mushrooms - 4/5 - a good variety of mushrooms, but I'm also bias because I love mushrooms. Brussel Sprouts - 3/5 - decent. Good sized portion, not a big fan of brussel sprouts in general. Our server was not knowledgeable and slow--the service really ruined the entire experience for us. The food was good.
(3)Dina S.
Do not miss the fabulous food at the Optimist. We had a wonderful lunch at the bar. The restaurant has a fun, hip vibe, not stuffy. Our server was incredibly informative and attentive. He suggested a terrific mussel appetizer and a perfect wine pairing! The mahi fish sandwich and lobster roll were delicious. I did not love their seafood gumbo, but everything else was amazing! To top off our meal, we had a celebrity sighting!
(4)Tiff H.
This was a great little place tucked into the corner of Howell Mill and 8th. A lot of hype for this place... So we decided to venture in, despite the $$$. Parking is valet parking only, unless you'd like to attempt street parking and walk from there. A small putt putt golf course greets you outside before you walk in. We were just about to miss our reservation so we decided not to play. We were seated at an awkward booth that faced the aisle. Our server brought us some deliciously fragrant bread and we placed our wine orders, along with our food choices. My appetizer was slightly adventurous... I ordered the Florida frog legs, which were tender and flavorful. Really does taste like chicken... The garnishes were pretty yummy, too. My entree was a swordfish steak, which paired well with my Chenin Blanc. The fish was almost like a chicken breast in texture because of it's meatiness and density. At times it got a little dry, but the sauce always sopped it up. The short rib was random but a nice touch to the dish. The server came back periodically to check up on us, even brought us extra bread at some point at our request. My tab came out to be about $55 including wine, my appetizer, and entree, which isn't all that bad for what it was. I'll definitely have to make it out here again one day to try the oysters!
(4)Emily F.
Amazing. The server was very knowledgable on all the different types of oysters which was helpful. Their cocktails are definitely pricey, but SO GOOD. I was thoroughly impressed. Ambience was on point.
(5)Maurice D.
My partner and I had reservations here for 6:45 on a Sunday evening. We arrived approximately 10 minutes prior to our reservation time and was able to be seated immediately. The Optimist has been on my list of restaurants to try for the past few months, so I was excited about what our evening would entail. The seating enrangements at The Optimist immediately turned me off. We were sandwiched in between two other dining couples, not even an arms length away. We could hear the conversations of both couples and I'm sure they could easily hear ours. I enjoy having private, intimate conversations with my partner, especially in such a beautiful romantic setting alluded by the restaurant, so this was unfortunate. A server brought us glasses of water and fresh bread with butter and sea salt as a starter while we glanced over the menu. Several moments later our server came to the table, introducing herself, and giving the spiel on the dinner specials for the evening. I was not interested because I knew exactly what I had came here to try and was to be persistent on getting it- The Lobster Roll. For Appetizers, my partner ordered the Simple Salad and I order the Fried Oysters. Both appetizers were standard, nothing mind-blowing. For dinner entrees I was insistent on getting The Lobster Roll, when our server said it was a lunch menu item, I asked if an exception could possibly be made. She had to check with "higher-ups" in the kitchen and they granted my request. GOOD. My partner, opted for the standard Fish & Chips. As a side to share, we ordered the hush puppies, which is one of their popular menu items. The food was standard, again nothing mind-blowing. The lobster roll was extremely salty to me. Maybe I should have been expecting that, but certainly not that salty. By the end of our meal, our server warmed up to us and began telling us her life story. Very sweet girl though. An Atlanta native. Don't meet too many of those in this town anymore. We ended up skipping desert at the restaurant and stopped by Krispy Kreme Donuts on the way home. Those indulging, succulent donuts were the best thing we had all evening.
(3)Jennifer M.
Definitely a fan of their raw oysters. We ordered a dozen to start off with, half east and half west. Super fresh and tasted of the sea. I could eat those for days. The four stars go to the oysters. As for the entree, we had the swordfish and the halibut with hushpuppies as a side. Sadly, they were just mediocre. Too much lemon on the halibut so it tasted like nothing but lemons. It was cooked perfectly though. Swordfish seemed to be tough and not that tasty. The hushpuppies were fried for too long. Had too much of a burnt taste to them. Would certainly go back for oysters, but not sure about the rest of their menu.
(4)Beezantine B.
You have to take your lady friend here fellas Lol She'll love it! Nice bar, great food, good service. I haven't been disappointed with the food choices I've made. The scallop entree was good and their gumbo was really nice. My girl loves their Cosmos too.
(4)Locals O.
I feel like the place is overly hyped. I didn't expect it to be so busy on a weekday so make sure you have a reservation. Oh, and only valet. The atmosphere was nice with the mini golf course in front of the restaurant. The bread they give you was buttery and soft. We let our server be in charge of picking 2 dozen oysters for us. The crackers that came with the oysters were good haha Starters - Fried gulf oysters - the horseradish mayo really complimented the taste Charred Spanish octopus - very tender and flavorful Mussels- theses were a miss for me. Some of the shells were missing the actual mussel meat. Entree - Duck fat poached swordfish - a lot of flavor going on in one plate. George's bank scallops - had to be my favorite the asparagus gave it a little bit of a crunch. Sides - Bok Choy- very pickled!! Beets - were okay didn't really have much flavor just a lot of color Mushrooms - yummy but a bit salty For dessert we has one of everything but brown sugar cake had to be my favorite!! The cake itself was soft but had a bit of a crunch because of the brown sugar The sour cream icecream was a miss for me it was too tart for my taste.
(3)Carter B.
Came here for lunch with a colleague. The atmosphere is nice, with a big roomy feel to it. Started with the grilled octopus. It was very good. Never had a tentacle before but it was great. Wouldn't recommend for more than two people, kind of tiny. I had the blackened fish sandwich, colleague had lobster roll. Fish sandwich was good, nothing spectacular. Lobster roll looked great and was delicious. The French fries made the entire meal, I could've eaten a plate of them. Service was okay, a little slow. Our food was cold by the time we got it and there was a LONG gap between appetizer and entree. We valet parked, and it took about twenty minutes to get our car. Not a very efficient system and not worth the $2 to valet. Valet is very rude too, kind of ruined the dreamy lunch we just had. Overall the food is great, but the parking is a nightmare and kind of ruins the experience. Would recommend ubering if you're going to try it!
(3)Rodney A.
Bring $200 for two and you'll be covered for a full course meal and a bottle of good wine. This place is exceptional. Food is phenomenal, and ambiance is spectacular.
(5)Mara K.
When in Atlanta - EAT HERE! I was in Atlanta for business but luckily stayed with friends during my trip. My friend suggested we go to dinner at The Optimist - it's in an up and coming neighborhood, decorated insanely cool, and the food is first class. I ordered the scallops and was very pleased with the preparation and presentation. Scallops can be dicey and unsatisfying - NOT the case at The Optimist. Delicious. I also had the beet salad - tasty with a great dressing. Good accompaniment to the scallops. My friend ordered soft-shelled crab. I had a taste and thought it was purty darn good. Great selection of draft beers and wines. Dessert sealed the deal. WOW. I had the toasted marshmallow on chocolate cake. This is the fanciest (and tastiest) marshmallow I've ever had. I had complete dessert envy over my friend's choice of salted caramel icecream. It was amazing on many levels. I love the layout and decor of The Optimist. Modern in a beachy way. Also - really cool single bathroom situation - with several to choose from. I wish every restaurant had bathrooms like this.
(5)john w.
Went into the Optimist and came out a pessimist. I ordered halibut with the fried rice, my wife had the grouper and the asparagus. Both fish dishes were over cooked or sat at the pass too long under heat lamps. The asparagus looked like someone threw up on a plate and the fried rice was drier than the fish, which must have taken some doing. I was tempted to send everything back and I would have but the waitress was clueless and annoying, appearing at random, generally just as you had a bite of food, to yell something like "everything is delicious." I couldn't tell if it was a statement or a query, but she would run off before I had a chance to respond that no everything was not delicious, so it didn't matter anyway. There didn't appear to be a manager on duty, if there was they were completely ineffectual and blended in with the rest of the gormless staff. I made the mistake of ordering an espresso for myself and a coffee for my wife. The coffee arrived in a ridiculous giant mug and tasted like it was brewed in a gas station the day before, I watched as the guy made my espresso and it sat and sat for 12 minutes, (I timed it), while our waitress stood in the corner in full view of me, just chatting away with another staff member. The espresso was of course cold by the time I got it, but it would have been undrinkable anyway. Whoever owns this joint has a very expensive doorstop on his counter. That is the least of the problems though, avoid this place or go to witness the horror before it closes.
(1)Drew H.
service was fair, food was mediocre, atmosphere was obnoxious. The waiter should get more training or go back to Applebee's. I expect better service at this price point. The food was a mixed bag. We were unimpressed by the oysters. I thought the scallops were lousy, but someone else in my party liked the dish. Spicy octopus was good. The mussels were delicious and the mahi mahi was to die for. The noise was ridiculously loud. I would go back only when patrons are scarce (read: better service & quieter atmosphere), and only because I know what menu items to avoid and which to indulge in.
(2)Allison B.
I frequent The Optimist because I am lucky enough to work close by. If you like Louisiana gumbo you'll love the seafood gumbo appetizer here. The rue is dark and the flavors are all there with that hint of spice from the andouille sausage. For the entree I switch between the shrimp burger and the Maine lobster roll that both come with crispy shoestring fries. My boyfriend often gets the fish & chips that are cooked to a perfect golden brown. We like to think you can't go wrong with any choice on the menu. If you're willing to get messy definitely try the chowder fries. The bacon, clams & white cheddar make the fries melt in your mouth. And that's just for lunch!
(5)Max C.
We come here for the oysters and wine. They had a good Gruner wine that went great with the she-crab soup and monch fish. We come here once every few months and enjoy it each time. Would recommend.
(4)Wendi G.
Optimist - the tendency to expect the best and see the best in all things. When you arrive you are definitely going to be on a high note. The restaurant itself is beautiful and decor is top notch. They went all out on the theme and little touches around the restaurant - like the old bathhouse keys - are very cool. Our meal started with a wonderful little amuse bouche of a fresh oyster served with nothing but a celery leaf. It was so perfect I am still thinking about it today. For appetizers we had the little gem lettuce, lemon anchovy dressing, croutons, parmesan - if you like anchovies then this salad is for you! I had the halibut cheeks which were served en papillote with Jerusalem artichokes - completely divine. For entrees we had the tile fish and the mussels. To complement the meal we ordered sides, which are a la carte, roasted sweet potatoes and beets. The entrees were good but the potatoes had lots of rotten spots (see photo). The service started at a ten but ended somewhere around a two - poor - as the restaurant got busier we then became the least important table in the house. Somewhere around when the entrees were served is when the server totally forgot us. We could not get another piece of bread, more water, a drink or another utensil. In fact we even asked another server for help and they never returned. No one ever questioned us why we did not eat the rotten sweet potatoes or even ask if we wanted another beverage. Once our plates were cleared the server was too busy rushing us out the door so they could turn the table for the next seating. Too bad the meal turned out like it did and we left here feeling like pessimists.
(3)Stephanie C.
if you like spicy get the tuna with fermented chile, seasoned so good. It's a small tasting though. If you love smoke salmon then get the cured salmon toast. One of the best smoked salmon appetizers I have ever had. I don't even eat hush puppies but i devoured the ones at Optimist. (warm, sweet and savoy) I honestly wasn't too impressed with the swordfish. It was a little bland for my taste but the appetizers and the sides stole the show. It is worth going back for sure but I would try a different entree.
(5)Julia H.
This restaurant nails it on food, service and atmosphere! I can't see where anybody would not love this place!
(5)Natalie J.
The food at The Optimist is excellent! I had the fried rice and Georgia shrimp tapa plates. Both options were very good and the shrimp were HUGE. This restaurant is also pet friendly; however, if you bring your pet you have to sit outside and the menu is limited to the oyster bar menu (I.e. Tapas). Customer service was ok, nothing special. I would definitely come back without my pet to just try the full menu.
(4)Amy G.
Underwhelmed. I went with a friend and we ate at the bar on a Friday night. Granted, they were busy but if it wasn't I'd have to wonder. After more than an hour of fighting for our bartenders attention to order wine and food we started getting quite annoyed when other patrons around us were being tended to more diligently. Finally a different bartender seemed to realize that we needed more help and did a great job of leading us to more courses and matching wine. Overall I thought the food was ok but not worth the money nor the fight for service. We ended up spending $160 for the 2 of us. Maybe I'll try it on a weeknight.
(3)Tonja F.
I have to start by saying I was very excited about trying this place as it had been highly recommended by friends. I didn't ask them what was so great about it, but was assured that I would love it. I did not. I did like it though, but not enough to go back anytime soon. The restaurant was very nice - spacious and bright with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. The decor was modern and minimalistic. It was lively - there was a singing guitar player outside (who sounded quite nice by the way) and there was music playing indoors. We sat at a table but there is also a bar for drinks and oysters. Our waiter (Topher) was awesome. He answered all of our questions, made suggestions and was very attentive. We ordered drinks, appetizers, entrees and one dessert to share. Each course was brought out in perfect time. Everything so far certainly deserves 5 stars for ambiance and customer service. The overpriced average food is another story. The mussels were extremely fresh - probably the most tender I've ever eaten, however the flavor was just "good". I was hoping for OMG! The raw oysters were good and fresh, but the condiments they were served with weren't our favorite and kind of disappointed. We're big oyster eaters and have tried them at restaurants all over Atlanta , Florida, New York and Mexico. I guess we could have asked for something else (no, not cocktail sauce) but we didn't think about it at the time. Not a big downer, but just wish it could have been better (for the price). Our entrees (Halibut and Monkfish) were small, but tasty and beautifully plated. (sorry, so excited to try the food I forgot to take pics). For the price though they really should come with a side dish - throw a few asparagus spears or slap a scoop of rice on the plate or something - DAMN! The Chocolate Tart with Toasted Coconut and Roasted Marshmellow was pretty but the texture wasn't consistent. The chocolate pie portion was cold and hard to scoop with your spoon which didn't mesh well with the warm marshmallow on top. I would've enjoyed it much more if the entire thing was warm and smooth. I flopped off my plate when I tried to get a scoop! Not good dude. On the up side was my cocktail - the Scurvy Scoundrel - it was incredibllllllle!! (I had two). I would say this is definitely a place to check out if you like seafood and enjoy spending more money than should be required to eat it. I don't have a problem spending money on good food - but when we think about other places we've eaten we can't help but compare. Would I go back, probably if someone asked me to join them, but it's not on my personal list of things to do.
(3)Chris S.
I know they are a new hot spot, but i was really disappointed with the service here. We started out in the Oyster bar for a few cocktails before dinner and apparently they are not a full bar, if you want a cocktail they have to go to the other side, and they inform you this will add 5-10 minutes to you order. We started out with some oysters which were very fresh, Angels on Horseback which were a fried oyster with Pork belly and some Gumbo which were all very good. We ordered swordfish, grouper and fish and chips between the table that were all good, but a bit pricey. It all went downhill when we started to talk to our waitress, she made is seem like she just did not even want to be bothered with us, and she really had an attitude - this really set the mood for our entire meal. Very disappointed... at one point she mad mention that someone at our table was annoying. I also did overhear one of the other servers say they pool all the tips, so maybe that is why our server couldn't be bothered - she would still make good money for the night no matter how we tipped - which we still tipped 20%, but it really left a bad taste for me for the restaurant - all in all i think the food is 3-4 stars and the service for us was a 1. I will wait a while to go back and hopefully they will weed out the bad employees??
(2)Christopher H.
I am not that big on seafood, so I wasn't looking forward to coming to this new restaurant in Atlanta's Westside (the best side). I was extremely pleased in every facet upon dining here though. First, the restaurant itself is beautiful on the inside. The ceilings are extremely high which gives the place a very open feeling. I can't think of another more appealing dining setting in Atlanta, perhaps Canoe outside by the river in the evening. Their soup selection, part of the reason I went in the first place, is good. I ended up getting the seafood gumbo. It's a starter, but I wasn't that hungry. The gumbo itself was delicious, my only complaint was that it could have used more seafood....but most seafood gumbos regardless of where you get it seems to be void of this key ingredient. Regardless, it was good. It was rather spicy as well. I like spicy, but the soup caught me off guard. It definitely tested my manhood in front of my date. LOL. I also had their beignet style hushpuppies. I thought the concept was intriguing, but the hushpuppies were excellent! Anyway, great place to dine.
(5)Ashley R.
Great atmosphere, friendly service, and solid menu. While most offerings are seafood-related, pretty much everything is cooked in butter or fried. So...no heart-healthy plates here. Overall, we were pleased with the quality. The mussels were somewhat overcooked and came with only one small circle of toast for sopping the green curry broth (but the waitress happily brought us extra). Fried oysters were well-breaded and tasty served with pork belly and mushrooms. Skate wing "schnitzel" had excellent lemon-capery flavor, but was a tad on the greasy side (breaded and pan fried, then served with a butter sauce). Shoestring fries side were perfectly salted and crisp. Hushpuppy beignets with brown butter were a sweet surprise paired with the savory entries. Buttermilk cake donuts with sweet corn ice cream were so-so (pass on the bizarre hot pepper jelly accompaniment). Go for the key lime "push pop" instead!
(4)Richard G.
Took the Optimist out for a shake-down cruise Saturday evening (6/2/12). Although our reservation was for 7:30, our table was not ready until almost 8:00. The most remarkable feature of this new restaurant is that the kitchen can turn out excellently prepared and presented food in the midst of such utter chaos. One guest's appetizer arrived after all others had been served, eaten, and the plates cleared. Wine orders, after 1 or 2 follow-up requests, eventually showed up after the course they were to accompany was served and eaten (choice: warm food without wine, or cold food with wine?). Although the food product was uniformly interesting and delicious, the quantities of some dishes were skimpy: the tuna and octopus combo appeared with one morsel of octupus, and in response to our inquiry, a runner later appeared with a saucer bearing one embarrasingly smaller piece. The grouper appeared to be a scant 4 oz. for $28.00. Maybe worth another try in a few weeks, to see if they have worked out the kinks.
(3)Dai T.
Food was awesome. The decor is fantastic. It' has a clean and modern, beach house or farmhouse feel. Pros: Food and atmosphere. Service at the tables are great. Bar service is typical of an Atlanta hotspot. Cons: Pricey. Drinks are really high. It is way too crowded. It's the typical rush for any new spot in Atlanta. Reservations are needed, but it still takes for ever to get seated. Bar is too crowded.
(4)Crazy E.
The Optimist- What a great name for a business especially dealing with food. I decided to see what the hype is about at this restaurant. I didn't have reservations so I sat at the oyster bar for starters. I started with a variety of oysters, which were good but not any more special than the local oyster bar. Surprisingly I ordered around 9 oysters and recieved 4 crackers. (really) The peel and eat shrimp were very sweet and juicy but unfortunately, it seemed like they dropped the shrimp in an Old Bay seasoning bucket. I love spice but that was over the top. I then had the lobster roll which was good but definately not worth the $21 price tag. I have had better or comparable lobster rolls in Atlanta for less. The star or the night for me was the grilled octopus. This had flavors bursting throughout my mouth. The drinks were very good especially the shots with the oyster.I tried the pickle juice shot and it was surprisingly very smooth. The biggest issue of the night was the staff. The bartender had the personality of a saltine cracker. She was not rude but not engaging or having a personality. I tried to engage her in conversation and all the time thinking- how did you get this job? I had to ask for water 3 or 4 times and she was right in front of me. She actually filled her own water glass a couple of times before filling mine. Go figure. The guy who was cooking was creepy and all the time staring making the stay quite uncomfortable. maybe I was looking for a different vibe based on all the reports of this place being the "IT" place to be. Maybe I will check it out on the weekends and it may be different. I might suggest giving the bartender a shot or two to loosen up a bit.
(3)Jessica B.
Really cool place in the west side area! Everything was really good, we had the west coast oysters, mussels and shared the monkfish. Service was also on point. We had a reservation (that I made 2 weeks in advance) and they seated us right away. If my table wasn't 4 1/2 inches away from the strange couple next to me, this would've been 5 stars. Definitely worth a try!!
(4)Ashley S.
I went with my husband and best friend last night and left not as impressed as I had expected to be! I ordered the Tuna (which is a staple on their menu) and the sauce it is with just doesn't go well with it. I wouldn't order it there again. My husband ordered the Scallops (it comes with 4 of them) and again wasn't all that great. Now my friend did get a good one, she got the Short Ribs with bone marrow. And the hush puppies side was amazing. We also ordered the Octopus appetizer, and was cooked just wonderfully but the sauce was a bit overkill, although still very good. PROS: Very cute ambiance, great Octopus appetizer, AMAZING HUSH PUPPIES, and good Short Ribs CONS: Tuna entree was not great at all (so many other places that do this better) & Scallops entree was again not anything worth going back for.
(3)Emily B.
Great overall experience and would definitely go back. The decor and ambiance is warm and inviting, a little loud, but I prefer that over stuffy fine dining. Our group had one of just about every appetizer and were specifically fond of the she crab soup and grilled octopus with bone marrow aioli. The menu was fresh and creative, and the wine selection was great. They are a little pricy, but I think worth it. I will definitely go back.
(5)Yane Y.
(I usually review after at least 2 visits, but I reviewed after the 1st visit so I can recall what I ordered and what my thoughts were.) Due to the rave reviews, I ordered the lobster roll. Call me asian, but when I read lobster roll review after review after review, I was thinking it was a lobster (sushi) roll! I didn't have time to look at any pics, so just went by the reviews. I was surprised to find that the lobster roll was a texas toast bun (in 1/2) with a lobster salad. The chunks of lobster were fresh - props! (By the way, did I mention that I told me entire table that the lobster rolls got rave reviews, so everyone ordered it? It was our first visit.) Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it! Personally, I just do not like "cold" dishes. Even when it comes to subs/sandwiches, I always prefer a hot sandwich over a cold ... because this was a cold sandwich, I didn't like it as much as I thought it was. However, I can recognize quality, and I tell you... it was real, quality lobster meat. It wasn't too salty nor sweet, it was fine - just cold ... (but normal!). Also ordered the she crab soup. It was delicious as others mentioned. I read in a couple people's reviews that they were disappointed that the soup did not have chunks of crab meat. It was a puree. Regardless, the soup was delicious. Very thin puree, so don't expect anything too thick. Our server told us up front that the soup did not have chunks of crab. She did good! Service was excellent ... she was at our table refilling our waters every few minutes. While she was over every few minutes to refill our waters, she didn't interrupt conversations too frequently. She just came, refilled waters, and left. Our server was excellent. The amibiance of this place is way cool. I mean, they have putt putt while you're waiting. Can it get any better? (okay, so I'm sure it can. But putt putt is pretty darn cool.....) For any seafood lovers, everything tasted real fresh, so I'd definitely bring you here!!
(3)Jillian V.
I can't say enough about my experience at The Optimist tonight. I was meeting for a casual business related happy hour with two others. Automatically I could gauge that the venue itself is great for business dinner or a nicer date night out. We had the pleasure of sitting in AJ's section. Long story short we were there longer than expected and didn't order entrees. We stuck with two beers, glass of wine and three appetizers - octopus, halibut cheeks and the shrimp (all AJ's suggestions). I'm a huge seafood person and the quality is beyond compare to the majority of seafood places in Atlanta. AJ was spot on with knowing when to stop by and when to just let us be. The entrees were definitely something to be desired. The fact they had cobia and tilefish on the menu was a pleasant surprise to me, but all and all I'm already planning my next visit. Not only will I enjoy their amazing venue, but I will definitely be asking to sit with AJ again.
(5)Devon O.
My new favorite restaurant in Atlanta. Deeeelish. I've only been for lunch, but posting up at the bar for a long late afternoon boozy lunch on a cold day is sublime. Get a glass of the Albarino and start with the shrimp a la plancha. They do have hot lemon-scented hand towels to clean your hands from the delicious messy sauce, ask for them if you get too greasy/gross. I also love the lobster roll, easily comparable to what you'd find in New England. Served with the crunchiest ungreasy matchstick fries in existence. Seasonal sides also never disappoint. The fried green beans, though? Yuck. Not feeling the cold dill sour cream sauce that goes with it. I love that they have for real oysters from both coasts, not the gloppy cold tongue gulf oysters that you have to chew in several bites. Ew. Service is laid-back, competent and knowledgable. Bathrooms are plentiful and stall-free, which is always nice. Looking forward to springtime when I can play putt putt on the lawn.
(5)Liesa G.
I was here last night with some friends. None of us had ever been here but had heard great things about The Optimist. We tried two different kinds of oysters (of course with the homemade crackers and the hot sauce) - yum! They were delicious! All four of us had different entrees: the halibut (good), the salmon (good), the snapper (really good) and the fish & chips (eh .. just ok). There were a few highlights to the meal. The "scurvy scoundrel" is an awesome cocktail - refreshing but not overwhelming. The hushpuppies are probably the best we'd ever had, and the chocolate creme brulee was amazing! It is very expensive (about $350 for the 4 of us) so this isn't a place I'd go regularly, but for a special night out, it's a good place.
(4)The Food Abides W.
If you didn't catch wind of it, Esquire Magazine named Ford Fry's latest, The Optimist, the "Best New Restaurant in America." If this is America's best, well then Amurica is facing more problematic times than the presidential debates would let on. I'm no longer standing on my chair screaming, "USA! USA!" Needless to say, my meal last night at The Optimist left me an enormous pessimist. In fact, it was the worst meal I've ever shelled out one hundred bones for. Putting my credit card down, I felt duped and knew that I could get much better meals in Atlanta for much less money. If you're reading this review, well then you have certainly heard about The Optimist. You've heard about its gorgeous dining room and inviting bar(s). You've heard about the masterfully appointed lighting and stylishly tasteful touches. And all of these things are absolutely, in the fullest sense, true - the design team for this restaurant knocked it out of the park. And perhaps you've heard about the food. And that's where I'm taking a stand - if you heard wonderful things about the food at The Optimist, you heard wrong. If I had to sum my meal up at The Optimist in one, brief phrase, if would be, "Nothing tasted like anything." The dishes overall were devoid of any flavor with the exception of a salty Monkfish entree. I adore the scope of the menu and had a hard time deciding on anything because everything sounded so interesting, refreshing or delicious. The service, I should mention, was flat - not particularly friendly and nobody ever came to check on us after we got our food. The Optimist has fresh oysters on the regular and I feel like oysters are omissible from any review. The truth is, if you have a fresh product and a good shucker, oysters are going to be good. And they were. We also ordered the $9 cup of gumbo. With ample amounts of seafood (including a crab claw), I suppose they can get away with the price. The broth was nothing special, however, and lacked thickness and depth of flavor. The accompanying "Potluck" garlic bread was absolutely unnecessary and didn't even deserve to be called garlic bread. The mains were the real let down of the evening. My monkfish entree, with a tomato broth, pickled fennel and hen of the woods mushrooms was simply not good. The monkfish was cooked appropriately but the accompanying broth tasting like nothing but salt with no tomato flavor. In fact, after a few bites, I couldn't eat any more of it. The pickled fennel kept to itself and didn't compliment the dish in any way while the the hen of the woods mushrooms were kept to a minimum - there was only one in the dish. Kins ordered the yellowtail tuna dish which was supposed to feature a charred octopus & potato salad. The yellowtail was cooked properly with a nice sear to the outside. The potato salad was even interesting - fried rather than boiled (think well cooked home fries). However, the charred octopus was much like the mushrooms in my dish - non existent except for one, measly piece. I'm sorry, but when you shell out $26 for a dish, there needs to be more than one bite of the ingredients mentioned on the menu. And like the monkfish entree, this dish didn't really have any flavor. The corn milk hushpuppies fell into the same category of everything else - no flavor. They were also entirely too dense - hushpuppies from a modest fish shack are worlds better. Nothing at the Optimist was revolting or inedible. The problem was that nothing tasted great or even good. While a modest home cook may not be able to prepare a piece of monkfish to perfection, they could surely impart more memorable (or in this case, existing) flavors. The best bite I had all evening was the complimentary bread - fluffy, buttery and topped with some quality salt, it was a nice bite to kick off what I (at the time) suspected would be a great meal. But alas, it was the only bite I fully enjoyed for the rest of the evening. I began wondering if I had burned my tongue severely on the gumbo because after that, I didn't taste much of anything. P.S. The valet parking here sucks - they have a huge lot, with tons of empty spaces, yet it took us about 10 minutes to retrieve our car. When will restaurants stop using valet?
(2)Joanne B.
Love the atmosphere of this place..it brings the city more alive with Intown excellent places like this one! Took clients for lunch and everyone enjoyed the food. The only item I wasn't crazy about is my fish sandwich..it needed to be cooked more. I ate around it as the slaw and salad delicious but it is a seafood place after all. Regardless, I will be back as the service, scene and overall experience great.
(4)Chris W.
This is a great place. The vibe is great. Trendy, but not pretentious. A nice modern, laid-back feel. I ate at the bar and had a great time. We mostly ordered small plates and all the food was good. I believe it was valet parking only, so that sucks. But that's the only thing I can complain about. Oh yeah - the restrooms. They're like private. Different. Definitely check out the restrooms before you leave.
(5)Shawn R.
this place has an awesome atmosphere, the snapper with excellent, the chef personally visited the table which was an added bonus to my first experience. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone would like to experience seafood at its finest. I will be in Atlanta again in February, and this will be on my list of places to eat. Thank you very much for the excellent service Adam Evans.
(5)JAN k.
Five stars is not enough for this exceptional seafood restaurant in a land locked town. The six star items we had were hushpuppies, halibut cheeks, swordfish, and the mushrooms. The five star items we had were mussels, steak dinner, squid salad,octupus,, scallops, gumbo and peel and eat shrimp. This was a seafood only gumbo. The mere 4 star items were the rest....collard greens, porgy , fried potatoes, and yeast rolls. The two icecreams we had ..salted caramel and burnt sugar were simply out of this world. We had a gluten free cake that we brought with us from a bakery on collier rd. Doesn't matter about the cake when the icing is chocolate fudge. Service was outstanding. So glad someone else was paying as this place is too expensive for a little old lady on a fixed income. My husband said it was the best seafood dinner he has had since he was born...71years ago. This man knows his seafood. Our reservation was 6;30 on a Friday night so we sat down and ate for at least 2 hours. Loved it.
(5)A B.
My girlfriend and I went to the Optimist about a week ago for early dinner and oysters. We read all the great reviews, the Esquire Magazine praise, we wanted oysters real bad, so it was a no-brainer. The place wasn't busy, yet the service was lacking, The servers seemed scattered and absent minded, and it took a while to get anything. Also, they kept repeatedly bringing us dishes we never ordered, after we had already eaten...obviously meant for other tables. Ok, now the food and drinks... We ordered two cocktails and a beer...they were truly amazing (although it took forever to get them)....compliments to the bartender. We had a dozen oysters, 6 east coast and 6 west coast...they were really good and tasted fresh. However, they weren't properly shucked since we kept biting into pieces of shell. We had 3 small plates; bok choy, beets, and salad with anchovy. Bok choy was okay, beets were disappointing, salad tasted good but it would be nice to have more than one tiny piece of anchovy. They also served a couple of salted bread rolls, which were fine. And now for dessert....4-5 hours after eating at the Optimist, my girlfriend and I were both shitting our guts out. We spent the entire night on the toilet, taking turns. Since we didn't eat the same things at the same place for breakfast or lunch, it had to be from the Optimist. Sorry Esquire, Yelp, and Atlanta, but this place isn't very good. I'd give it ONE STAR, but the cocktails were great. Besides the food poisoning, nothing tasted great or unique, and the oysters, although tasty, were probably the culprit of our murdering of the toilet.
(2)Katie C.
I came here in November and everything was superb. I would recommend anything on the menu. If you can't get a reservation that night or if you just want to come by yourself, bellying up to the oyster bar where you'll still be able to get the best The Optimist has to offer.
(5)Roxanne C.
The Optimist was a huge disappointment. In summary: * Overpriced everything. The oysters are each approx. $1 more expensive than they should be... seriously folks? $3.50 and $3.75 a pop? At that price, I'm looking for pearls in each and every one. Also, the most affordable fish entree (aside from the fish & chips entree which is a steep $20) is $24 and not only is it a tiny portion, it comes with absolutely nothing save for some lemon juice and olive oil... i.e. nothing. * Service was extremely slow. It took forever for our drinks to arrive and our server seemed to have totally forgotten about them. We had to remind her about them well after our appetizers arrived. Then it took, no joke, approx. 30 mins for our entree to arrive after she cleared our appetizers plates. * Extremely limited oyster selection for an oyster bar. If you're going to say that you're an oyster bar, I expect a decent selection. And, no, a decent selection does not equal one East Coast option and one West Coast option which if you close your eyes while eating taste pretty much the same. Where's the variety?! * Cramped seating. For such a large building, the tables were extremely close together. Forget having a romantic dinner here, at least if you're seated at a two-top, unless by romantic you mean that the folks at the tables on either side of you can easily hear everything you're saying and could easily join your conversation without remotely having to raise their voice. * For the price, the food isn't that great. The she-crab soup was extremely salty, as was the octopus, and the $24 fish was overcooked. The hush puppies - which are intended to accompany savory entrees - were drenched in powdered sugar... really? fish and sugar?! And the beignets, which our server assured us were light and fluffy, we anything but. They were incredibly dense and soaked in an overly sweet syrup. Also, two things that probably wouldn't have bothered me if everything else was spot on... * Our server highly recommended the shrimp small plate, but did not convey just how much of a pain in the arse it was, in fact she downplayed it. We specifically mentioned that we hate peel & eat shrimp because we never find that it's worth the effort plus it tends to be ridiculously messy. Well folks, this shrimp dish is that to the nth degree. Because of the sauce it is particularly messy and for some reason it was practically impossible to remove more than three-quarters of the meat from the shell. At the price they're charging, I think it's only fair that I get everything I'm paying for. * At the end of the evening, we asked whether they offered Irish or similar coffee drinks. Our server said yes, so we ordered two. Well, their version of such coffee drinks is to bring you coffee and then a shot of the alcohol separately. I know, this is a really small thing, but at this point I had had it. I have never been anywhere that offered such drinks where I had to mix my own beverage and it didn't come all nice and frothy from either the addition of whipped cream or steamed milk. So yeah, a huge disappointment and I would not return in the future nor would I recommend it. There are other restaurants in Atlanta that offer seafood on par with or better than the Optimist and that don't hurt your pocketbook nearly as much.
(2)Margaret K.
I went to the optimist on 3/11/15. I sat at the bar while I waited for my date to arrive. It was busy for a Wednesday night, IMO. The bartender that greeted me was all smiles and offered me a taste of two wines I was deciding between. The bartender next to him was Mr. Frowny Grumpypants. He actually entertained me all night - my date and I would watch him to see if he ever smiled. He did. Once. We were seated quickly. We ordered the octopus and the opportunity:tuna, jerusalem artichoke, black olive, chervil / 10. Both were PHENOMENAL. Really really excellent. Worth the price, although the octopus was a more substantial dish. I ordered the blackened grouper and it was easily one of the best fish dishes I've ever had. The sides we ordered were the hush puppies (SO GOOD) and the collards, which were dubiously looked on by my date but once he tried them he was very happy with my choice of vegetable. For dessert, we ordered the caramel ice cream and the "BOCA NEGRA" CHOCOLATE TART, peanut cookie, salted ganache, cream... which, without the caramel ice cream, would have left much to be desired. Overall, a fantastic dinner.
(5)Tom P.
I'm torn. I know this is a very popular restaurant, and their food WAS very good. We had a large meal with multiple courses, and I had sort of mixed emotions regarding various aspects of the meal. The restaurant: Cramped. Too many people seated in too little space. Waiters reaching over my head the entire meal showing me their armpits. Staff could have been a little more professional. That being said, I liked the vibe of the restaurant and they had some unique little keychains that patrons were free to take as souvenirs. The food: Mixed bag. Had some grilled shrimp that were still in their impossible-to-remove shells.. Undercooked, maybe? A skirt steak was tasty, but too rare for most of our party. Collared greens were forgettable. The hush puppies were AMAZING and by far the best dish. Trout was good. Crab bisque was tasty. We came with a group and we were fed "family-style," which was a big dealbreaker for me, as the amount of food at no point in time equalled the number of people in our party, and people left upset that they literally didn't even get to try certain dishes due to the serving sizes. Drinks were good. It was an okay experience, but I was a little let down, and had indigestion all evening. I don't think I'd return unless it was with a very intimate group.
(3)Sam T.
Yes the hype is true and the drive is worth it. Such fresh seafood, incredibly innovative and creative menu. I really enjoy the gumbo or she crab soup as starters. The mussels were pretty good but not the best I've had. The rainbow trout pouched in duck tasted 100% like duck and it was a delicious dish. By far the number one moment of the night -order a side of their hush puppies prepared "beignet style" this is a signature dish. There is no reason to come here without ordering the hush puppies (tip: get two if you have a group bc they will get stolen). Dessert: order the apple upside down with cinnamon ice cream FYI they got 4 and not 5 because they nc flounder was too salty mussels were eh and salad was eh. But the service was perfect very nice waiter and efficient customer service overall.
(4)Gianina M.
This is a review for the shrimp toast...very expensive, low quality, no shrimp anywhere in it or on it, it's very salty. It is $3.00 for a half of piece of bread. Service was professional and fast. But the shrimp toast was horrible.
(1)Michelle N.
Was in town for AmericasMart Atlanta, and our group wanted seafood. A friend of one of my coworkers had recommended this restaurant to us. Boy, was I impressed! We started off with the mussels, octopus, oysters and fried clams as appetizers. We loved the oysters so much that we ordered more of them right before dinner. If you like a great white mussel broth, then I highly recommend them. We asked for more bread too just to dip in the sauce when all the mussels we're gone. The octopus had a bid of a kick to it - but again, amazing! Everything was great. For dinner I had the triggerfish. It was perfect. Again, everything was amazing - including the service. For dessert, we had the salted caramel ice cream. A bit salty at times, but incredible. Overall, if I am in Atlanta again, I will definitely stop here. Amazing seafood, ambiance, and well, everything! We even talked about going back during our current trip to go to the raw bar.
(5)Diedre R.
A $230 dinner tab with tip and four hours later I'm just about to pass out in bed to write this review. I went with the intent of attending what was being promoted as a patio party with an $18 crawfish boil. But upon arriving, realized that although its spring on the calender, the weather hasn't gotten the memo yet. So I asked to be sat inside. Maybe the hostess didn't realize that we were wanted to participate in the patio party, but she never mentioned to be by being sat in the dining room I would not be able to order from special pricing menu that was being offered for those that were attending the patio event. I asked Kia, our server for a Pimm Cup, which was being promoted on the restaurant Facebook page as one of the drinks for the patio party and she had no idea what I was talking about. She did explain that the dining room area was not a part of the patio event, and I would not be able to get the crawfish or pimm cup if I choose to continue sitting in the dining room. I inquired what other foods were available and she showed up with a menu for the patio party. After viewing it we, decided to stay in the dining room, but I did request something from the party menu called Hunch Punch, she came back about 3 minutes later with 2 Pimm Cups and stated they were out of the Hunch Punch, and that she would only be able to give me the two Pimm Cups because those drinks were not being offered in the dining room, but since I had asked three times for that drink in particular, she wanted me to have them. We began ordering from the menu, that I was told is changed daily, we started out with a dozen oysters *very small but the mignonette was great , 2 orders of the eat and peel shrimp and an order of fried oysters with a type of beef confit. I could have eaten these three things and been a happy girl, but since this was our first time here, we ordered entrees also. My mother, went with the pork chops, these were tender, but didn't have much flavor in my opinion. Who knows, maybe I'm just use to deep fried or grilled pork chops, but the wood hearth roasted pork chops were not infused with flavor, but my mother enjoyed them and if you've read my previous posts, you know she can be hard to please and swear that everything taste too salty. She also got a side order of beets. Which I have never like, but these beets. I would eat them. Something about the pistachos gave it a better flavor than when I've tried them in the past. My daughter went with the Vermillion Snapper. Kia, made sure to tell her that it was only the fish and she didn't want us to be surprised when she came back with the plate and it was only the fish, so she ordered the fingerling potatoes. Personally for $25, I thought it would have been an entire fish, but it was a 6oz filet. She ate every bit of it. I order the fish and chips, which came with crispy potatoes and an aioli. The piece of cod was tasty and three times the size of my daughters fish and $4 cheaper. The potatoes were average at best. I also order some hushpuppies and were shock when they arrived with powdered sugar on top. I didn't pay attention on the menu that the were offered "beignet style". It didn't help them taste any better, but gave them a sweet taste, which didn't interact very well with the malt vinegar I had poured over my fish. Overall, the environment is friendly and service is laid back and friendly. I'd go back again just for the oysters and the peel and eat shrimp.
(3)Elise P.
We made a reservation at The Optimist for 4 at 12:15 in the afternoon. When we arrived to the restaurant there was a bit of a backlog in the reception area; however, we were seated within 5 minutes of our reservation. The server was very attentive. He made sure to keep our water glasses filled and our table neat and clean. The atmosphere was on of my favorite parts. They had very tall ceilings decorated with lights. They did a very good job making it a fun sophisticated place. We ordered an appetizer of the Calamari. Much to some of my fellow diners dismay, it was grilled calamari and note fried. However, i thought it was excellent. I very much enjoyed it. We got a variety of entrees at the table from a burger and fries to salads and even fish dishes. All the meals were presented very well, and everyone seemed to enjoy their meal. As long as you are a fan of seafood, I would recommend this place.
(4)Jeremy M.
For my money, I'd go here over Canoe every time. More creative menu. Nice oysters. Fun crowd, and a gospel mission across the street (but don't worry your Range Rover will be safe in valet) It's not cheap, but few things worth having stay cheap for long...
(5)Troy S.
Winner, winner, Swordfish dinner!! The Optimist gets the award for the best fish I have ever eaten and that is not an easy award to get from me...I eat a ton of fish and have become somewhat of a pesce connoisseur dining on the Chesapeake Bay my whole life. The swordfish is poached with duck fat (BAM, BAM!!) and paired with grilled peaches, basil, and a plummy tomato sauce...this is a total zinger and you will love it--nom, nom, crispy duck skin! Oh, and you will have to pick out a couple of side dishes to share with someone. No matter what fish you order, you need to get the basmati fried rice to go with it...the ginger and saffron undertones will tantalize you and you will feel the need to shovel down every last bite. Also totally love the heirloom tomatoes. Make sure you have a reservation or you will only find a seat at the bar. Decent wine selection which includes a lovely Viognier to go with your swordfish. Excellent staff and total eye candy everywhere. Next time, I really have to get the east vs west raw oysters and the crispy whole blackfish...I totally dig the "whole fish" experience.
(5)Chad D.
Love to sit in the bar and eat oysters. Always the highest of quality. Dinners are nice, but a bit over priced... still a pleasure
(4)Jacky M.
Absolutely wonderful experience from when we walked in and throughout the meal. We were greeted right away and show to a booth overlooking the restaurant. Our waitress was highly knowledgable on everything on the menu; fish to oysters to pairing the perfect cocktail or wine. Every dish we got was outstanding in taste and presentation. I would highly suggest the octopus appetizer and the scallops entree, both will knock your socks off. Happy eating!
(5)Elaine L.
Love this restaurant. Definitely recommend it, the seafood is cooked perfectly and they are delicious. I came here for lunch and ordered: grilled calamari, she Crab soup, fish and chips, lobster roll and beets on the side plus hush puppies. The grilled calamari is cooked perfect lubut it's not my favorite (on well). The she Crab soup is thin and have nothing inside, but we were warned about it, so it's all good. Just wish it's a bit thicker, but still really delicious. I love it. For the main entree, I got lobster roll, omg, so good!lobster is not rubbery or undercooked, the seasoning is delicious. The only thing I have to say about this is that it's not the healthiest of entree. The bread is super buttery (like time to work out), but so good! Fish and chips are really good as well. All in all, it's a really good place to go and it's delicious. Want more of the beets! (Btw, hush puppies is pretty interesting dinner it's dusted with powdered sugar and with a sweet butter, still pretty good).
(5)Kristen G.
Great meal! First time I came here was a year and half ago with a big work group and I thought it was mediocre. Tonight my meal changed everything. We had oysters to start, then the lobster roll that the bartender (Michael or Matthew?) ordered special for us from other restaurant, shrimp Louisiana appetizer which was really good but messy, the she crab soup (a little salty and a bit fishy, but crouton that came with it was great), then we shared the truffle halibut which was flakey and delicious! The we had our bartender pick a dessert for us. He surprised us with 2 (one of which was on him). The chocolate creme brûlée which was like chocolate smooth fudge and the banana cake with ice cream. For drinks I had a great Chopin dirty martini. Great time! I suggest sitting at the bar for a fun, social time!!
(4)Rachel B.
Tonight I went to the Optimist for the second time. The first time was subpar, but I thought it was because of my high expectations as a result of the hype surrounding the restaurant. I was wrong, this experience was worse than the last. We were seated and served drinks and oysters promptly (both good) but then it took an hour to receive our food. I got the blackened mahi, a $26 dish which in my opinion was decent but not worth the steep price tag for a relatively plain piece of fish with minimal accompaniments - no sides come with this, you'll have to pay $6.50 per side. Not to mention, our service was not good. The manager acknowledged our poor service and provided comped apps as a result, but our server never said a word. Overall, the second subpar experience at a restaurant that's deemed one of the best in Atlanta. Save the time and money - there are several better to try.
(2)Conrad M.
It's tucked away, so you have to look for it. And don't be deceived about the outside. It's huge inside and feels brand spanking new. Great atmosphere and service. YOU MUST HAVE THE OCTOPUS. I mean, really. YOU. MUST! Great wine selection, beers, a seafood. Good for groups and would work if you're looking for a great date spot.
(4)Jang C.
The Optimist looks like a trendy place. Not only that, it has been voted 2012's Best New Restaurant of the Year in Esquire Magazine. It's also a seafood restaurant. I love seafood. So would this be my new favorite restaurant? Not really. Don't get me wrong, the food tastes good here. I tried their hush puppies, oyster loaf, fish and chips, brussels sprouts, basmati fried rice, and beets. Their Hush Puppies was the bomb. They do it beignet style with powdered sugar all over the place. If you're not careful, you might get a bunch of powdered sugar on your clothes and look like a cocaine addict. I liked how they fried the hush puppies and loved the sweetness. The Oyster Loaf tasted good. The oysters seemed fresh. I loved how they stuffed the tiny loaf bread with oysters. They breaded and fried the Oysters well. It's a great sandwich for lunch. It is a messy sandwich because the oysters were spilling out of the bun. I tried their Fish and Chips. It tasted okay. It seemed bland to me. Their vinegar aioli didn't give much flavor. I liked the tempura batter at least. I liked the "Chips" it came with. It was hand pulled potatoes. They seemed to have grilled it somewhere since I could tasted the grilled flavor. For the sides, I tried the basmati fried rice. I wasn't a fan. I didn't like the flavors, and it didn't seem fried. I guess I was expecting a more Asian styled fried rice. The brussels sprouts tasted good. It was one of my favorite sides. It had a nice flavor and cooked well. The Beets tasted okay. I couldn't get much of the beet-y taste. Also, it had cream. The cream added a nice layer of flavor, but I couldn't enjoy it much because of my lactose intolerance. As for the service, I got annoyed at my server. She assumed too much. First, she made it a point to serve the women first. Okay, that's fine. But it was annoying when she skipped over me multiple times just to serve the women first. I think she should just go in order of seating instead of having to do the whole, chivalrous, "ladies-first" act. In fact, when we came in, she served all the women water and left my glass empty. Then she asked the women if they want anything else besides water to drink while my glass was still empty. Also, it took her a long time to get our order. I didn't know she was waiting for our last party member, who never arrived, to show up. What was she waiting for? She could've at least come and ask if we wanted to order first. If we didn't say anything, she would have never served us because our last table companion never showed up. Then at the end, she assumed me and Angela M. were together even though we specified separate checks. If we were together, I would've told her were were together. I'm laid back when it comes to service, but for some reason, this woman irked me. Besides the crappy service, the food didn't seem bad. I wasn't blown away, but I enjoyed my meal.
(4)Tran N.
This review is solely for lunch time. I never came here for dinner, but probably will one day. I've been here for lunch twice and had the famous lobster roll both times. The lobster roll is the best I have ever had here for it to be in Georgia. The huge chunks of lobster meat is satisfying, and half of the roll leaves me full but I will always finish the whole roll. I got mines with a side of the standard fries which were nicely seasoned as well. The hushpuppies I've had my first time here were yummy also. I believe one lobster roll entree is at $18, not bad at all considering the portion is pretty generous. The ratio for the sauce mixed in makes it better to. The service is wonderful, and nothing to complain about. There is a $2 valet fee out front, pretty reasonable as you should always tip your valet regardless.
(5)Jackie R.
I have been here twice in the last three months. Each time I have had something different (never a bad choice). First time we had the spicy shrimp app (whole GA shrimp a la plancha, "sopping' toast, arbol chile butter, lime) which was amazing! We were fighting over the bread and sauce! The roasted brussell sprouts were so yummy. My friend and I tried several of the cocktails (with names like Highway to Hell and Stairway to Heaven how could you not) She had flounder and I had Mahi mahi....we rolled/stumbled out of there!! I thought at the time it was the best meal I have ever eaten!! About two weeks later my husband and I went back for our anniversary We tried mussel for appetizer that was suggested by our waiter Topher. He was awesome by the way!! The mussels had a curry sauce that was delicious. We had the snapper and halibut for our main and sides were the confit fingerling potatoes, pork belly, chile oil, scallions and basmati "fried rice", smoked fish, curry, peanuts, cilantro, egg. The manager brought us asparagus to try. I swear this restaurants apps and sides is what make it!! The snapper had a jalapeno sauce that was just the right amount of spicy and with the fried rice side it was soooo yummo!!! I love the atmosphere her and we talked about next time sitting at the oyster bar and just doing oysters!
(5)Beth P.
Some places live up to the hype - the Optimist is one of them! I love the putting green and live music they have outside and the huge windows and airy feel when inside the restaurant. I've sat on the patio, at the raw bar, main bar, and in the dining room. Eaten during both lunch and dinner hours. The service is consistently great. The food is fantastic and ingredients are high quality, especially the seafood which can be hit or miss in Atlanta. Also, the burger here is amazing -- in my opinion it beats a lot of the ones that were in Creative Loafing's burger smackdown!
(5)Calvin H.
Great great restaurant! Had a wonderful time. The space is very cool, brick and high ceiling, like a warehouse. Terrific menu / lots of great fish options. I had the snapper and one of the fish opportunities of the day, both were delicious. Server was very friendly / pleasant, great experience overall, looking forward to going back.
(5)Jonathan M.
This is my favorite place in Atlanta to go for fresh fish. Even though it always seems to be too busy to get exceptional service, the food is always outstanding. Plus, as long as I get my food and drinks in a timely manner, I don't care if the server treats me like I'm part of the royal family.
(4)Lizzie L.
This is my new favorite restaurant in Atlanta. We went here for our anniversary dinner last weekend. We made reservations and were seated right away. We ordered a dozen oysters, she crab soup, fish chowder, shrimp a la plancha, and the scallop entree. Between the two of us, it was the perfect amount. There was a piece of fried shrimp toast that came with the she crab soup that I could probably eat 10 of if I was not in public. The oysters took a lot longer to come out than everything else. Not sure why. Even with that issue I'll still give this place 5 stars because I loved everything else. Decor, food, atmosphere. Perfect.
(5)Angela M.
Thanks to Jang for planning the UYE lunch that finally got me here! We waited until the majority of the group arrived, and then were seated at one of the 6 seat tables with a flipped high chair for the baby bucket. We started with the beignet-style corn milk hushpuppies for the table. I'd never had hushpuppies with powdered sugar, and while I don't think I'll make it a regular thing, I do think it was tasty, especially with the subtle sweetness of the cane sugar butter. While I debated several things, I chose the lobster roll, with beet salad. The beet salad didn't seem like much at first, but I liked it more with each bite. Red and candy cane beets with buttermilk cheese and pistachios, nicely seasoned with salt and a bit of oil. The lobster roll was fresh and tasty, simply prepared with large chunks of lobster meat, celery greens, and some lemon on a fluffy bun. I'd inhaled half of it by the time the others had finished prepping their plates to be eaten... so I made myself stop for a few minutes and look around at what they had. When I saw the oyster loaf that others got, I decided to come back again to try it - an oyster poboy with large oysters piled high atop a crusty baguette... When Heidi offered up the rest of her fish and chips, I heartily dug in. I'd meant to only taste it, but then polished it off. This fish was nicely fried, and the potatoes weren't chips or fries, but nicely crisped chunks of potato. I ended up using quite a bit of the white sauce (malt vinegar aioli?) that came on the side. It's not the least expensive lunch in the area, but the quality of the seafood and the atmosphere made it worth it. I'll be back to try that oyster loaf! There's also a putting green out front, and they've got putters and golf balls at the hostess stand, I'm assuming for when there's quite a wait.
(4)Amanda F.
We came here for my partner's birthday and were thrilled from start to finish. I made the reservation online and shared that it was his birthday when asked if it was a special occasion. When we got there, we noticed that the menus were customized with a happy birthday message for him! The food was amazing, the service was impeccable. The building itself is really interesting, open, and just nice to sit in. Would highly recommend it for anyone looking to have an amazing meal.
(5)Sophia Y.
Wayyyyy over priced for mediocre food. The gumbo was bitter bc they over cooked the roux. I understand deep flavors bc I graduated from AIA in culinary arts but this was just gross. We had a party of 8 and ordered 2 gumbos and everyone e disliked it. I got the snapper, it was good but it looked like a pan fried piece of fish on an empty plate. There was nothing with it literally. Hush puppies were salty. Octopus was tender but salty. Server was very slow. Overrated.
(2)Alexandra A.
I've been here twice for dinner and once for lunch. Dinners were amazing, I love the menu selection, the whole fried halibut was exceptional, though the menu changes a bit with the seasons, so it might not be available. Love the seafood here. The lunch lobster roll was ok - not a big fan.
(5)Paul M.
Always a great time here. They know what makes people love a restaurant: responsive, friendly service that never feels pushy, a great wine/beer/cocktails list and original, REALLY well executed food that changes with the seasons. Thanks for another excellent night.
(5)gabriel m.
While I am a fan of the place (read 4 stars) and have been sending people their way for years, this last trip wasn't the best ever. Let me qualify that of course. My dish, whole Haddock, was one of the best whole fish dishes I have had anywhere and the drinks were solid as usual that we got with our usual solid west coast oysters. Sounds like 4 or 5 stars no? Here's the thing. I got something new and suggested the core dishes to my out of town friends. The Halibut and the duck fat seared swordfish. To me, no-brainer dishes. When they came out, they were disappointments at best. Overcooked, over seasoned, and they even burned the garlic on the Halibut. Who does that at $26/plate? We also ordered some of the fried rice for the table and, while the seasoning and flavor was fresh and awesome, the core of the dish, the rice, was disgusting. No one ate it. Finally, the my desert, the Key Lime pie was neither key nor lime. It was mostly condensed milk and the crust seemed to be stale. This is why they get 3 of my 5 stars. I look forward to going back again and getting one of the "no-brainer" dishes to see if they took the criticisms to heart.
(3)Donald L.
I finally returned to The Optimist and it was great. This time, I sat at the bar and ordered oysters and a lobster roll. The lobster roll is amazing. If you haven't been, you should visit just to get it. It is still loud but doesn't seem to matter very much if you are on the bar side. I'll try the restaurant side again soon.
(4)Mqew W.
OMG! I tried it once and got the Lobster Roll. Swung and missed. I've definitely had better. Ok. Fine. Not a problem. So I try it for lunch yesterday. STRIKE TWO!!!! How can you mess up a simple shrimp cobb salad? I know, a hair! I had no words. Mgmt asks if I want something else. I was hesitant but hungry, so I ask for it again. How about no shrimp on it.... REALLY???!!! WTF! I'm good. BYE!
(1)Scott M.
To be fair, I've only eaten here once, but my wife and I were NOT blown away. Service was very good but the food ... unmemorable. After all the hype we were very excited to dine there, but at the end of the meal we were puzzled. Some of the food was ok and some, I would never order again. To critique every dish we ordered would be to give each one more of my time than it deserved.
(2)Jon L.
We recently relocated to Atlanta and The Optimist has been our go to spot for incredibly fresh and delicious food!! Everything we have tried has been excellent and has us coming back weekly for our fix. The staff is very well versed in the food and cocktail/wine programs. Thank's for making us feel so welcome!
(5)John T.
Industrial vibe with fish focus. I liked it immediately and started with the she crap soup. This is more a bisque than a traditional chowder but good nonetheless. You must try the octopus. It is part octopus part buffalo wing. the seafood selection is also good I got the corn mill crusted red snapper and it was perfect. with a great bourbon selection, hipster chic waitstaff, nice vibe and good all-around food the Optimus is a hit with friends. Make sure you hit it when you're in Atl.
(4)Suzanne W.
I had the most amazing experience here! It would have been plain old ordinary but thanks to out most fab server and the delicious food coming out ... The experience was extraordinary. :) I wish I remembered her name... But if I ever do... I will def update this. I ordered so many appetizers. I love this place more for a tapas kind of experience. I ordered the mussles, shrimp a la plancha (yes, def messy and def worth it), hush puppies (eh), gumbo (eh... But the bread that came with it was sooo yummy...or was it the spread?... Whatever it was... It was sooo delicious! I feel like I ordered more appetizers but I can't quite remember. As for the entrees... We had the scallops (quite small in size and not what was expected), swordfish (wanted to try something new... Never again, & a fish I can't remember (I just remember it being 30 something bucks! Lol... But well worth it). I still need to go back for lunch and the oyster bar. Can't wait!
(4)Tomoy L.
The lobster roll is amazeballs. Fucking yum! It's light and refreshing, but filling. Not to mention the service. Staff had great eye contact and customer service. The ambience is great. New favorite. So worth the $24.
(5)james B.
Great atmosphere good service. Super loud in the dining room but I did not mind it. I will be back soon.
(3)Kyle D.
Great seafood options in ATL are very hard to find. The Optimist seems to have hit the mark! Not sure if I enjoyed the oyster options or the entree options more. The hush puppies are a must and the collard greens were amazing. Our waiter was very helpful but didn't hover. My only "complaint" was that the parking lot might be a little hard to find in the dark. That being said, they offer valet parking as street parking on your own might be a little hit or miss.
(5)Richard B.
Had Valentines dinner reservations for this past weekend. All I can say it was worth the three week in advance reservation!! The hippest, casual, upscale restaurant in Atlanta. By casual I mean everyone is laid back and so friendly and knowledgeable. My girlfriend had never had oysters before and it's not because she hasn't had the chance to, I wanted to make sure her first time she had the best. So we ordered a half dozen (east and west coast) and she loved them. I honestly can say they are the best oysters in Atlanta....!!! Our dinner was amazing and the hush puppies were divine. Highly recommend this place and the waitress made it all so comfortable
(5)Lisa N.
OMG... I have been here 3 times, ordered a ton of different dishes and I am always both surprised and delighted. My favorites .. The Mussels, the Mahi and this apple cake with cream sauce yum.
(5)Rachael I.
I love seafood. I love lobster rolls. I came here on a mission. To try the lobster roll. I had to pull some strings to get here for lunch on a weekday, since lunch is not offered here on weekends. First of all, let me say. I do like this place. How do you dislike some place called The Optimist? The name alone counts as a star for me =) My friend and I arrived. Immediately impressed by the location and decor inside. It is absolutely beautiful. What a wide open, inviting, gorgeous space. You do feel you are almost seaside somewhere... Our server arrived, and she was very nice. We both knew we wanted to get the lobster roll, and it came out within minutes. Now, I am comparing this lobster roll to the one that I absolutely love at Legal Sea Foods in Atlanta. Side by side comparison: Portion size? Legal wins it. It is double the size of Optimist's. Price? Legal is market price. I think I might have paid 20 bucks or so last time. The Optimist's is $17. (Must have recently raised the price as some Yelpers have been saying $14.) BUT, it is half the size. Overall better value? Legal. Bread? Legal. I prefer their brioche. My one today at Optimist was burnt black on one side, and was a bit reminiscent of a hotdog bun. Lobster quality? Toss-up. You can tell both establishments use nothing but the highest quality. Lobster portion? Legal. Hands-down. Huge chunks of lobster. Whole claw meat. Made Optimist look really skimpy. Overall flavor? Legal. I prefer the lobster to shine in my lobster rolls. At Optimist, I tasted celery first, then the lobster. I did really like Optimist's tartar sauce, however. Extremely lemon-limey, a nice bright kick to enhance the lobster. Sides? Legal. Absolutely. This is personal preference, but I like hearty, thick-cut fries. That I can dip in things. Optimist's shoestring fries weren't doing it for me. Very greasy. Had to eat them with a fork. Seasoned perfectly though. Also, Legal serves an extra side with their lobster roll. So, that alone kind of pushes them ahead in the "sides" game. I always get the stone-ground grits (delish), but they've got a ton of side choices. I will say though, Optimist's service is STELLAR. I was almost entirely through with my roll and was perfectly happy finishing it as is. Our server came by to ask how everything was, and I said everything was great, but my bun was a little toasty. She asked me if I wanted a new one, and I said absolutely not, I am almost done. Fast forward 2 minutes, and a gentleman brings me a new plate with a new roll. Tells me he wants my experience to be the best it can be. So, as far as service, both Optimist and Legal are completely on par. Great job all around. Will come back to the Optimist for sure. Their dinner menu looks great. And the desserts sounded scrumptious. Will just choose Legal for my lobster roll fix, but I am super glad I tried Optimist's version.
(3)Southern Beer Tours S.
I had heard rave reviews about this restaurant for a little while. It did not disappoint. We started with their beignet hush puppies w/ cane syrup butter. They were amazing. Then I ordered the blackened mahi mahi. It was the best cut of Mahi I had ever had. Our server was very informative and had great suggestions since it was our first time visiting. Valet parking was a breeze. We made a reservation before hand and had no wait for our seats. The place was stunning and is a whole lot bigger than it appears from the street.
(5)Travel M.
100% next level yum. Aka ... Please sir may I have another, Oyster, that is. A crew of us drove down from Nashville to try this gem of a restuarant we first experienced a taste of from Bon Apetit's Roth & Daughter's / The Optimist night in Nashville. We had the full experience. Starting the evening with delicious well- crafted cocktails. I had both 'The Dog Days are Over' & 'The Lonley Boy', both on point. We started off tasting the lobster roll, a selection of oysters from the east coast & roasted arugula salad w/ pickled turnips and carrots. All stunning. Next round we devoured the pecan crusted flounder, duck fat poached swordfish, pork belly, butternut squash, sherry jus paired with well crafted sides. The desert was the only thing that needed some work ... The mint ice cream sandwiches I could pass on. The banana cake with buttermilk ice cream, I do again... But we're very much over shadowed by the main course. Just get the beignet Hush Puppies, they are better than what any dessert would offer. Oh and the restaurant decor, triple thumbs up. The attention to detail was excellent.
(5)Kenneth P.
Second trip and still not impressed. Atmosphere - nice Service - good Fish and chips - dreadful. Fish has a heavy batter and the potatoes we hard Oysters - excellent Key lime pie - awful. Taste like it had been sitting in the fridge uncovered and absorbed a cardboard like smell. I think of you look part the great look and feel of the restaurant you will find the food is really average at best.
(2)Tom S.
It took a few visits but I've started to really like this place. What took me so long to come around to it was the fact that while I'm definitely in the minority on this, there really isn't anything on the appetizer/starter menu that I liked. And in hindsight, that can supersede the good memories. Those good memories being the fresh fish, decent portions, good service, great bar and a good selection of beers too. But frothy she-crab soup? That's blasphemous. She crab soup isn't supposed to be thin and frothy. Shrimp you have to peel and eat? Ok- maybe a food truck or something. Minor, fixable irritations such as the lack of parking, and the valet that now charges in advance is what keeps this one on the "special occasions" list for now.
(4)Chigurll K.
I was visiting at from Chicago when sister took me and another friend here for dinner. Best seafood ever. She ordered the shrimp dish from the appetizers, and I got the sword fish poached in duck fat. Her appetizer was size of an entree and amazinggggg. Order that and you will not regret it. The service was superb!!!
(4)M' N.
Yep, I'm giving a Ford Fry restaurant five stars. The Optimist is a fun and vibrant spot with consistently delicious food and good service. I often sit and eat at the bar, where the bartenders are friendly and attentive, unlike the ones at King & Duke. The lobster roll and clam roll are where it's at. You'll never go wrong with the oysters either. One time, my friend ordered the ga shrimp a la plancha, and from the looks of his bib, it was scrumptious. For a cocktail, they make a mean salty dog with fresh squeezed grapefruit. But, there's also a drink that has a raw egg in it, which one of my Brooklyn hipster friends once ordered and drank while my redneck Atlanta friends and I gawked awkwardly. The Optimist is a winner.
(5)Lisa S.
My husband and I went to The Optimist for dinner last night. This was our second time here and we absolutely love it. My only complaint about this place is the price of everything. The food is fantastic. My favorite thing is the Tuscan Kale salad. It is truly delicious and I'm not a big kale lover. We started with soups; I had the frothy she-crab soup. The flavor of this soup is excellent. The consistency is weird. It is like deliciously flavored hot liquid. There is not one single hint of thickness or actual crab. It was strange and I'm not a fan. My husband got the seafood gumbo and he said it was good. We shared the tuscan kale salad and then shared the swordfish. We split a bottle of pinot grigio, which was tasty and expensive ($40). We sat at the bar and our bartender was terrific. He was personable, funny, and we really liked him. I can't remember his name, unfortunately. According to my receipt, his name is PM Bar.....
(4)Evelyn S.
Excellent seafood. Menu is a little narrow.
(4)Troy D.
Had an amazing meal. We had a ton of small plates. Damn it was delicious. The shrimp la pancha was crazy good. The fish chowder was incredible. Michael Dobbins our server was a rock star. His recommendations made the meal. Thanks!
(5)Karly G.
i love the bright and openness of this place. it's very rustic. i didn't care for the food so much. i didn't mind the price but everything i ordered today was really salty. i had the peal & eat shrimps, $12 for 6 large shrimps and the cajun seasoning was too generous. i didn't like the tartar sauce that came with it and opted to eat with the lemon wedges. it helped with the saltiness a little bit. the shrimps were considerably huge and very fresh though. i had the lobster roll and subbed for the Brussels sprouts. i was more than elated when i got it but was disappointed because it was just too salty. the flavor were extremely delicious if it wasn't overly seasoned with salt. my lobster roll was a little bit salty, but bearable because the roll sort of soaked in some of that. the lobster tail was fresh and yes, there were chunks of lobster topped on a grilled roll - i can't tell if it was brioche, but i don't think so. it tasted alright, it wasn't something i would come back for second. they forgot my sweet tea... luckily it wasn't on the check... it wasn't a big deal but i have to admit that the food came out really fast. which was a plus because we were short on time. all in all, it's a decent place for seafood but i can't say that i'll make my way out here again.
(3)Santo P.
Another hipster joint. Where are the mason jars? Three of us came here because they had a decent Zagat rating but we found the restaurant itself is overrated. For those who say this is the best restaurant they have ever been to I would recommend you get out more often! While the food did not suck it was not excellent either, the service was slow. I am from Los Angeles so forgive me if this is below my standards but it is and we will not be going back. At least I gave them two stars, it could be worse.
(2)Aun' S.
I went here with a group of foodie friends a few weeks ago. I really liked the ambiance and how they have lots and lots of tables. We didn't have a reservation. It was Friday night around 8pm and we were seated promptly to my surprise. We didn't even have to go to the bar and have a drink until our table was ready like most Atl restaurants on the weekend. I had the scallops and they were cooked perfectly!! We each ordered a side dish and were able to share them between the four of us. I had the sweet potatoes and they were amazing!!! I also enjoyed the fried basmati rice and brussels spouts. My friend did order oysters and enjoyed the variety available there. She said she liked that the oyster selections were different than other oyster bars in the area. Service was great and valet was quick on a rainy night! The only thing that I didn't like was the chairs were a bit hard but who cares when you have great food.
(4)LeRue C.
The optimist is definitely optimistic! Reasonably priced seafood in Atlanta, not so easy to find. The optimist is not the exception. The restaurant is really cute and summery and reminds you of a seaside restaurant on one side and a fine dining open air restaurant on the other side. Me and a foodie friend popped in without a reservation so we ended up eating outside and could only order off the bar menu. We ordered the crab, crab cakes, octopus, and the mussels. The crab was 12 bucks if I am correct and it was just two small crab legs. The crab cakes while really good were similarly priced and they were maybe a tad larger than a quarter. The octopus and mussels were well prepared. The opitmis also makes fresh watermelon and strawberry cocktail that was really refreshing and delicious. Total tab about 70 bucks after tip. We were both satisfied but not full. I really wanted to try the soft shelled crab I had heard about but we were told they were out when we arrived at 6:30pm. I hate when that happens. Soooo... I will have to go back one day with a reservation or at least earlier than 6:30p. The soft shelled crab has been calling my name. If you're on a budget, and are looking for large portions, the Optimist is not for you. I am basing my review on the bar menu but the portion sizes and the prices do not commensurate at all.
(3)Vanessa R.
4th time here but again another atlanta chef takes a perfectly good basic and tries to hipsterize it. Please leave my shoestring fries on my fish and chips alone!!!!! Why mess around with a standard FRENCH FRIES. Did a child make these fries. "Well the chef wanted to add texture to the dish so now we have hand torn potatoes" ...wtf.....what did you say. Did you say that with a French accent. Atlanta you do basics well...stop fighting it. It's fish and chips.. So these hand torn potatoes came ot with the crust the texture of oyster skins. Either have a basic and make it pwefecrly or just take it off the menu. Let me tell you no one wants to be served potatoes ripped to shreds by a child and then deep fried....no fair optimist.
(2)Julie P.
Second time having dinner here. We enjoyed the food better this time. As usual, the place was packed. I love the space, great vibe! Service is always good. We had mostly appetizers plus one entree. This is what we ordered. Clams - nice flavorful broth but clams were a little chewy. Squid - our favorite appetizer here. Nice & tender sautéed with bok choy Snapper cheeks - tasty but curry sauce was a little overpowering Hush puppies - light as donuts but a little too much powder sugar. Taste almost like dessert. Halibut - Very moist, perfectly cooked fish. I love the crispy okra. Delish! A great place for date night or groups as this restaurant is always full of energy. Nice ambience with good food. I would come back.
(4)Lillian M.
One of my favorites in the city! Wonderful service, beautiful restaurant, and delicious food. Great for a special occasion!
(5)Rach D.
My husband and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at The Optimist. Clean restaurant with a gorgeous interior. The staff were professional, knowledgeable and friendly and the food was delicious. The grouper, flounder, gumbo and mussels were very tasty. We will definitely be back!
(4)Rick M.
Pricey but worth every penny!!! Atmosphere is great. First timers must do the lobster roll! I bring a lot of friends and clients to The Optimist and have never had a bad experience. The bar is more than well stocked. See you there soon.
(5)Cary L.
Really delicious food. We are originally from NY and was on a roadtrip down South so we stopped in Atlanta for a night. Arrived around 8:20PM for a 8:45PM reservation but they wouldn't seat us until 845. I was a little annoyed because we were on the road for 8 hours and there were plenty of available tables. I was eyeing one table for the whole time that they said it was reserved. It ended up that were were seated at that table! Quite frankly, it pissed me off. Our waitress was a complete doll. I forget her name but she had shirt brunette hair and a big smile. Maybe Heather is the name? The ambiance is fantastic. Not too loud but also not quiet at all. I just love it. My husband and I ordered the shrimp cocktail and octopus to start- Both were fantastic! I love the shrimpcocktail because it was tossed in Old Bay. He then ordered the steak and I ordered the sword fish. Both were absolutely delicious. The sauce and complements that came along with the steak was absolutely delicious! We finished off with a banana cake which was just ok... I have to say- the bread is so yummy!! So buttery and fluffy. The only downside of the food is that it's a bit salty... Too salty for me but it was fine for my husband.
(4)Laurel B.
Excellent service, great vibe. Hush puppies were awesome, lobster roll was excellent. Everyone's meal was superb, except for my husbands fish-n-chips. The fish was definitely old, and very "fishy" tasting. We sent it back, and we're told "all the fish was fine". Not good. Otherwise a positive experience.
(4)Tanya C.
I've eaten at the Oyster Bar a few times but never had a chance to check out the main dining room at The Optimist. I was finally able to make it out a few weeks ago and had a wonderful meal. Since I'm a carb whore, I'll start out with the rolls. These rolls are divine. Crusty and soft at the same time and topped with salt. I could just have those rolls and be a very happy camper. We started off with a few shared appetizers: East Coast and West Coast Oysters Frothy She-Crab Soup Charred Spanish Octopus I don't eat raw oysters so I can't comment on them. The others at the table really seemed to enjoy them. The she-crab soup is not your usual she-crab soup. It's frothy and very smooth. You will not find chunks of crab in the soup, but you still get the same great crab taste. It's served with shrimp toast that really complements the soup nicely. Everyone at the table liked the charred octopus the best. We actually got an extra order of this after we devoured the first one so quickly. I really like the lobster roll at the Oyster Bar and asked our server if if would be possible to get one in the main dining room for dinner. She said she'd see what she could do. I told her that I would get the wild Alaskan halibut if she wasn't able to get one of the lobster rolls for you. She didn't stop by and let me know the outcome so my entree was a surprise. I ended up with the halibut. I was disappointed at first, but quickly realized that I should try other things on the menu and not stick to the same items I always order. The halibut is very simple and only comes with lemon and olive oil. Sometimes simple is best. The fish was cooked perfectly and I really loved it. My friends will tell you that I am not a fish person. In fact, I go out of my way to avoid eating fish when dining out. The fact that I am raving about a piece of fish is a big deal. The others in my party had the halibut, duck fat poached swordfish, seared yellowfin tuna, and roasted chicken. The only person less than completely satisfied with their entree was the chicken person. She does not eat any kind of seafood so her options were slightly limited. I'd say stick to the seafood here. We also ordered a few sides to share: shoestring fries served with malt vinegar aoli, hushpuppies, and basmati fried rice. I liked the fried rice the best. Make sure you get some. Beware that the hushpuppies are served with powdered sugar and cane sugar butter. They are not your usual hushpuppies. The highlight of the meal was dessert. We got a few orders of beignets. Not as good as what you would get in New Orleans, but very, very good. A few people also took some orders home in a bag and said that they were still good the next day. I ordered the ice cream flavor of the day. It was a cookie dough - I think it was oatmeal cookie, but I can't remember exactly. All I remember is that it was so freaking good. You'd think that I would remember the actual type because it was so good, but I think that I went into a food coma from all of the delicious food. Service was outstanding. Completely unobtrusive. We never had to ask for anything.
(5)Eve A.
Absolutely wonderful! I enjoyed every moment every bite and worth every penny spent . I cant begin to express how hapoy a am with tjis dining experience . Go take your honey ...great atmosphere great service you will be pleased!
(5)S L.
How could anyone give this place anything but 5 stars?! I live in Chicago and I've dined at Alinea and I enjoyed this more. It was a flavor journey.
(5)Lydia L.
Thought I would give this new Ford Fry restaurant a try, and we were not disappointed. The restaurant is situated just south of 10th and Howell, easy valet parking, some outdoor seating, a bar area separate from the main dining area near the hostess stand, and ample seating in the main restaurant. I would describe the decor as contemporary meets beach bungalow. Large space, not too loud like JCT Kitchen, and an open kitchen. Our waitress Sara really knew her stuff. She went over all aspects of the menu quickly and highlighted favorites. Bread is brought to the table- appears to be a wheat roll with coarse salt on top. not bad. Appetizer: Clams and Pork belly. I mean, it's impossible to be disappointed when there's pork belly and good broth, right? Good portion for two to share. Entrees: Halibut- "the chef's favorite" and waitress's recommendation. The halibut was cooked perfectly, nice crispy sear. It's weird for me to say this, but the star of the dish was the mushroom accompaniment. The hen of the wood mushrooms were divine. I need to find them... Approx 5oz portion for the fish. Grouper- Ah, the grouper. The waitress seemed a bit hesitant to recommend this, probably the because the portion is also approx 5oz, but it comes simply with some vidalia onion and a horseradish broth. It felt skimpy. The fish was actually undercooked in the center, but when the waitress was notified of this, she and management staff very quickly offered to replace it, which wasn't necessary. The well-cooked portion of the fish was much enjoyed. Side: Gnocchi with lobster butter- This side literally melts in your mouth. Good portion for sharing, and honestly filling enough to be an entree. If you are ordering either of the fish listed above, you'll probably want to share a side to make it feel like a complete meal. Dessert: Key Lime PUSH-POP. Oh, such nostalgia. These were delicious. We kind of wished the graham cracker crust was layered instead of trapped at the bottom of the push-pop, but it was a very good dessert. I think this restaurant will be quite successful. Obviously this is the first week that it has been open, and I always expect some hiccups along the way. The wait staff seemed well organized, things appeared to move smoothly in the restaurant. The prices of some of the dishes could stand to come down a little bit, or a side of vegetables/grain could be added to the fish to make the price seem more reasonable. Good meal, would return!
(4)Franki J.
Started our vacation with lunch at the Optimist - talk about setting the bar high! Our waitress was extremely informative on the menu and the drinks. She kept watch on our table to ensure we always had enough napkins, water, etc. As for the food - amazing! The shrimp appetizer was delicious and the sauce on it is life changing. The hush puppies are unique but tasty. The shrimp salad was light yet made you full. Finally, the atmosphere is open and light hearted. I would recommend anyone try this restaurant.
(5)Mike B.
Celebrating my girl B day and this spot had been on her radar for a min. The spot is beautiful on the inside. All the lights are dim making it a perfect date spot. On to the food we started with a half a dozen of west coast and east oysters. The west are bigger but the east taste better. The two fish dishes we had halibut and swordfish and better were made to perfection. The a Cornbread beignet mix that were outstanding.
(4)Chandler J.
Great experience and loved our bartender. We actually had a regular dining room reservation but spent the whole night at the bar for dinner instead of getting a table. The main room seating wasn't exactly plush-looking anyway, so the bar was likely more comfortable. Every suggestion the bartender made was spot on... from the spicy jalapeño scotch drink with pineapple - which sounded God awful on paper, but was actually tasty as all hell - to the amazing malbec, to the hush puppy appetizer. I actually had her surprise e with me dinner and wound up with swordfish on my plate. The swordfish was so tender it ate like a sea bass. Incredible. And the raw bar was impressive as well. Just stay away from anything XL... you shouldn't have to spend 30 seconds chewing an oyster because it was so big. The only complaint was that some oysters were poorly paired by size. We ordered two of each oyster from every region they offered (3-4 dollars each). Often times one would be regular sized and one would be dwarfed. Almost insultingly so. We were told this is because they are "living creatures" and vary by size. Well, so is a cow. And if I'm paying for a 20 oz porterhouse and am served a petit filet, there's gonna be an issue. We were a bit perturbed they made no offer to rectify this, especially considering the bill was 150, but alas, what are you gonna do... But other than that everything was great. Take the servers suggestions and you'll be fine!
(4)Kate F.
This is more of a 3.5 star review and I'm grading a bit harshly because The Optimist is pricey and hard to get a reservation so I expect more. We came here to celebrate a birthday and made a reservation for two at the first available time on a Sunday, which ended up being something like 9pm. We did get a nice table for two and there was a decent amount of space in the restaurant at that time (so if you lack reservations, try for a late seating). It's a nice space, one of more sophisticated (but not fussy) restaurants I've seen in Atlanta. Added bonus: spotted Aaron Paul dining here. The food was really good, if not quite as incredible as some of the 5-star reviews suggest. Still, very, very solid. The reason why this is a 3 star review is that they were OUT of almost everything we wanted to order and it really limited our main course options. Since this was a special occasion for us, it just put a bit of a damper on the meal. I'd definitely come again, but I'd probably sit in the bar area, have some cocktails, and keep it a bit more casual.
(3)Stacey B.
I'm from out of town and came here based on Yelp's recommendation. All of our food was excellent! We started with some salads, including the kale salad. OMG soooo good! I had the Lane Snapper and it was my favorite of all our dishes. The beets and mushroom sides were also great. The ambience of this place was very hip. I definitely recommend The Optimist!
(5)Art R.
This place is amazing! Had the lobster roll, seafood chowder and fried Oysters. All were great!! Best to make a reservation, place is packed even during the week. A must if you in the mid town area
(5)Kelsey F.
It was love at first sight. The Optimist is one of the most charming places I have been in Atlanta. We were greeted by two little boys in matching plaid playing putt putt on there front greens. The outside courtyard is so intriguing that I almost wish we had to wait so we could have enjoyed it. You walk in at the oyster bar where punch is flowing, the fire is burning, and people are enjoying lots of small plates. If you order a beer, you get an Optimist koozie! So wonderful. We were quickly seated though as we had called ahead to make a reservation. The large dining room is exactly what I want out of restaurants. It was large, crisply clean, cozy, comfortable, elegant, and slightly nautical. On our table we found two black napkins and two white ones. It turns out they give guests wearing black the black napkins so the white ones don't shed on their clothes- Such a simple and clever way to make guests happy. They also quickly brought us water, drinks, and manna from heaven. Actually they were buttered rolls, but I'm fairly sure they were what manna from heaven would taste like. After being overwhelmed and wanting literally everything on the menu, I decided on a cup of she crab soup, oysters, and a side of beets. I'm pretty sure the frothy and rich she crab soup was made by the hands of Poseidon himself. It came with something called "shrimp toast". I really wanted like three shrimp toasts to dip in my soup. It was scrumdiddlyumpscious. Entrees come a la carte and it is recommended that you order a side, appetizer, or oysters to go with them. I prefer small plates because you get to try more different things. I had a mix of sweet East coast and deep set, briny West coast oysters. They came over ice with herb mignonette, lemon, and fresh horseradish. Typically I prefer the salty more mineral oysters, but these sweet East coast oysters were amazing. I strongly recommend getting some oysters to share with your table. My beets were just the icing on my cake. They came in a large portion with cheese, herbs, and peppers. Their spiciness was a great compliment to my sweet and rich oysters and soup. The service was spot on. Our lovable waiter made sure we had everything we needed. He kept our waters full, poured our wine, laughed with us, and didn't miss a beat. I can not wait to get back to The Optimist. I'm dying to give the actual oyster bar and the house fish punch a try. Super great wonderful delightful meal.
(5)Nichole K.
Out of the bar bites the Octopus is my least favorite. Lobster roll, GA shrimp, and oysters are always the way to go.
(5)Allison S.
Unlike others, my experience at The Optimist was a little disappointing. I didn't enjoy my food, but I am planning to go back for another try. Maybe it was just me. The reviews from everyone else seem pretty consistent. I will give it another try.
(2)Andi' M.
This place is wonderful! I went yesterday, for lunch, and ordered the seafood gumbo and east and west coast oysters. It was heavenly. The gumbo was warm, fresh, perfect blend of savory spices. The oysters were chilled, you can't really go wrong with oysters. The staff was polite and friendly. The bartender was very helpful, prompt, efficient, made recommendations to accommodate my dietary restrictions. I will be returning with friends! I have a new favorite lunch spot!
(5)Asma A.
I really wanted to love this place, but unfortunately, my experience was bad. We ordered the oysters (half east half west) and they were super salty and probably the worst oysters I have ever had. For appetizers I ordered the a la planche And that was great! Loved it! The only thing I really enjoyed there! Definitely a must try! Shrimp chowder --- that was also good. Lobster roll--- ???? When I saw this on the menu online I was super excited to come here and try this... The one thing I really wanted from here! But it did not meet my expectations at all... I have had lobster rolls before and this definitely did not make the cut, plus the bread (hoggie it was on) was super greasy (it was grilled but tasted like it was drenched in oil). As my side I did order the fish curry rice and that was surprisingly good. To top it off my glass smelled so bad! Obviously had some detergent deposit or something still left in the glass... And no it's not that only I smelled it, my friend with me also smelled it and as I was leaving I asked the server to also smell it and he agreed (but nothing was done). Even though the service was good the food was alright--- at least for lunch that is. I really wanted to love this place, but I couldn't :-/ I will be going back to try their dinner menu... lets hope its better... I really want to give this place a better rating
(2)Samantha M.
Finally got a chance to check this place out 2 weekends ago. Saw on here that someone mentioned live music in the courtyard, which sounded perfect for a saturday evening. Finding seats for 5 on the patio was no problem even though the place was really busy. They have a different menu for the oyster bar & outside, tons of tasty options, but only small plates. The music and drinks were great, very fun atmosphere. When we decided we wanted to a table inside to eat (last minute decision), we were told it would be a 2-3 hr wait (ouch!). We opted to just hang on the patio and eat some small plates & oysters, all delicious. Would love to go back and try items off the full menu. Beware, the servers said weekend nights are always slammed, suggested we make reservations at least a few days out for peak times. Fair enough, I like a place that has good enough food for that high of a demand! Definitely go a little early to enjoy the live music & a cocktail in the courtyard before your reservation :)
(5)DL T.
I celebrated my 56th birthday here. We started in the cocktail area and tried the lobster roll, mussels and oysters which were excellent. We did not have a reservation, but moved to the bar to order the cajun shrimp appetizer which was amazingly delicious!
(5)Andy S.
Went here for a birthday dinner with a group of 6 and everyone left a happy diner. I have to reccomend the warm kale salad with a fried egg on top if it is still on the menu...it was delicious! The staff was not as good as the food though. We all had drinks but when it came to just keeping the water glasses full we ended up having to grab a glass jug and just bring it to our table since the waitress was not very attentive. Still, the food overshadowed the service and I would absolutely return to try something on the menu that seems to change every season.
(4)Nick A.
Dinner Sunday night 11/10. The Optimist is a converted warehouse-one large open room with with high ceilings. The noise is at a high level but we sat against the street facing wall so it was not so bad. For starters we all had the waitresses' "personal favorite" she-crab soup. It was a crab tasting broth with no crab. No she at all. It would have been better with something in the broth. Perhaps one small shrimp? The main for me was pecan crusted flounder. The crust"ing" was so salty I could not finish the fish. I am not certain if the extra salt was to take away the taste from "day old fish" or that's just the way the Chef decided to enhance the flavor. The menu did not identify any salt free entrees, so it is a matter of luck to determine which foods taste natural or which are enhanced. (When I eat at Chinese restaurants I request that no MSG be used to enhance. Lat night I should have ordered Chinese take out and stayed home.) I spent the night getting up and drinking water to wash the salt from my body. Summary: The optimist is the latest rage, but it is over priced and the Chef seems to be out of control of his/her spices.
(1)Leo A.
The Optimist was such a pleasant surprise. We had a 9:15 pm reservation, arrived early but were seated right away. We had two dozen oysters which came out with amazing homemade saltine crackers, cocktail sauce, freshly grated horseradish, and onion vinaigrette. They tasted so fresh we could have been fooled we were on a port. Next came the clam roll (a little too fried for my taste), seafood gumbo (fairly tasty) and green curry mussels (delicious!!). The service was very courteous and friendly. The location seems a little inconvenient, but in ATL everything is! Definitely would recommend if you are craving seafood.
(5)Sal D.
After watching Atlanta Eats, I knew I wanted to return here for my birthday for the lobster roll. Unfortunately, it's only available during lunch and at bar during dinner (birthday plea didn't work). I got the highly recommended shrimp a la plancha instead and the reliable mussels while my date got fish and chips and side of mushrooms. He was impressed with the portion size and practically drank the mussel's green curry broth. The shrimp had nice kick to it and was messy to eat (server brings hot towels with lemon afterwards), but it's well worth it. Although fried to perfection, we'll probably skip the fish and chips next time and get 3 starters with a side for dinner. Service was prompt with 5:45 p.m. reservation, and hosts and servers were attentive. We finished our meal by 7 p.m. Looking forward to return for lunch or bar service.
(5)Jane S.
My sister and I went for dinner on Wednesday. The oysters were great, but I would suggest the oyster happy hours. The entrees were also great, we got the scallops and swordfish in duck fat. The portions were pretty small so we got the basati fried rice as a side which seemed to be a little too salty. The dessert, smores cookie sandwich was good, but not great. I was expecting something to blow my mind. Our waiter Christian was so nice and hospitable. Enjoyed my experience here.
(3)Shauvik R.
This is a Nice and fancy seafood restaurant!
(5)Pratik S.
After hearing so many great things about The Optimist, we finally decided to give it a try. We did not have a reservation, but luckily we saw 2 spots open up at the restaurant bar and snatched them up. I loved the classy, open, modern feel of the restaurant. The bartender was very friendly and gave us some great drink and food suggestions. We started with a variety of east and west coast oysters on the half shell. They also have a good selection of beer and wine. For my entrée I ordered the "swimming" black bass and it was AMAZING. The presentation was so unique...it looked just like a swimming fish. I also loved that they served the fish whole with the head on. My wife ordered the monk fish and loved it. We also ordered a side of the basmati fried rice and thought it was the best thing we had. Seriously....order it as a side and I promise you will not regret it. Overall we were very impressed with The Optimist and look forward to going back. They have a constantly changing menu with a focus on fresh, high quality, and sustainable seafood. I loved the variety of fish on the menu...some seafood restaurants seem to focus on shellfish more than fish. The service and décor are both top notch. I also would love to try the oyster bar at some point soon as it has a completely different menu.
(4)Kristin B.
Fantastic! Split three starters: octopus, mussels, and shrimp la plancha. All delicious and big enough to share. I had the swordfish which was delicious and very meaty. Paired well with the onions, pork belly and strawberries. Large portion. My companions had the crispy whole fish and the scallops. We split the hush puppies and shisito pepper sides. Hush puppies were very salty but also had powdered sugar on them. Very interesting. The peppers were good, not too spicy. While the sides were good I didn't really see anything that I thought paired well with the fish. We then split key lime pie and chocolate desserts, which were tasty and big enough to share. Very nice dining experience. Favorites were the starters. All the entree fish were cooked perfectly and were extremely fresh. We all had craft cocktails as well which were tasty but did not seem overly strong. Dinner rolls warm and soft. $2 valet parking. Extensive oyster menu.
(5)Kim N.
This review is based on lunch service only. I'll update my review after I return for dinner service. Our server was very friendly and helpful. I love the the simple decor & the huge glass windows of the Optimist. ~ Lobster roll - absolutely amazing! fresh lobster; I ordered the lobster roll & gumbo combo instead of the lobster roll & fries combo listed on the menu ($5 upcharge) gumbo doesn't taste like your typical gumbo; however, it was very yummy & full of fresh shrimp, oysters, tiny crab claws, and sausages. ~ Butter burger - much better than Bocado and/or Holeman & Finch burger imo ~ Hush puppies beignets style - amazing amazing amazing! the hush puppies and cane sugar butter make a perfect combination & perfect dessert even though this is listed as a side item. Private lot during lunch & dinner Mon - Wed. Valet only Thurs - Sun.
(4)Travis B.
this place reminds me of where top chef contestants go for a cooking challenge. i could just envision tom, padma, and gail sitting next to us glorifying the food! we had a reservation for 8:45. the plane was late and didn't land till 8am. baggage, shuttle, car....we would miss it! but when i called the restaurant, the hostess says "oh no problem...as long as you get here before 11pm, you'll be fine"....YAY! the decor reminds me of a mix between the herb box and culinary dropout in scottsdale. high ceilings, contemporary yet farm-to-table-ish. warm and cozy without being too cluttery. there is an oyster bar upon entry, but we didn't partake even though the server in the oyster bar tried his most charming to bring us a drink! the lady who took us to our table was full of southern charm and our server was beyond pleasant and helpful. the menu is, for lack of a more articulate description, fancy american comfort food with lots of meat. even on their fish. both of our dishes were ridiculously rich and buttery....something we can't do everyday, but delicious for a special dinner. i had the red snapper-2 appearingly small fillets but surprisingly filling. the skin is crisp and the fillet was moist. we ordered the sweet potato, mushroom, and turnip side dishes at 6.5bucks each. my favorites were the turnips with almonds, the mushrooms, and the sweet potato wedges, in that order. the skins on the heirloom sweet potatoes were a bit too chewy and/or hard to bite, but it's not that hard to scrape out the filling. my wife ordered a delicious piece of mahi, only to be served the mahi wrapped in a pork product....which it described on the menu, however, we didn't know what that description was. in any case, our server was super accommodating and sent out a new dish of sea bass in a matter of minutes. it too was delicious, rich, and buttery. i haven't been to downtown atlanta and years, but i remember this area when i was a kid as being quite...."in the hood?". but tonight driving around, there were all sorts of cool looking restaurants, bars, shops, etc. and people walking around enjoying the warm december weather. good find and if you have a chance, you will be well pleased at your choice!
(5)Shon I.
I love this place. The food was good. The ambience is nice. Is it expensive? As hell. Is it the most expensive place in the city? Not at all. What is the problem is that almost everything comes A LA CARTE.. yay for paying $25 for some fish and $6 for a side. It is really hard to get a seat in the place if you don't RSVP. But it is worth it. I will go back. For hubby and I (and unborn son) it was only about $112. The included A (as in one tentacle) charred octopus ($12), halibut ($25), side of mushrooms ($6), scallops/short ribs ($28), side of basmati fried rice ($6),3 beers for hubby ($15 total), a virgin cocktail for me ($6) and a mascarpone cheesecakes ($8).
(4)Courtney R.
The food was delicious and the server was amazing. I had the calamari, fish and bok chuy. I was delicious. The wine was also delicioso. I will return to this restaurant. I loved the atmosphere as well.
(5)Lohr B.
Amazing food and service! The best waitress I have ever had! I wish I remembered her name so I could tell her manager how fabulous she was.. She has red hair and is from Austin TX and she could not have made the night a better experience
(5)Christy P.
This restaurant was recommended to us by my boyfriend's boss and I must say, we were not disappointed! We made it for the end of the lunch hour so it wasn't very busy. Everything from the atmosphere to the service to the food was stupendous. The restaurant has a rustic nautical look to it with a very open dining area and an oyster bar. We got great service from our waitress Christin who was very helpful in answering our questions about the food. Everything we tried was good but my two favorite dishes were the mussels in a thai coconut curry sauce and the fries with chowder and bacon. Who knew potatoes and chowder went so well together (being from the west coast I could be missing something big here). And the coconut curry sauce was one of the best I've ever had. Definitely will recommend this place to anyone living in or visiting Atlanta.
(4)Ivan S.
This place is probably actually 5 stars but since I've been really stingy with my 5 stars lately AND I've only been here once AND it was only during lunch time AND it was after a massage AND I wasn't that hungry AND I had the day off which put me in a really good mood, the contextualist in me is sticking with four stars. But oh what a four stars. The space was roomy and bright (during the day, at least). The putting green is a nice touch (if even a slight bit douchey, considering my highly personal opinion of those who would love to idle away their time on a putting green.) The service was personable and spot on. The food, while I didn't order much, was delicious. They even let me order a single raw oyster, plating it beautifully enough that it took away the sting of feeling stupid for ordering a single raw oyster. The she-crab soup had me wanting more. The La Plancha, while tasty, wasn't as exotic as it's hyped to be, though. Sure, head-on, shell-on shrimp seems exotic to most, but to an Asian that's called "a Tuesday afternoon." But tasty, though, as I said. I also ordered a Fog Cutter which I enjoyed, but Trader Vic's is still my gold standard for foolish, fruity booze-laden drinks. The wife loved her arugula salad and whatever else she ordered (it escapes me) as well as the "Winter in Cape Cod" cocktail she had. Sure, it's kinda spendy and it's across the street from the Alliance for the Homeless. Ignore all that. Succumb to the beautiful wood-roasted smells of their oven, the clean, brininess of their oysters, the richness of that she-crab soup....that's it....yep, quite a late lunch capper on my day off. Four stars for now.
(4)David L.
I would pass on this place for a premier seafood restaurant in Atlanta. The dish that I had was dry and not flavorful. The ambiance was like an upscale cafeteria feel. For fresh seafood, I would still stick with the ATL Fish market, or just go get some fresh fish from wholefoods and make it your self. Def beats the prices here for sure.
(2)Malcolm M.
Best restaurant I've been to in years! The decor is amazing. Chic and sophisticated yet understated. The food is so amazing.
(5)Marcus Z.
Atlanta has a new culinary knight in shining armor in the form of a seafood restaurant. I had read many great things about this place, especially from eater.com But I was surprised that none of my foodie friends had ever frequented this establishment. So my husband and I decided to give it a try one Thursday evening. We arrived around 19:00 to a lovely valet service. Perfect! I hate looking for parking. Complimentary? Even better. We announced our presence to the hostess who informed us that it would be about an hour wait. Not a problem though because they had a lovely oyster bar area to wait in. We sat at a small table while we waited for a regular table in the main dining room. I gazed around and realized that this place was very cute. It had a "Florida meets the Hamptons" look. We were greeted by a bar waiter and we ordered a few cocktails. I don't remember the names but I remember loving them. I also ordered one of each oyster that they offered. It was the most informative and exciting oyster eating experience I had ever had. My husband's smoked fish chowder was on point. Perfect blend of cream and veggies and fish. Lots of yum factor. The service was also phenomenal. Once in the main dining room, I ordered a delicious cocktail that had Pisco, passion fruit juice, egg whites and paprika. Talk about an explosion of flavor. It was called the Mermaid something. I can't quite remember. Our server brought us these butter and sea salt covered dinner rolls that were delicious. As an entree I ordered 2 appetizers...the grilled octopus and the Georgia white shrimp. Whoa! Talk about an overdose of scrumptiousness. The octopus was tender and had a wonderful smoky char to it. The shrimp were left with the heads on with lead to a wonderful flavor experience. It was quite messy trying to eat them but that was part of the fun. We also ordered the fried rice and the hush puppies. Definitely an A+! Honestly, we ordered way more than we could eat. But the experience was well worth it. Yes this place is pricey but its quality. I cannot wait to eat at The Optimist again!
(5)Mansi R.
The Optimist has been on my list for a while. I went there to grab dinner on a Monday night with a girlfriend. Loved the open concept of the restaurant with delicious cocktails. A perfect time to be able to catch up. We ended up sharing the hushpuppies and oysters. The oysters were so fresh and I liked both the sauces with it. The hushpuppies were a little sweeter than what I am used to since they were "beignets" but they were still pretty good. I also got the asparagus/radish salad and the fried rice (which was amazing). Both had really good taste. I loved the lemony bottom on my egg that came with my salad. Glad I finally tried the place!
(4)Carlos M.
Just came back from dinner there.....Place is great, open and very well decorated. I wish I could say the same about the food. If I return I may try the oyster bar because I won't be returning for the food. Went there with Out of Town people, they liked it. I was very bleh about it. The food was ok, nothing worth writing home about and definitely over priced.
(3)Jihan D.
It definitely is not easy to just grab a table so I do recommend making a reservation. Their food is delicious. I had the mussles for an appetizer and the scallops for a main dish as dessert I had their Tawny Port (wine). The service and atmosphere was impeccable.
(5)Stephanie P.
My husband chose this Atlanta restaurant for an early birthday dinner as we were in Georgia for the holidays. The menu looked fantastic online and I was really excited to try it out. Reservations were tricky to get, and I was panicky because my flight in was horribly delayed and we missed our 8:45 time. My husband called and explained, and they were very nice, indicating it was no problem as long as we arrived within the next two hours. The entrance is a smaller oyster bar area, which is more casual and looks like it might be nice during the summer-no one was in there this Saturday evening. The main dining room is fantastic. I love when design elements create a feeling of warmth-the flooring, the lighting, the huge bar area....I just loved it. We were seated around behind the bar near a huge window of a wall. We ordered a couple drinks, about 3 sides as everything is a la carte, and two seafood dishes. I didn't realized the mahi was prepared wrapped in pork-oops!-but our server was very nice and accommodating and pointed out another seafood dish that was prepared sans meat. Both the red snapper and black bass we ordered were delicious. The black bass especially was phenomenal with its buttery, crispy skin, and the snapper was so lovely and simple with lemon, salt and pepper. The mushrooms were a hearty side, as well as the turnips with marcona almonds. The combination of the almond crunch with the turnips was unexpectedly good! The sweet potatoes could've been skipped. They were over-cooked and somewhat dry. We did splurge on a dessert too and got the mascarpone cheesecake. It was a wonderful experience: great food, great service, and the best company.
(5)DineWithDani D.
And may I say that it BLEW MY MIND! I tried the she crab soup with shrimp toast (OMG!) and the octopus salad (again OMG!). dinewithdani.com/?p=1004
(5)Lorenzo D.
The Mussels were great. Spanish Octopus really good. Atmosphere, very cool. The hush puppies outstanding! The red snapper was a bit dry and not anything more than average. Overall, it was a nice evening, but the main course was just so-so. I'd definitely go again, as more outstandings than the one average plate. Staff was nice and fairly quick too.
(4)Amit And Fritzi G.
The main dishes have large portions. Fish and chips are amazing. They must have a very large deep fryer for this filet. The "chips" are not like normal fries, they are roughly cut up potatoes and deep fried to yummy/crispy goodness! We were disappointed in the gumbo. We've had it in New Orleans and so it doesn't compare. It could be the person who poured it in the bowl, but I barely got any rice and it was watery. Wasn't very well seasoned or spicy. Would definitely recommend this place for seafood lovers though!
(4)John H.
Went for dinner. Sat at the bar. Never left the bar because we kept eating their amazing apps and sipping delicious cocktails! Wow! What a treat! The octopus was fork tender and the fresh oysters were excellent. Also recommend the fritters. Check it out if you are in Atlanta. Can't go wrong. May even see a celebrity while you're there. Enjoy! PS Valet only. $$$$ but worth it!
(5)Pourina R.
I'm not going to go off on a rant and rave about how magnificent the food was. Truth be told, I'm really not much of a fish guy. But I came in with an open mind and attempted it - again. I've tried almost everything; Sea bass, grouper, salmon, trout, crappie, tuna and many other fish that escape my memory. Most recently I tried the monkfish and swordfish. Another $240 meal later and I think it's about time I stop living in denial. I must admit defeat. The fish was great (I think)...don't get me wrong...I'm just the wrong person to ask. YOLO! If it isn't fried or raw - just say NO. The decor is somewhat of a reclaimed industrial farm warehouse in what appears to be some kinda gentrified neighborhood. The waiters are extremely nice. Our waitress was funny, personable and a little flirty (bomchickybombom). Oysters were fab, just fab. I'm not going to claim to be a connoisseur, but I've had my fill of these mouthwatering mollusks. Enough to formulate my own perception. Briney, salty with lots of umami. Say it with me, "ooooooooooooooooooh-maaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhmeeeeeeeeÂe". Semi-pro tip: skip the champagne mignonette thingy. It covers up too much natural flavor. Eat them straight up or with just a drip of lemon & homemade hot sauce. My favorite thing on the menu? The cocktails and octopus. That octopus was OMFG amazing. Seriously. What I really gained out of this dinner was an experience. And hopefully a money saving life-lesson. Sometimes it's the little things that accompany the dish. Sometimes it's the prep, man hours and love that's instilled into the food. I might not have enjoyed my entree which is no fault of The Optimist, but I did enjoy the experience and epiphany I left with.
(4)Nancy N.
Food was pretty awesome. Service. .. not so much. Bday celebration. Would have been nice gesture for a candle and dessert with almost $250 check for 3. Waitress never introduced herself. Many great restaurants in Atlanta and love to try when in town on business but may try others before coming back.
(4)Lauren P.
Way to go, Ford Fry! I loved JCT so much I got married there. and when my dad heard there's a putting green at The Optimist, he was ready to play! On a Saturday night, it was my parents + the hubby. Although we had a reservation for 7 p.m., we had to wait at the bar for a few minutes. So we started with a round of cocktails. The Fish House Punch does indeed pack a punch. It was a great way to kickstart the night. As soon as we sat down at our table we ordered a round of oysters (6 East Coast & 6 West Coast) and these are the only reason I can't give The Optimist five stars because the oysters were a bit of a letdown. I've never paid $3.50 an oyster before coming to The Optimist, and I wanted them to be great. But they were teeny little things, and albeit the housemade cocktail sauce was the quintessential topping, the oysters weren't worth the $40 a dozen. Granted they're outta season...so I'll have to give 'em another try when it's a month ending in "r". So onto the rest of the meal! Appetizers: Octopus - Mama raved! Mussels - we all loved the green curry She Crab Soup - it was amazing but I would have liked just a tiny topping of crab meat Entrees Fish N Chips - the biggest piece of fish I've ever seen, and perfectly fried Grouper - Dad cleaned his plate Scallops - perhaps only the Rocket Farm would've thought to served these with braised oxtail as a new take on surf 'n turf. I loved 'em. Dessert Way to go, Tiara, the chocolate mousse is outta this world Make a reservation, whether its for lunch or dinner. I'll be back again when oysters are in season.
(4)Art V.
Just left the restaurant. Hosted 1 business guest. We had a really chatty Asian waiter (english accent). He disappeared after each course was served (by a food runner). Never followed up to check if all was ok. We shared an order of fries with clam chowder served atop. The chowder made the fries instantly soggy. I had a piece of fish. It was served with, honestly, 2 tablespoons of sliced garlic perched on top. It reeked of garlic. It so overpowered the fish. Despite shoving that rank pile of garlic to the side of the plate, it's all I taste now, an hour later. Small wonder. Had Chatty Kathy materialized I would have sent the dish away. My guest ordered an espresso for dessert. 10 minutes later, no espresso. We flagged down a hostess to find Kathy. A minute later a manager served a cold cup of espresso. Kathy finally appeared to deliver the check and also asked "How was everything?". We told him about the cold coffee which he replaced. I also told him about the noxious garlic served atop my fish. He replied that that entree is new and that they are still "tweaking" it. Great. Happy to be your Guinea pig. I'll be sure to bring a bottle of mouthwash should I visit the Optimist again.
(1)Sarah S.
My absolute favorite restaurant in Atlanta. Every time I return to Atlanta this is where I want to visit. The service is flawless, without feeling stuffy or uncomfortable if you get honey butter on the table. I personally find it hard to find good seafood in Atlanta, but the optimist makes if feel like you're at an ocean side restaurant with the freshest fish around. It has been awhile since I've visited now, but last time I had homemade poptarts for dessert that were absolutely amazing. Being in the Westside also puts The Optimist is a great location to explore a unique area of Atlanta as well.
(5)Lindsay J.
Hands down- the best restaurant in Atlanta. I've been here a few times and sat outside near the putt-putt lawn (get the lobster roll) and inside at a table and at the bar (get the scallops). Each time the service/food has been impeccable. One time our waiter was a few minutes late greeting us (literally- maybe 3 minutes after we sat down), and quickly apologized and brought us Chocolate Sea Salt ice cream for desert. Little shows of appreciation always make me want to go back. MUST try when in Atlanta.
(5)Henrik C.
Went here for date night. We have talk about for a while going to the Optimist. The ambiance is open, inviting. The acoustics is also excellent. We have a great waiter that gave us just the right level of attention Had the apple & arugula salad for appetizers. It was really tasty. Had the redfish with brussels sprouts and bacon as the main dish. Finally had chocolate mousse for desert. My better half had maine lobster roll, the george's bay scallops, oxtail marmalade, brown butter-chicken jus for main course and the apple buckle for desert. All dishes were very well prepared, great presentation and very tasty. Had the vouvray (chenin blanc), chateau moncontour, loire valley 2010 with the meal. Overall a very nice dinner experience we are certainly going back.
(4)Paige N.
I have an awesome boyfriend. And yes, his awesomeness does relate to this review (although I would say it even if it didn't apply). Last night was the 11 month anniversary of our first date (roll your eyes all you want, you're just jealous), and we'd been talking about trying The Optimist sometime soon, so this seemed like a perfect opportunity. Except we had no reservation. This is where he becomes my knight in shining armor: he called the restaurant after they reopened for dinner after 5 PM, after ascertaining there were no reservations available at 7:30, launched into a story about how "it was our anniversary" (the actual number was unimportant), we both wanted to try it so much, could they possibly squeeze us in? And lo and behold a reservation at 7:30 PM for that very evening materialized! How great is he? Super great!! So this was going to be a 5 star meal no matter what just because of him. We arrived right on time and as promised, the table was ready. The restaurant is very cool - the main dining room is one large, airy room with an upscale 'warehouse feel' due to the exposed industrial ceiling (it's trendy and the kind of thing you'd expect in the Fourth Ward or West Midtown, for sure). A giant bar occupies one end of the room, and the semi-open kitchen takes up the other end with tables, booths and banquettes scattered throughout the middle. As soon as you enter (next to the putting green outside - where I've heard putters are available by request), there is another bar near the hostess stand for people waiting for a table, or those who are looking for a quick drink or appetizer. We were seated and quickly our waitress came over to wish us a happy anniversary, and give us a little history about The Optimist. The deal is that all the fish is fresh daily, wild caught and what happens to be in season, consequently, the menu changes on an almost daily basis. Good deal. Service was excellent all night, from the moment we sat down until we got back into the car handed over by the valet. Everyone was friendly, warm and attentive. After we'd had a chance to look at the menu, I had a Sparkly Motion cocktail (a mix of Cava, pomegranate grenadine and pomegranate seeds - bubbly and yum!), and my boyfriend had the Winter on Cape Cod (vodka, cranberry juice, cranberries and spices - also yum!). Then, we got down to business: I knew we had to order the shrimp a la plancha with sopping toast (even though it was messy, so many reviews said to get it), and for main dishes: the duck fat poached swordfish and glazed short rib (we shared these two), with a side of bok choy. Before the shrimp arrived, we also were treated to some of the best yeast rolls I've had in recent memory - I don't know what kind of crack cocaine was in these, but boy, were they good! And the shrimp were indeed messy, spicy and absolutely worth it. The 'sopping' toast was covered in all of the sauce and spices the shrimp were sauteed in and it was delicious too. Apparently, everyone gets equally messy attempting to eat this because our waitress brought around a plate of hot towels with lemon for us to wipe our hands off with afterwards (I, naturally, nearly gave my fingers third degree burns trying to unfurl the steaming hot towel too soon, but it worked very well once it had cooled to a handle-able temperature). Our entrees were equally fantastic - the swordfish (which is a very firm fish) was artfully presented on a bed of celery root puree and a garlic chili relish - it was great. The chili sauce was a perfect touch of spice to the mildness of the fish and celery root. And the glazed short rib was tender, juicy and rich with perfectly roasted pearl onions accenting it. Even the bok choy, which both of us are a fan of already, was uniquely prepared. Only tiny baby bok choy were employed and prepared in such a way that they were flavored with chilis and ginger. So tasty. We were both quite full by the time we were done but then the dessert menu was revealed. Damn. You only have an 11 month anniversary once, right? The apple buckle won out, and when it was presented to us it came complete with a candle. So sweet! And the dessert was top of the line: a little dish of apples, cinammon and cake was layered and covered with a streusel crust that included a hint of sharp cheddar cheese (great combination of sweet and tart) and baked until piping hot, then a scoop of sweet cream ice cream was added to finish it off. Fan-freaking-tastic!! Everything last night could not have been better. It really was perfect. Great job The Optimist, and a big thank-you to my boyfriend for making it happen.
(5)Whitney M.
Wow! This place is uh-mazing. We went for lunch and ordered a couple if sandwiches. The lobster roll was sweet, buttery and tinder. The fries were crispy, crunchy and salty. The dish was perfectly portioned, though I could have eaten a dozen rolls before the food coma kicked in. The fish sandwich was just as good in its own way. The bread was soft and chewy, and the fish was dripping (literally) with flavor. Fries also came with this sandwich. We were too stuffed to order a big (tasty) dessert, so we opted for a lighter option- coconut sorbet. The presentation was cute. The sorbet came in a tiny paper cup with a tiny paper lid. Who doesn't love tiny food stuffs?! The actual sorbet was very refreshing. Service was excellent. Out waitress was very friendly and did not steer us wrong with dish recommendations! We would have love to have tried the burger, but I guess that's our excuse to go back. Food, service, atmosphere = 3/3!
(5)Brett B.
Possibly the best casual restaurant in Atlanta. I mean casual in that it's new and hip and upscale and had great food and you don't have to wear church clothes to get past the hostess. It even got the honest thumbs up from my brother-in-law chef from Brooklyn. And those bastards are a picky lot. See? Atlanta has good food, too. That's why they call it Foodlanta.
(5)Abraham K.
had a great experience at their oyster bar. expensive but the place has great oysters. was still hungry after a dozen oysters and a plate of mussels so my fiancee and i decided to go to the main restaurant. wtf? why so salty? do you call this food? it felt as if i had swallowed a gallon of saltwater. we didn't return either dish as we were starving. but i spent way too much money to get such poorly seasoned dishes. it's as if they unloaded an entire box of salt on each fish. is this because the fish were going bad? BAH! whoever is responsible for the seasoning needs to be fired and then hanged. ok maybe not hanged but at least tortured. i'll give it 2 stars based on their oyster bar. nice place for a date and some drinks.
(2)Pam C.
Ok, I've given another star...because my meal was so much better this time. We arrived early and had a cocktail in the Oyster Bar...the Cilantro Crush....AWESOME! For starters this time we had the fried oysters again...OMG they were so much better this time...and plumper! We had the mussels and they were delicous. For my entree this time, I had the Confit duck leg, poached egg frisee and duck ham...OMG it was so good!!! Hubby had the swordfish and liked it but thought it was a little dry...but swordfish tends to do that...but great flavor. I was much happier with our sides this time. Had the roasted beets w/ pine nuts and blue cheese. The carrots with a herbed ricotta. And the roasted vidalia onions with sherry a jus...they were what you would expect.
(4)Gregory D.
Some of the best scallops I've ever had. Bread was like crack cocaine I couldn't stop eating it. Even the veggie sides were incredible, try the Bok Choi. One of the best restaurants I've been to in Atlanta.
(5)Staci W.
Will go here for lunch anytime because the chopped salad was AMAZING perfection. When I took my husband back for our anniversary dinner, that's all I wanted, but alas, they do not serve it for dinner. I had fish which was excellent, but listen, they listed artichoke as the side. OK, not artichoke hearts, so to be fair, I got what I ordered. But really? Half an artichoke broiled or grilled or whatever it was? It looked good; however, it was impossible to eat, and I hope they remove it from the menu. My husband's fish and side was excellent. The atmosphere is superb -- a mix of artsy industrial with coziness (the bar? the putting green outside?), somehow. The staff at the door couldn't have cared less whether we came or went. But hey, go for lunch, definitely!
(3)Sara E.
Service: Patient, attentive, helpful. When our cab was late, they gave us free drinks and real Southern hospitality! Atmosphere: Beautiful and open. White tile, steel, wood a nice fire to keep it from feeling too sterile. Food: Delicious. The oysters (5 East Coast, 5 West Coast) were lovely and fresh. The octopus was well seasoned and fried to perfection. The aioli was great. Green curry mussels - the most succulent mussels ever and extremely well flavored. The basil, garlic and onions were plentiful. Scallops: Extremely well cooked. Cornbread hushpuppies: the perfect mix of savory and sweet - fried like a donut with powdered sugar. Brussels sprouts: How can I cook mine like this?! Eat here often!
(5)Jennifer B.
Fantastic "small plates" at the Optimist Oyster Bar last night. My riend and I strolled in at about 9 on a Friday night & scored 2 seats at the Oyster Bar (first come). We had some nice wine - I enjoyed VERY much a plate of grilled vegetables - cauliflower, broccoli, green pepper, chilis, etc. Spicy, with a bit of cheese on top. So delicious. I also had the whole (head too) georgia white shrimp with garlic, lime and chile. Wonderful sauce and a nice big piece of bread to soak up all the yumminess. Messy eating but oh so good. My friend had the mussels - very fresh and delicious - great sauce. We finished up with the Savannah Style Beignets - my friend LOVED it but for me it was just a big pile of sweet dough - I took a little taste and not for me. But I'm not a big sweets person. I love the way this restaurant has 2 concepts in one - the Oyster Bar, more casual setting and small plates menu - very high energy! Kick back with a beer and some great oysters or seafood dishes.The main dining room is a bit more sleek and elegant - gorgeous bar, dinner menu. I'd like to dress up and have a martini there.
(5)Brian K.
The few times I've been here, the service has been nothing but excellent. The staff is always happy to accommodate your needs if it's within their ability. The decor is very rustic and open. The atmosphere is lively and enjoyable. The food was amazing and fresh. I would highly suggest getting the Spanish Octopus and Shrimp a la Pancha as your appetizers. Would come back here again.
(4)David Y.
Perhaps we hit it on an off night. First, we waited about thirty minutes past our reservation to be seated (note: this was on a Wednesday night, so it is not as if it was a packed Friday or Saturday). That was not much of an issue as we enjoyed the bar area. However, when they did seat us, they put us (5 people) at a table for 4 giving the 5th person a seat that was shorter than everyone else. Mind you, we had a reservation for 5 for a couple of weeks. Plus the table was as close to the kitchen and wait area as possible. They did move us to an appropriate table after complaining. All was well up until the food began arriving. The apps were great, but there was probably 20 plus minutes between finishing the apps and being served the entrees. When they began serving the entrees, the dishes arrived to our party over the course of about 5 minutes ... very poor timing. Additionally, shortly after finishing our apps, we ordered another bottle of wine. That did not arrive until midway through our entrees. To top it all off, my dish (monkfish entree) was warm at best. Obviously, the kitchen got incredibly backed up, but the poor part of it all was the lack of acknowledgement about it. Just a bad showing all around.
(2)Anneshia J.
Gave two because the oysters were absolutely delicious and the ambiance was beautiful. The restaurant reminded me of being home in San Franciso, however our server was uninterested in us and when he visited our table he rushed us and only came back when it was time to pay. We asked for recommendations on cocktails, but the drink was not good. I think it was some type of cognac and peach. I can't remember the exact fish item I ordered, but it was crusted and had some type of pickled lime okra with it that was delicious. The only downside to the entree was the plating; it was less than horrible and very sloppy. I went Thursday and it wasn't terribly hot but the restaurant was extremely cold and the table next to me was mentioning it as well, but no adjustments were made. The valet staff was really nice as well and we were asked if we enjoyed our visit. I will definitely be back, but only to the Oyster bar.
(2)Jennifer P.
I love this restaurant. Great service and delicious seafood. I order oysters everywhere I go but so far this is the place that has good and fresh oysters in Atlanta. Not to mention, their grilled octopus is pretty yummy too.
(4)Mychael W.
My team at work had a company dinner here a couple of weeks ago and I've got nothing but good things to say about it. I had heard of the Optimist and always wanted to try it, and I'm so glad this is where the boss decided to go! Everything from the decor, the service, to the food was amazing. Here's the rundown on a 1-5 scale: pre-dinner rolls - 5 Appetizer - Maine Mussels - 3.5 Entree - Duck Fat Poached Swordfish - 5 Side dish - Corn Milk Hushpuppies - 4 Side dish - Spanish Roasted Fingerling Potatoes - 4 Dessert - Peppermint Push Pop - 4.5 The pricing isn't terrible either. My meal came up to $44 before tax and tip, which is pretty good for the quality and the amount of food you receive. I highly recommend the Optimist for any special occasion, date night, or corporate event. I know I'll be taking the wife soon!
(5)Ashley O.
This is, by FAR, mine and my husbands favorite restaurant in Atlanta! We have probably made the 35 minute commute to eat at here at least four times in the past six months. Every time we've visited my husband has ordered the shrimp a la plancha and licks every ounce of the sauce off of his fingers and I have always gotten the amazing beignet style hush puppies (O.M.G). Wehave never eaten a bad or even "average" meal here! Drinks from the bar are always made to perfection, and my husband loves the complementary coozies that come with the bottled beers. I love the warehouse style atmosphere and the fact that you never feel too dressed up, or to dress down, no matter what you're wearing!
(5)M N.
This place is seriously spectacular. Ford Fry does great food in atlanta and the optimist might just be one of my favorites. We went on a Saturday night and were seated promptly. Service to the table was very good. Knowledgable about the menu, helpful with pairing sides (the mushrooms were perfect with the scallops). The wine list isn't huge but you can tell each has been carefully thought out and has a reason for being on the menu. The shrimp a la plancha appetizer is a lot of hands on work and can get messy, but it is amazing. Also, the oysters were shucked very well and the accompaniments really made the oysters pop. Can't wait to pay this place a visit again.
(5)Gigi R.
Fresh divine oysters and fun cocktails. Great place for a date or night out with friends. Must order the lobster rolls.
(4)Han L.
Esquire heralded it as the "Restaurant of the Year" and I have heard many praises about this place from friends. I was so giddy to finally secure a reservation after 2 failed attempts. The restaurant has a miniature golf course and comfortable lounge area outdoor. The mixture of the miniature palm tree, blue details, and linens gave the Optimist a pseudo-rustic-seaside appeal. It provides a nice dichotomy from the city-feel of the surrounding area. The place feels especially lively because you're dining in a wide open space. I appreciate the multiple private bathroom stalls. Let it be known, I came here with 3 other individuals on the day Paul Ryan was in A-town and traffic was more nightmar-ish than uszh. Dang politics! I recommend saving yourself the trouble of trying to find parking in the neighborhood and getting complementary valet. This place is too popping to try to find street parking. Despite being late, we were promptly seated shortly afterwards, albeit an uncomfortably large booth meant to seat twice the amount of people in our group. I have to say, despite it being a very busy Wednesday evening, the employees were on top of things and very conscientious. They checked up on us and apologized for the delay on our orders. We were given four wheat rolls. They were slightly hard and dry. Christine K.jokingly commented on it being an omen, but I was being an Optimist (har har har). We had the following dishes between the 4 of us: Appetizers: 1. East Coast Oysters 2. West Coast Oysters 3. Fried Oysters --- slightly too heavy on the batter. I couldn't enjoy the oysters. I prefer the fried oysters from Serpas. 4. Spicy Glazed Octopus --- was a recommendation. It sounded appealing...crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It did not taste crispy but too charred. Burnt. taste. in my. mouth. The inside was soft though! Which is nice, bc octopus is usually more chewy. Main Course: The various fish selection was pretty cool. I don't often see restaurants serve larger fishes. They had fishes I have never heard of also. The portions were smaller than anticipated. This isn't a complaint, just an observation. Ok, it's kind of a complaint, but whatevs. 1. Monkfish --- The fish was covered in a sea of chunky tomato sauce. 2. Seared Tuna --- Good dish. It was also served with octopus and mustard seeds 3. Tautog --- Supposedly has the consistency and taste of lobster. It's supposedly going to be out of season and off the menu soon. It was a very simple and clean dish. In diplomatic terms, it was very 'neutral." 4. Whole "swimming" Bass --- I shied away from ordering this dish myself because it sounded too similar to an Asian dish. Lo and behold, it tasted very much like a Vietnamese dish...fried fish w fish sauce... ...and for side dishes, we helped ourselves to beignet style Hush Puppies and potatoes. Though we were told it's family style, the portions are more fair for 2 people. The hush puppies were very good. They had bits of corn in them and were served w powdered sugar, hence the "beignet" style. The potatoes were served wedged with creamy sauce. Needless to say, most of us were disappointed in our dishes, which we had to wait quite some time for. Ingredients were either excessive or lacking. I'm going to attribute it to being a busy night. We were good sports about it, but our sweet server and manager must have gotten a clue. The manager offered a complementary dish for us, but Isaac S. insisted it wasn't a bother. Nonetheless, we were offered complementary desserts, to which I ( and Christine K.) happily obliged! Desserts (ding ding ding! WINNER): 1. Apple Strudel ---- kinda, sorta made up for some of the bland entrees. This is a very good dish. You can taste the cheese. It's served warm with a scoop of ice cream. 2. Pudding w Bananas Foster and Coconut Tuile---Also very good. Pudding comes w a round waffer. The highlight of the evening for our group was the complementary desserts. I really do appreciate the workers for their efforts in trying to make our dining experience better. At least the evening ended well.
(3)LaShawna F.
What a great place. Just recently had dinner there for a friend's birthday. The food was great and so were the cocktails. The staff was very friendly and our waiter gave us some great suggestions. Definitely worth the price.
(4)William H.
Excellent. We had a group of 4 to dine on a Monday night. If you would rather eat and share a bunch of small plates, I would suggest eating at the bar or tables outside. It a different menu than the main restaurant with smaller portions and price for more variety. The wood fired oysters were excellent. I would also suggest the mussels. The broth was outstanding in flavor. The lobster roll, while pricey, was popular at our table. I would definitely recommend.
(5)Gabriel B.
Cool location for the trendy downtown foodies. Grouper is definitely the winner, superbly cooked. Wine seemed a bit over priced though.
(3)Angel S.
I am pleased to update this review. After the GM heard about my unpleasant experience with the pooh at The Optimist a couple days ago, they got my number and called me to apologize and comp our entire meal. Which is extremely generous. They were very apologetic for the entire ordeal and embarrassed about how the incident was handled that evening. After this call, I would give The Optimist another chance if I was to visit Atlanta again. I think they'd be ready to react differently if the shit hits the ground.....again.
(4)Kirk L.
I enjoyed the Optimist, but it didn't live up to the hype...at least, not after one visit. It's pushing 4 stars, and I could see it jumping up to a 5 star, but that wasn't my experience this visit. We started with a drink at the Oyster bar while we waited for the table - both the Green Tea Whiskey and the Fish House Punch were excellent - not very sweet, which gets a thumbs up from me! On to dinner...here's what we had: -Fried Oysters - Probably the best I've ever had, but really, that doesn't mean much because I usually only get them at lower end places. But they were very "light and fluffy"...that's right, "light and fluffy." The "smoked paprika mayo" that came with it was bizarrely bland and frankly, I would never have guessed what it was based on the flavor (actually seemed like a honey-mustard type base) -Spanish Octopus - first off, this dish is hot. Too hot for my fiance to eat, but she has no tolerance for heat in a dish. The "glaze" is along the lines of a Thai chili sauce. For someone who likes spicy, it's a great flavor overall, but not the type of dish that would make me go, "You have to try this!" -Duck fat poached swordfish - the flavor of the fish was good, but it was overcooked and rather dry. Beautifully presented, though (as were all the dishes), and the peanuts were a nice touch. -George's Bank Scallops - this was really a disappointing dish. The scallops were cooked fine, but didn't quite test fresh...the little lady commented that she liked my scallops better (and that's not a euphemism! =). The oxtail marmalade was similar to pulled pork in bbq sauce, and was quite tasty by itself, but for me, it just didn't work with the scallops. Otherwise, the service was great. I really liked the decor and design of the place, however they do use "European style" side by side table seating, which I despise (on the plus side, they space the tables a bit more than most places that do this). And it's quite loud - for someone like me that doesn't hear so well, it was extremely difficult to carry on a conversation. PS - the bread they served was excellent (the little lady commented that it was the best thing she had...which probably isn't a good thing!).
(3)Shannon H.
Very delicious Lunch! The App makes it look like they don't serve lunch. But they do. I had the tuna burger - subbed in the brussel sprouts which was a little too much salt. Should have kept the salad. Other folks I was with had the lobster roll and gave it rave reviews. The Lobster Cobb looked pretty amazing as well. Don't bother with the fries though - tiny shoe-string crap. Sub in something else! The Shrimp a la plancha is messy but delicious!
(4)Lyndsey G.
The Optimist was perfect. The atmosphere is amazing the space is beautiful. The oysters wowed us. The starter sweet buns were a great little bite and the server was knowledgeable about the wine list. We ordered the octopus, the shi crab soup, the scallops, and the shrimp a la plancha. The whole experience was on point. Thank you Optimist team for making a night in ATL great!
(5)Keith H.
It had a nice feel to the insides. Waitress was polite and on her game. Appetizers were tasty and the right amount and wanting more. Main course was over the top. Had the sea scallops with beans and ham bits. The scallops were great, not a bit of grit in any bite. Long fingerling potatoes with honey glazed pork belly bits dusted with crushed red peppers. Great flavor. Wife is not a seafood lover and she ate every bite of her cobia fish. I think she might enjoy seafood now. On to desserts. WOW, cranberry sorbet with a dusting of cinnamon. Sounds strange but tastes awesome, cinnamon was light enough and just the right amount to not over power the cranberry taste. The s'more cookie my wife had was out of this world. I tasted the vanilla ice cream that they had folded toasted marshmallow into and rimmed the side with honey covered graham cracker crumbs. If you want great food and good service, this is a place to go!
(5)Lori F.
Good oysters, decent beer selection, and yummy chowder fries. Service is much better than before (hostesses, however, are always a bit off putting - wth?)
(3)Erica J.
came on date night without a reservation hoping to snag 2 seats at the bar but it was packed. so we decided to sit in the oyster bar tapas section for their lighter menu. we ordered a dozen oysters, clams with pancetta, raw himachi, and cooked halibut (not my favorite dish that night, thick and tough). everything else was DELICIOUS! oysters were so cold, fresh, and melted in my mouth. can't wait to come dine here in their restaurant and order more food!
(5)Kathleen M.
Yep, still wholeheartedly in love. The lobster roll (always on the menu at lunch, sometimes at dinner) might be the best $14 you can spend on food in Atlanta. The fish house punch, only available at the oyster bar, is the one and only punch I've ever fallen head over heels in love with. The staff is all warm, helpful and kind. If something gets messed up, they take care of it, no questions asked. The desserts are now made by Sugar Coated Radical's Taria, so you won't regret pushing your stomach beyond comfort to wedge one in. The napkins are heinously linty. Don't wear black.
(5)Gina N.
My boyfriend took me here on my birthday because we are fans of the show Atlanta Eats and since they were featured on there we thought we would give it a shot and I am so glad we did. Their seafood is fresh and their flavors are delicious! He had the scallops with mushrooms and Brussels.I had the lobster roll with hush puppies. Let me tell you about those hush puppies...I am not really a fan of them, but our server recommended them so I tried them and I would say they are the best hush puppies I have ever had! The lobster roll was made with lobster claw meat mixed with some celery and their seasonings on a toasted sweet roll. I was in a food coma. I will definitely be back!
(5)Warren T.
Went to this establishment twice. The first time I couldn't get a seat so we sat and ate oysters which were actually pretty good at the bar. I return one week with reservations and was able to sit down immediately upon my arrival. I was kind of excited because we had invited another couple to join us and we told them how great this place was. I ordered monkfish and my wife ordered scallops. My friend ordered fried fish. His wife just had an appetizer. We also had appetizers. After the first course came out it took a very long time for the second course, the main course to come out. When it did come out my monkfish was swimming in either oil or water. I couldn't really see because it's very dark. My friends plate had a piece of fried fish on his plate as if someone throw it from 3 to 5 yards out. It also appeared to be three or four cubes of potatoes. All three entrees collapsed and we're not hot. The saving grace came a little late. I told the waiter about plate and he offered another. I was almost finish at that time and didn't want to wait because of the time get our entree, Maybe my standards are too high. I've been to just about every major restaurant from Atlanta to New York and everything in between and this one, this time skipped a beat. This place has four exits, you should ask not to sit by one, people will be coming in and out the entire time you dine. Bon appétit!
(3)Justin K.
Excellent food. The staff is very accommodating and very knowledgeable on the menu. The atmosphere is very nice. I highly recommend this place. You're missing out if you don't come here. Valet parking only so come prepared or get dropped off.
(5)Marina M.
The Optimist was good, but... That's the problem, there are a few flaws that keep me from giving it 4 stars. Although the restaurant said they would work with my severe dairy intolerance (I can't even have butter), but that is apparently a tall order in the South. The waiter tried really hard, but many of the appetizers were not alterable. The bread itself is made with butter, though it looked delicious. I ended up trying the lobster roll, sans bread. Although all of the excellent reviews made me want to try it, it was just okay and overpriced at $21. I had the grouper entree, which didn't need to be altered since it is pan seared in olive oil. It was tasty, but with very sparse accompaniments and slightly over seared. I ordered the beet, farro, mizzuna side to supplement, and it was tasty, but over salted and the yellow beets were very starchy. I had the cranberry sorbet for dessert, which was tasty but was overly generously seasoned with mulling spices. Nice idea because there isn't much you can do with cranberries, but it was over powering. For a $90+ dinner for one (solo business traveler), I was underwhelmed and frustrated that I overpaid for what I got. (White Oak was better the following night and didn't involve a cab fare.)
(3)Mariel J.
I really enjoyed dinner at the Optimist. It was difficult to get reservations (though I think you may have better luck if you just grab a spot at the bar), but it was worth the wait. We had some oysters to start - a bit expensive, but definitely very fresh and tasty, and their homemade sauce was very good. From there, we had the mussels and charred octopus. The mussels were good, but didn't have the punch I expected from green curry and chiles. The octopus was some of the best I've had - very tender. At about this point in our meal is where we ran into a bit of a bump - we'd finished all of the starters, and had been chatting away. Our waiter stopped by at one point to refresh drinks and said he was working to get our main courses out soon. It was only when we looked at the clock that we realized it'd been about 45 minutes since we finished the starters. The atmosphere was great, so we were happy to have a long dinner, except that we were planning to see a concert that night (we'd planned about 2 hours for dinner, but it was getting tight). We mentioned it to the waiter, and he explained that there was a back-up in the kitchen, but that he would do everything he could. The manager also stopped by to say he understood we were on a schedule, and that he'd work on it and comp part of our meal for the inconvenience. I was really impressed at just how attentive they were and how seriously they took our desire to get to the concert, even though we hadn't mentioned it in advance (when we first sat down). Shortly after, our main course came - halibut, which was very good, along with a side of mushrooms and the basmati fried rice. All of these were tasty, but the standout dish of the whole meal for me was the fried rice - it has smoked fish, curry, crushed peanuts, and egg, and was unlike anything I'd had before - it was sooooo good! Overall, great restaurant, and definitely a place we'll be back to!
(5)Ali S.
the oysters were fresh and delicious, didn't have a fishy taste or smell about them at all. the garnishes were well prepared. i did expect more than a selection of 2 oysters though from a seafood restaurant the cheesecake's crust was a little too buttery, especially with the mascarpone and whip cream. it was still good though. it's have that hard, refrigerated feel to it. the whip cream was thick and freshly whipped, not out of a can the decor was gorgeous, atmosphere peaceful they should put a sign directing you to self-parking so you don't have to valet
(4)ester k.
great atmosphere and decor. good drinks. service was pretty good. the food was good but I'm not sure it's worth the money. it's very expensive, and i thought the food was not as good as it costs. I would try it if you have the money to spend, but don't feel like you're missing out on anything spectacular if you don't go.
(3)Loren B.
If a man were to propose, he would need to do it at the Optimist for me to say yes. I absolutely love this place. Upscale, classy, with personal touches that makes it feel very welcoming. Definitely a high roller type of place to eat and who doesn't love their mini golf course in the front. The food is absolutely amazing. Best gumbo of my life and the crab cakes were sooooo GOOD.. Definitely looking forward to come back again. The servers were friendly and the service was top notch.
(5)Ryan V.
Really good seafood. I took my my wife here for an "all-out" birthday dinner and we were not disappointed. We started with the razor clams which were chopped up with potatoes in sort of an au-graten hash. We also had what the menu called an "opportunity" which was a black bass crudo. Both were outstanding. My wife had the Monkfish with octopus in a tomato broth. Fish was great, octopus was beyond tender. I had the duck fat poached swordfish served with butternut squash and pork belly. The swordfish was surprisingly dry but still very good and it actually worked with the super fatty pork belly to balance it out. The brussels sprouts are amazing. Not to be missed. We also had the collard greens which were quite tasty but I honestly could have eaten another side of brussels instead. We also had a "s'mores" ice cream sandwich for dessert. It came with two whole ice cream sandwiches which is great for sharing but that wasn't explicit on the menu. They were quite good. Overall I would definitely eat there again and recommend it to anyone for a nice romantic or power business dinner. I would have given 4.5 stars because there were a few spots of waiting on our waiter and also their valet system is ridiculous. It was in the low 40s and the heater wasn't turned on while waiting 5+ minutes for them to fetch the car from god knows where. Also the cocktails could have been a little boozier but they were pretty interesting. All of those are minor complaints greatly overshadowed by the amazing food.
(5)Dean O.
Was able to get in for lunch on my birthday without a reservation which was comforting since they are packed to the gills for dinner... See what I did there? Anyway I started with the she crab soup which was good but just too rich for me. I don't think I could get it again. However the shrimp toast that came with it was awesome. I got the lobster roll and fries for lunch. How can something so simple be so divine? Seemed like a whole lobster was on that bun. That being said I'll pass on the fries next time. You know when fries get so thin they're difficult to eat? Also server was a little strange... Every time we ordered something it was her most favorite thing on the menu.
(4)Laura R.
Great ambiance. Good food. Amazing drinks. The hush puppies were delicious and everything was really fresh. I thought it was kinda overpriced and that the entrees should have come with at least a tiny side. Only other complaint was we were at a two top shoved between two other couples. For a space that large I wouldn't mind some more room to talk!
(4)Lottie A.
Had dinner at the bar. We tried the octopus, flounder, snapper and oysters. Everything was perfectly prepared and expertly plated. The service at the bar was efficient if not overly friendly. Expensive, but worth it for a night out. May be the best "fish house" in Atlanta.
(4)Jamillah S.
I was totally excited about going to The Optimist last night for my boyfriend's birthday; I'd heard so many wonderful things about the restaurant. For appetizers, he had oysters and I had the kale salad. For entrées, he ordered the lamb and I had scallops. In "cute" couple fashion, we shared each other's meals excluding the oysters because I don't care for raw food (it's a texture thing). The food was delicious and the service was great! Unfortunately, within an hour of returning home from the restaurant, my boyfriend became violently ill--vomiting and the whole bit (a classic case of food poisoning). Today, I called the restaurant and after speaking to the manager and explaining my ruined evening, I was issued a bland apology. My ask was simple: please refund the oyster portion of our meal...less than 10% of the bill's total cost; I was told NO. Specifically, she told me, in the case of food poisoning numerous people call in reporting sickness; evidentially, because no one else has called in there was nothing they could do. However, she will keep my name on file should anyone else call in; thus, proving it was in fact a bad batch of oysters. In my opinion, this was pretty poor response--I won't return and won't recommend them to anyone else. Honoring my meager request would have retained a loyal customer and spurred endless good publicity. I've concluded they don't care about the power of 1 and have a pretty solid policy in place for WHEN they have outbreaks of food poisoning. .
(1)Deb H.
Hit and miss this time This was our second time here after an excellent first experience several months ago. This one was hit and miss. Promptly seated at a nice table by friendly staff. Server was very knowledgeable but not especially attentive. Delicious cocktail (Jolly Roger) Of the 4 types of oysters, he liked 3--said the fourth was fishy. Excellent gumbo. Very good tuna 'opportunity' though a bit pricey. Verrry long wait between appetizer and entree with zero updates from our server on the delay. Beware: The a la carte approach makes this a pretty expensive outing ($24-25 for a piece of fish alone on a plate). King salmon fine but not amazing. Monkfish very moist and flavorful. Odd and disappointing the only starch options were hushpuppies and a fried rice with smoked fish (sounds gross). My kingdom for a potato. Overall it was a fine meal, but for a $200+ dinner for two I want to be thrilled, and I wasn't. For the money, the Atlanta Fish Market is a much better experience.
(3)Chris B.
Excellent sea food. Loved the atmosphere. Hip cool place. Ordered oysters, grilled grouper and brussels sprouts. All excellent and tasty. Service was a bit slow and we felt like we had to wait for ages to get our drinks and appetizers. That said everything was very well done and we will definitely be back.
(4)John C.
Outstanding food and service! We had a large party (12) on a Wed night, but were seated on time and the service was great from begging to end. Everyone enjoyed the appetizers and seafood dishes. Being skeptical or seafood places I don't know, I opted for the skirt steak, which was delicious and perfectly cooked. The Tuscan kale salad was unique and particularly terrific. Wine list was balanced with some good choices. Only negative was the parking, but they managed the valet well enough.
(5)Karen A.
Ok let's get to it. Right off the bat, valet is a flat rate of $2. Pretty good if they hadn't parked our car in mud and tracked mud in the car. Ugh. Walk in & the place is packed!! We didn't have reservations so the lady up front said it would be a 30 minute wait. 5 minutes later, we were seated. I'm convinced people tell you that so you'll leave. Nevertheless we were thrilled to be seated. I had read all of your wonderful reviews of the lobster roll so I was excited to try it. Lo and behold, it wasn't on the menu. Apparently the change the menu everyday. say what?!? Who does that? But whatev. So I'm struggling to to decipher the adjectives used to describe simple fish and chips etc. If it's beer battered fish, just say that. Don't tell me it's "cod infused in room temperature aged ale". I saw pork chops and chicken buried at the bottom of the menu but I didn't want to be all ethnic and ish so I decided to step outside of my box and try the snapper. It comes in a lime sauce and when I tell you the lime was overpowering, it was OVERPOWERING. LAWD! It would have soooo much better without the lime sauce but it definitely was described correctly. I got fried rice as the side. Ok if you have a peanut allergy, steer clear of the fried rice. It is heavy on the peanuts. Not sure why you'd put peanuts in fried rice, but again whatev. They are high on water. A regular soda wasn't even offered. I had to ask for it. Then I noticed the couple sitting next to me had a canned soda in a Koozie. Let that sink in for a second....a Koozie. So I'm assuming they'd rather you buy a cocktail or wine. After being asked more than once, I relented and ordered a lemon drop which wasn't on the menu. This and the dinner rolls were the best things about the visit. Needless to say I probably won't be returning.
(2)Matthew B.
It was the best first date I've ever been on. It helps that the woman I was with is beautiful and the conversation was on point. But the food and the service were both impeccable. Easily the best seafood I've had in Atl. I usually avoid it out there, for the most part. Great oysters. Great fish. I will be back and she'll be with me. #tezzycummings
(5)Aaron C.
The Optimist is a place that the 'delicious, cool, and appropriately priced' designation needs no qualifications. My wife and I had an excellent experience. The staff was fun and playful, but professional and timely. Lunch was a real treat! Next time we're in the area we're going back for dinner.
(5)Sonja R.
Food was really good just not enough. Left hungry. Pricey. Awesome service. Nice atmosphere.
(4)Corbin P.
Great food but poor reservation management. We love the Optimist especially for lunch and get great service for lunch. We've been a few times now for dinner and had to wait 45 minutes after our reservation time on a weekday that also happened to be my birthday. Great restaurant but kind of ruins the experience with the wait time even for a reservation.
(3)Emilia L.
Before I talk about the restaurant, I want to give props to the valet guy. By the time I pulled into the lot, it was absolutely packed. Self-parking was no longer available and the valet guy told me that valet parking had just run out, too. Dismayed, but still flashing him a smile, I asked him where the nearest available lot was. He paused, looked at me, and said, "Tell you what. I can find some space for you. You're wearing heels, aren't you." (A statement, not a question. Lol.) I beamed and replied, "Yes I am!" I like to think my charming smile got him to take pity on me. Totally joking, of course. So I thanked him profusely and got out of the car and happily headed into The Optimist. Did I mention the restaurant was packed? Because it was PACKED. I think there was some sort of happy hour going on because there were a bunch of business people wearing name tags milling around the bar area. Even though the majority of the party of six was about 20-30 minutes late for the reservation, we were seated immediately. I decided on two appetizers for my meal. I got the seafood gumbo ($9) and the mussels in green curry ($9). In all honesty, just the gumbo would have been enough. It was such a huge portion. It came with a couple of blue crab claws, HUGE shrimp and pieces of sausage. The baguette it came with had this delicious garlic butter on it. By the time I finished off my gumbo, I was stuffed. But shortly after, my mussels came out, and that was a huge portion, too. They were nice and succulent. The curry was pretty strong tasting but thankfully I had more bread to dip into the broth. I could only manage 5-6 mussels and even shared my dish, but still ended up with leftovers. The entree portions seemed on the smaller side, but I think you are supposed to order side items a la carte to go with them. I can't imagine how packed the restaurant must be on the weekends. I went on a Thursday night. Definitely make reservations, and for non-peak hours if possible, i.e. 6 pm or 9 pm. Definitely worth a try just for the appetizers alone. As people have mentioned in previous reviews, there is a mini golf putting green in the front. But not sure where you would get the clubs or balls.
(4)Victor R.
How do you spell delicious? "Speck wrapped mahi mahi, braised escarole, calabrese peppers, preserved lemon" with side of roasted Brussels sprouts in fish sauce vinaigrette. Yummy
(4)Jessica G.
I had heard that this restaurant was the best in Atlanta for some time and I finally had the occasion to visit when my foodie best friend was in town. It was delicious! I order the cornmeal crusted fish, smoky bacon and pepper jelly dish. It was hands-down the best meal at the table (others ordered the tuna (which was ok (the grilled octopus tasted more fried) & the triple tail). My two favorite, ok, three favorite sides were the mushrooms, hushpuppies and heirloom tomatoes. YUM yum yum the service was also very friendly and helpful. i would absolutely recommend this for a date or a fun night out with friends. Enjoy!
(4)Johnnie S.
Out of all the fancy restaurants I've been to in Atlanta, this is my favorite. And the hush puppies beignets style: get them.
(5)Jordan R.
I was disappointed with this place especially after seeing that it got a 4 on yelp. The Shea Crab soup was more of a broth and for $9 I was extremely disappointed with my $9 craby steamed milk. Maybe this was just an interesting style they were going for but I would much rather have had at least some crab in the soup. The bread at the beginning was amazing, sweet rolls buttered with sea salt on top was probably the best part of the dinner for me. The clams were also good but nothing to rave about. I hear that if you sit at the lunch bar or that area of the restaurant they have a mean lobster roll but we sat in the normal dining hall instead of the bar and were disappointed that they would not serve us he lobster rolls anyways.
(3)Nancy R.
We came here again and this time I was pleasantly full from all the tasty foods. Our server was well informed of the menu and gave great suggestions. FOOD: We started with the Whole GA white shrimp a la plancha, with "sopping" toast for the arbol chile and lime sauce / 11. ...(messy, but worth it). It's definitely a messy, eat-with-your-fingers kind of app. that they give you wet towels to clean up after wards. We even asked for extra bread to sop up all the sauce. Also, we got the Crispy long beans, sea salt, buttermilk-dill mignonette / 7. Another finger app. that's crispy battered covered beans enough to share. For dinner I got the Monkfish, tomato broth, hen of the woods mushrooms, pickled fennel / 23. I wasn't sure I'd like monkfish, but our server sold me on it and I loved the dish. The tomato broth really accompanied the mild monkfish taste. I didn't know that monkfish had a thick bone in the middle of it. We had 2 sides Assorted mushrooms w/shallot confit and Fingerling potatoes w/blue cheese & garlic cream sauce. The mushrooms are tasty goes with any dish. Potatoes were ok - nothing too fancy. It was a great dinner that we all finished our foods with everyone complimenting their dishes!
(5)Ben D.
When I took a bite of the fried oysters, I felt as if I had gotten laid and drunk at the same time. The server asked, "How is your grouper, sir?" All I could manage was, "Fuckin A!" Go here. Eat the fishes.
(5)Ullrich M.
Everybody writes about the high quality of the food. I write about exceptional staff. Our waiter had collected all of our used dishes and was talking to us with both hands full of the stuff. Another waiter came by and gently took all the dishes to bring them back so that the waiter could continue talking to us. When I commended him on that event, he said that they all considered themselves as a high class team with management having very high standards but also taking care of them very well. It works.
(5)Silvia G.
The food is amazing and I usually have a good experience at this restaurant but on 11/24/13 we had an awful experience with our server... I guess it being a Sunday night he was tired and anxious to go home. He never approached our table to ask if we needed anything, not friendly at all, not a smile, not a smirk... Anyways the worst part was that at the end he made a mistake with our check and charged my friend (who was kind enough to pay the full bill) 2 times 2 different amounts... It got messier afterwards... The restaurant was not helpful and they gave her a hard time with that issue. Unbelievable.
(3)Tom C.
Yessir. This place is really, really good. Here's what's so awesome. 1. The service is top-notch. The servers, hosts/hostesses are all professional, thorough, and really effective. There is absolutely nothing to complain about on this front. 2. The food is very, very good. Really, it's good. No, I mean it - it's good. This is a seafood place, and what they do with a piece of fish is remarkable. As an appetizer I had fried oysters, which were outstanding. Not overcooked, well fried, HUGE, and with a smoky mayo that was just wonderful. This appetizer comes with house pickles, which went perfectly with the meal. As a main course, I had halibut with garlic cream and celery. This was truly wonderful. The fish was cooked so perfectly, I'm still thinking about it days later. I also had dessert, against my beter judgment. I went with the beignets, which were so freaking good I ate the whole thing. Here lies the only problem - I wanted to shoot myself after. I ate way too much. But, I'd do it all over again. 3. When you arrive, there's complimentary valet (which is oddly much further away from the entrance than it needs to be). As you walk in, the place is just beautiful. It's got a great, spacious layout, with a killer raw bar area, a huge dining room, a nice bar in the center of the fining room, good lighting and a comfortable feel. It's expensive, but it's worth it. Really, this is a tremendous addition to the already great set of places over there on Houston Mill. I'm going to go back, hopefully soon.
(5)Taylor A.
The Optimist is a worthy addition to the westside dining scene, but I wasn't as enamored with it as many others seem to be. Starting off, the space is beautiful. While it's large and lofty, the space doesn't feel empty or cold, but modern and comfortable. Maybe along the lines of Two Urban Licks... We sat at the bar for a drink before dinner. I wish they had dedicated bar-service bartenders as those behind the bar were too focused on filling table orders to be friendly and efficient with those sitting at the bar. Based on Katie W's review I had the Port Antonio and it was truly wonderful. The first drink I've had where cinnamon was a welcome addition. They certainly know how to make a drink. For dinner we started with the crab soup ($9) and gumbo ($9). The crab soup was light and creamy and I could eat it all day. The gumbo was spicy and filled with goodies like mussels and crab claws. Too spicy for me to get again though. About 30 seconds after the soup arrived entrees came out, but thankfully there was a kitchen miscommunication and they weren't our entrees, but they looked great! I had the swordfish ($24) with some pickeled peppers that I would say should be considered garnish. I would say you should always order some sides, because many of the entrees don't come with real sides. I had two pieces of swordfish. One was raw in the center, which I still can't tell was an error or not. I've never had seared swordfish, but maybe it's a thing. The second piece was cooked through and I wasn't as concerned about eating. Flavor was good though. My date had the striped bass ($25) which she only ate about half of. The crust was chewy and not crunchy, which was a little weird. I had a crispy peanut sundae which was excellent. A nice finish to the meal. Overall, I loved the decor, and drinks, but the food was hit or miss for us. Entrees and overall cost is relatively high. JCT Kitchen nearby is a much better value (lower cost, higher quality).
(3)Allison B.
This place was excellent!! Very cool atmosphere. The oysters were exquisite as well as the squid. Service was spectacular. Definitely a top place to eat in Atlanta.
(5)Stephanie A.
Did someone say seafood? Yeah I thought so. I have to be in the mood. It's taken me this long to be in the mood to try this extremely popular somewhat new addition to the fantastic food scene in West Midtown. This is a large freestanding single level building. The ceilings are high and unbuffered so be prepared for energetic noise and don't go with people you want to have some serious conversation with. Go with people that want good food and enjoy the vibe. There are a very few non seafood dishes for your friends who don't like the bounty of the sea. Lots of attractive people at the tables and bars both. There are two bars. The entry area bar is limited (ie no craft cocktails but they have their own thing going on so be open to it). Naturally raw oysters are there to be had. Save room for the creative menu awaiting in the dining room. It bears noting the rolls brought to the table are an item that should be sold as a side order. Semi dense yeast rolls with a sprinkle of crunchy flake salt on top. Heck I'd like some with today's afternoon tea. Do you do take out orders, Optimist? My kryptonite, fried oysters, are on the menu. Unfortunately for the other starter items the oysters put temporary food blinders on me so you don't stand a chance. Smoked fish chowder came to the table too. The oysters were cormealy crunchy, not greasy but also not seasoned. I found myself looking for salt more than once even though I knew it wouldn't be on the table. The soup however had a wonderful delicate distinct flavor. A light chowder that is perfectly satisfying. Dinner entrees selected were striped bass with a fantastically citrusy lime broth. Herbacious and fresh is the best way to describe it. Duck fat poached swordfish caught my eye. A rather ballsy thing to do but hey why not poach your fish in duckfat? It need not be relegated to roasting potatoes only. (My jar of duck fat in the fridge needs to step its workload up now). My history of swordfish eating is not a pleasant one. It's ALWAYS been dry, flavorless and honestly just forgettable and certainly not worth the mercury intake. This dish was as if an imposter fish was in place of what I knew swordfish to be. A 2" thick piece of lush moist flesh that was cooked to a perfection I have not experienced before (nor expect I will again). Not even a whisper of gaminess that sometimes comes when duck fat joins to the party. I was impressed. I saw my beloved vegetable, beets, on the side menu and instantly ordered them along with the hushpuppies - beignet style!? what? sugar cane butter on the side too ? Oh heck yes. This is fantastically naughty. It hits your sweet salty addiction perfectly. The beets were small, cooked nicely and served chilled. I find chilled beets the best at showing off the sweetness while keeping the earthiness to a minimum. Another win for my tastebuds. Perfect service. Not too much, not to little. Just right. There is no mystery why the Optimist is so popular. Definitely returning, though I may bring a pinch of salt with me next time to better enjoy my oysters.
(4)Lilie T.
The atmosphere is great. It is a great place to take a date. I had the scallops and it was good. I enjoy my time there with my friends. I really like the mussels, the season is just right. The clams wasn't my favorite, it was a bit salty. The octopus was very chewy, I didn't enjoy that too much.
(4)Liz K.
Finally got to try this place out after reading and hearing rave reviews! Was exceptionally pleased with the food and service at The Optimist. All the restaurants over in the West Midtown neighborhood seem to have similar ambiance/style. This place was no different. Typical Southern-like restaurant that looks as if it was once an old house. Service as impeccable. Very laid back yet attentive people all around. I brought a friend from LA here for the first time, and we both had high expectations. Ordered everything from the starters/apps portion of the menu of course. We had the oysters from the East and West coast, clams, scallops, and some sort of fried rice. Everything was deliiiiiish!! Fried rice was lil' oily but it was something new since it was tossed with peanuts and lime juice. Was so stuffed I couldn't bear to down anything sweet by the end of my meal. Yum-o experience overall. Will definitely be back for some more! Very happy to hear Esquire named this place the nation's BEST new restaurant.
(5)E L.
My GOD. This is *IT*. This is, without question, the best restaurant I've been to in Atlanta so far (moved here about 9 months ago). I'll be real: I do wish they had more oyster variety. I think that is the only negative. Thank goodness for the wine list. Atlanta wine lists may be the worst thing about Atlanta--they usually put me to sleep (oh look, another big California Cab! Whoa--Malbec . . . gettin' fancy!). The Optimist (not so much at the bar, but in the restaurant) has an excellent and hip list worthy of cool and curious, not stuffy, fine dining. My cocktail-loving friend was equally thrilled. The whole pampano with shallots and peppers!!!!! You can't count on this because their menu (appropriately) changes all the time. Their appetizers are offered more consistently. They push the shrimp a la plancha (indeed delicious), but the octopus, sea-crab soup, and kale salad edge it out. Atmosphere -- perfect. It's like Walter's in Brooklyn only HUGE. If you don't know Walter's, The Optimist is gorgeous white tile. Love it. When you walk in the door, it's pretty nautical. Then, suddenly, it's not really anymore. It's gorgeous. Service was also perfect both times I went. This place made me happy to be in Atlanta.
(5)Andrew D.
The Optimist is attractive and energetic and conceptually pleasing. There were three of us and each ordered one of the beautifully described fish dishes including the monkfish, the yellow fin tuna and the swordfish cooked in duck fat. We also tried some mussels and oysters and finished with a very enjoyable frozen chocolate dessert. However, considering the prices, the portions were relatively meager and lacking any accompaniments...which were available for another $6-8 each. We had a round of drinks at the bar and one additional round at the table. I can't really complain strenuously about anything nor, however, can I say I was blown away. I don't mind spending for food and a unique dining experience but for over $250 I think a better fish experience can be had at Goin' Coastal in the Highlands for half the price.
(3)Jon A.
First, I have to say how excited I am to be moving into this part of town. I'm glad that the restaurant scene in West Midtown continues to thrive. We decided to check out Ford Fry's new spot on Saturday evening. So glad that we did! The bar area and restaurant are very well done - the atmosphere is just the right vibe. We were quickly seated, the hostess briefly explained the menu, and we were off with our waitress. We had a round of cocktails/beer - I had the Old Salty Dog, a delicious combination of vodka, grapefruit juice, grape fruit bitters and a nice salt. Very refreshing summer cocktail! My other dining companions tried two other cocktails and an Aligash White, apparently the summer beer of choice. Everyone was satisfied...next onto the yeasty, warm, and salty dinner rolls. Holy crap...so delicious! APPETIZERS * East Coast Oysters * West Coast Oysters * Garlicky Tiny Clams and Pork Belly The oysters were fresh, briny, and delicious. They came with fresh shredded horseradish, a tangy mignonette, house made cocktail sauce and hot sauce. All fantastic accompaniments for the oysters. The clams and pork belly were a revelation. If the clams and pork belly were to get into a fight with the Angry Mussels from JCT Kitchen, the clams and pork belly have a bivalve up on the competition. We ordered more of those delicious yeasty rolls to sop up the broth. If you go, you must try these... MAIN COURSES * alaskan halibut, wood grilled hen of the wood, red wine fish bordelaise * wood roasted soft shell crab, pickled ramps, garlic broth * seared rare tuna, charred octopus & potato salad, harissa * fish & chips, ale battered haddock, malt vinegar aioli I tasted three of the above (minus the soft shell crab) and can honestly say I would order any of these again as an entree. They were each well-balanced, reasonable portion, and extremely well-executed. SIDE DISHES * corn milk hushpuppies, "beignet style," cane syrup butter - fun play on the traditional hushpuppy; the cane syrup butter made them incredible! * lobster butter gnocchi - heavenly! melt in your mouth heavenly clouds of deliciousness. DESSERTS * ice box pie (changes regularly - we had lemon Saturday night) - very light, layers of lemon meringue with lemon curd and a spongy cake; would order this again! * hot fudge sundae with grilled pound cake - yum; hot fudge, spicy peanuts...such a great dessert and nice play on salty/sweet. All-in-all, I have to say that Ford Fry has the hit mark with The Optimist. He was expediting on Saturday evening ensuring his first week went off without a hitch. I look forward to dining here again very soon!
(5)Edward B.
As far as I am concerned, it doesn't get any better than this. Everything I love about eating out is true of this place. The food is magnificent, they serve premium liquors, the bathrooms are spotless and stylish, the service is marvelous. The valet people know what to do. There is not question that it is pricey but one gets what one pays for.
(5)kim p.
"Tonight we had dinner at the highly acclaimed #Optimist. We sat at the Oyster Bar and the FABULOUS bartender and our personal guide for the night was Michael. We literally tried every oyster on the menu and more than half of the spectacular light- tapas-like menu. I am a HUGE critic of seafood in Atlanta and I am pleased to say the critics are right on. This is the best seafood I have experienced by far in Atlanta. Hell, the best I have tasted in many years, and I am a Floridian. Sincere appreciation to the Optimist for being so damn good at what they do and to Michael for helping to make my birthday night so spectacular!
(5)Tiila N.
One of the new must eat restaurant of 2012. I arrived before my friend so the hostess direct me to the bar/oyster area where I could get a pre dinner drink. I was very surprised at the fact that it does not smell like a seafood restaurant(bonus point for that). The waitress recommend Los Feliz Cafe(if you like citrus, then you would love this drink), it was so good I end up having a total of 3 by the end of dinner. We were directed to the main dinning room immediately at the arrival of my friend. This is what we ordered: Gem salad-anchovies caesar dressing, grill garlic, hand pulled croutons. What a great way to start a meal but be careful it's addicting. Corn hushpuppy- come with butter dipping sauce. I can eat this all day, everyday. Mushrooms- with shallot confit. I ordered this as a side dish to go with my main scallop and it was just the perfect addition. If you like mushroom then you would love this. Scallop- oxtail marmalade, brown butter-chicken jus. This dish is so flavorful thank to the butter chicken jus, the jus was so good my friend use it as a dip for his seared tuna. Tuna- seared yellow fin tuna, charred octopus, crispy potato salad, harissa. This dish was bland, nothing interesting or memorable. So 90% of what we ordered was delicious. The service was excellent and so was the food. I will definitely come back! Enjoy :)
(5)Julee D.
One of my favorite spots in Atlanta. Great seafood and wine offerings in a very cool space on the Westside. Enjoyed the east coast oysters and seared tuna with charred octopus. There were so many items that looked great (including interesting side dishes). Can't wait to go again! Highly recommend a reservation ahead of time on Fridays and Saturdays. Bar/patio areas are really cool to hang out and grab drinks. You can even play some putt putt on the patio.
(5)Krista H.
Went there last night for dinner after friends giving it rave reviews. Our waiter, Daniel, was awesome and highly recommend requesting him. The oysters are the best in Atlanta. Hands down!!! Unfortunately our charred ctopus appetizer was more than charred in spots and could have been better. My husband wanted to lick the plate of Georges bank Scallops. They were outstanding. My mingling was ok but the broth delicious. Side of bok choy was some of the best we have ever had. So despite the few things that could have been better we recommend the Optimist! Get the oysters, scallops and bok choy. You won't be disappointed! Bon Appetit!
(4)Hazel J.
Met the owner who shared our love of burgers, and told us to try his opti butter burger: Opti butter burger: definitely a good burger. not the best i have ever had, but it was very good. very rich, very moist. I would consider it a "gourmet" burger vs a traditional burger love the atmosphere - very business-lunch and have a cocktail
(4)Mark J.
The braised lamb shank with polenta and feta was outstanding! Also highly recommend getting oysters, we split half-and-half East Coast and West Coast oysters. And also highly recommend the hush puppies. I wish you could get the lobster roll in the main dining room at dinner but you have to sit at the oyster bar or go there for lunch. All around attention to detail.
(5)Al N.
I try not to write a review after just one visit, but seeing as the missus and I don't get to eat fancy like this too often, here we are. Service: The valet-only parking is plentiful and quick. No charge, just tips. Unless you're evil. We had a reservation and were seated quickly. Our waiter was friendly, informative, and attentive. I was curious as to how the roasted octopus appetizer was cooked to be tender yet flavorful, and he was able to tell me how it was cooked and what ingredients were used. Food came out quickly, and each person who brought stuff was upbeat and friendly without being cloying. Food: Overall, it was excellent. I lived in New England for 20 years, so I'm a bit of a d**k about fresh seafood. Everything at The Optimist was fresh and top quality. For appetizers, we had the roasted octopus and the fried oysters. The octopus was one large tentacle and the kimchee spices were very good. I usually like my oysters cold and snotty, but when baby wants fried, baby gets fried. Also excellent. Portions were good for the price. Entrees were the duck fat poached swordfish and the crispy fried whole black bass. The flavor of the swordfish was very good, with the right balance of duck and fish. The fish was a bit dry, though, defeating the reason people order swordfish. The bass was awesome. The sweet soy ginger coating is a subtler yet more complex version of what you'd get in an upscale Chinese place. I picked that monster apart until there was nothing left but a skeleton (tips: Eat everything on the head that ain't bones, and eat as much of the fins as you can), and I barely had to deal with any little bones. Dessert was the crème fraishe ice cream for me and the chocolate cake with a coma-inducing pool of caramel. Everything was great, but the flourless cake was, as the youngsters say, "off that hook" it's like someone took a two foot high cylinder of the best chocolate mousse and squashed it down to an inch and a half. Ambiance: The high arched brick ceiling absorbs a lot of sound, so conversation is possible. The room has a great vibe and reminded me of a dockside fish market like I've seen in Maine. Dress is casual, and the crowd was diverse. The Optimist is not the kind of place where a palooka like me feels out of place.
(4)Amber A.
$195 dollars later, I left hungry....and sticker shocked. We got a few drinks, dozen oysters and each a fish entree. I got the Ahi Tuna and it was delicious and I highly recomend it. The oysters were not the best I have had (especially at the price). My fiance got the Monkfish and it was delicious but small portion. Actually both meals were small portions, which we usually welcome but we had been holding out all day for our meal. Noise level pretty high and with it being so trendy you are sitting pretty close to the table next to you. Atmosphere was great and wine selection was great. Service was par to sub-par. The wait staff was not friendly and a little too rushed for the cost. Would I got back......maybe.....but would really watch the cost!
(3)Katie W.
I ate here last night and it was so good. It is a little hard to find the first time and my GPS totally messed up on showing me the *exact* location but it was fine in the end. The space is gorgeous. It is so lovely inside that I could live here. The main dining room and bar are bright and open and shiny, and the oyster bar is very upscale beachy. I liked both a lot. Their signature cocktails list features a few rum drinks - yay! I think this only makes sense at a seafood restaurant. I chose to partake of both rummy concoctions offered - the Beach Shanty (Allagash White, Brinley's Shipwreck spiced rum, ginger liqueur, lemon) and the Port Antonio Cocktail (Flor de Cana 7 Year Rum, Gosling's Black Seal Rum, cinnamon, Kahlua, falernum, adorable crushed ice, umbrella). Both were excellent but the Port Antonio rocked my knees off. I did not have any oysters but I did have the mussels in a curry broth and I tried the garlicky clams. The garlicky clams were good and also featured delicious fried pork belly but I really liked my mussels. I would get them again. My entree was the soft-shelled clam, which was wood-fired. It was very flavorful and I liked that it wasn't fried. The sides we tried were the mushrooms (four varieties of them) and the beets. They were great. For dessert, I had the doughnuts and tried the grapefruit tart. Both were good but in the future I might skip dessert and just have another cocktail. I still think I could live here and I look forward to returning and hanging out at the bar.
(5)Christina J.
The seafood gumbo is chock full of a variety of saltwater critters. The bacon potato salad gives a nice touch to the traditionally seafood heavy dish. There's a bit of a kick to it and my nose was running a bit after finishing my bowl, so those who have a heat aversion may want to stay away from the dish. Everyone loves the lobster roll. I love the lobster roll. It's delicious, sweet, and you can tell they let the lobster shine by barely adding anything else to it. But it's small. Real small. 6 bites and you're done small. Sub the fries it comes with for the basmati fried rice ($2 upcharge but best side they have). I could eat two of those sides alone as my meal. I also had the frozen shortcake bar for dessert. It was delicious. Strawberries and cream icecream covered in vanilla pound cake crumbles. Sounds fancy but it's served on a stick and covered in a plastic wrap, which provides for that childhood nostalgia of the icecream man driving by on a hot summer day. Well done Optimist.
(4)Philip G.
Just had a great meal with two appetizers and a side, not to mention glasses of two good rums. I had the octopus con chorizo y pepe, the gambas à la plancha (with sopping bread), and the bok choy with ginger and pickled peppers. Then a light blueberry with lemongrass sorbet. Went back for a second round a week later. Still just as good with pleasant service from the bar staff (as a single diner visiting from out of town, this is essential). Although they had run out of the blueberry sorbet to my greater sorrow.
(5)Carlos O.
Quite nice... Great atmosphere and patio seems like it would be the jam during spring/summer... Good oyster selection and food is somewhat spicy... Not too shabby
(4)Dana G.
I was so excited to go to the Optimist for our anniversary dinner. Reviews online and with friends were spectacular...so I'm not sure why my food experience was so-so. We ordered several apps and one entrée (the whole bass). Bread was warm and salty...very good. The gumbo was so-so, good, but nothing special. Soft-shell crab... although this was my first time ordering this, I still felt the shells which I didn't like. The La Plancha was tasty, but I thought it could use more salt and I really didn't need to see the head of the shrimp. Its was messy enough and to add a prawn to the mix was an extra mess I didn't need at my small table for two. I asked for the whole Bass to be fileted and our waitress said okay, but when it arrived it was a whole fish nicely presented. They fileted at the table no problem, but still I rather just eat my food, than spend time cutting it and wiping my hands with warm towels that were provided. Dessert was yummy- peanut butter cookies and coconut ice cream where really good and was the only thing I took home. Overall, good presentation, nice contemporary atmosphere (my chair could have been more comfortable though), but the food was just okay.
(2)Sara R.
2nd time around - what a diff! Client dinner and it was great from start to finish. So happy I tried this out again. Seated immediately, nice. I think we had a new server as she stumbled over her presentation and the answers to our questions (how prepared, etc). Heirloom toms a must have. Halibut was cooked perfectly and one of the best I've had in some time. It was served over yummy grilled baby okra. Peas & corn side was ok. My friend had red fish which she said was very good. Her side of carrots was not so great. No dessert.
(4)Dalan C.
Was out here on business and looking for a seafood place and I hit the jackpot at The Optimist. Very cool trendy decor with an awesome bar as well as an oyster bar. 3 star for the service. We sat at the bar, and for some reason I kept getting ignored even after waving at the bar tender. Also, when I asked what the LOCAL PEACH TARTE TATIN was, the guy didn't know, he just said it's a really good peach dessert. The food gets 5 stars. I had: charred spanish octopus, spiced greek yogurt, dill pickled carrots & cucumbers - this was the best dish of the night and a must have. Not a chewy like you would think and has a great char taste. fish & chips, beer battered haddock, malt vinegar aioli - good fish and chips, but I'd probably get something else next time LOCAL PEACH TARTE TATIN, buttermilk ice cream, hazelnut - so it is a wonderful dessert with a cooked peach over an upside down tart, topped with hazelnut ice cream.
(4)Emily T.
This is my favorite restaurant in Atlanta. I live in LA which has a great food scene, but this def rivals it. Oysters, service and atmosphere. Go!!
(5)Tim S.
If your black, stay back...After sitting at the bar for 20 minutes without be recognized I decided to move directly in front of the bar and still wasn't waited on until the other 2 W patrons who had just set down were finished being severed. I had a few words with the bartender, nothing outrageous, I just informed him of the situation at hand. He obliged by not charging me for my wine, which again, wasn't as full as the W patrons. Any-who, I was there to check out the Oysters. I'm not a big Oyster guy, but when I was in Boston last week I was at a place called the Island Creek Oyster bar on Commonwealth Ave, again, I'm not a big Oyster guy, but Island Creek had the BEST Oysters I ever tasted in my LIFE. The Oysters at Optimist was like going to Walmart for Oysters. Very small, no juice, grainy, and AGAIN very small!!!!! I love seafood, so my quest is that you need to go coastal for quality. Bad experience, all the way around....
(1)Jacob W.
The oysters are pricy but really good.
(4)Julie S.
Very cool atmosphere especially for lunch. Everything we had was delicious but I was especially blown away by the hush puppies and the white fish chowder. I got the lobster roll for my main course and I loved it. It was not very large, about the size of a hot dog roll but I didn't mind because I had already filled up on appetizers and my soup. The service was also amazing. I definitely want to return soon!
(5)Chloe B.
Great, fresh seafood. Pricey but you get what you pay for. It was very crowded when we went, so just be aware that this isn't a quiet, romantic spot.
(5)Hambri Enta M.
After enjoying dinner with my first date contestant, we walked across to get a second round of drinks. I had something sweet and berry tasting that was finished with a basil leaf. We ordered some oysters, which were absolutely amazing and fresh! The female barkeep and the male behind the bar, possibly a manager, were both personable and engaging. This place is HUGE! and has a real nice side porch which is uncovered and will be great for just shooting the shit drinks in hand. Looking forward to having a meal here in the very future
(4)Brad S.
Oysters were fantastic and the lobstah roll made me feel like I was sitting at a table in Boston overlooking the Charles River..
(5)Juan M.
Loved the ambiance, the vibe, the service, and specially the food. I tried the fried oysters and loved them. Probably the best ones I have ever had. I also tried and loved the seafood gumbo, the bluefin tuna, and the brioche bread that they serve along with the food. The waiter recommended the fried calamari and tried it as well, but it was disappointing. It probably does not have anything to do with the idea of fried calamari in your head. I had the salted caramel ice cream and loved it. Also tried the beignets and did not like them. The dough is too thick and doughy. Overall, great dining experience.
(4)William P.
I got the octopus as a main entry and it was d e l i c i o u s. A little long time to wait for our table, but it was worth it. Definitely a 5-star restaurant.
(5)Lynn E.
Run don't walk. Delish. This new seafood restaurant is a welcome addition to the ATL dining scene and a breath of fresh air. The space is open, high ceilings, lots of big windows - the night we were there the weather is ideal and the front of the house of open - you could 'almost' imagine your were in San Diego. The set up is a nice change of pace in a city where we are both land-locked but often cooped-up. The is bar area with outdoor seating, a separate menu (tapas style seafood offerings) and a raw bar with a variety of oysters. The dining room includes another bar (you can opt to have dinner there or drinks) and space for large parties. It was ladies-foodie night out so we opted to order individual entrees, several sides and a couple of desserts: florida grouper, smoked vidalia onion, horseradish broth - this was divine and understated. It's a light yet filling dish. I needed/wanted a roll to soop up the delicious broth. wood roasted soft shell crab, pickled ramps, garlic broth - another winner. perfectly cooked and adorned with young spring onions. alaskan halibut, wood grilled hen of the wood, red wine fish bordelaise - nicely prepared halibut - the mushrooms were outstanding - so good we thought about asking if we could order a side of the 'shrooms. seared rare tuna, charred octopus & potato salad, harissa - another perfectly prepared fish. kudos to the kitchen for a harissa with layers of flavors; you could taste the roasted red peppers and then the subtle heat from the spicy peppers. Yum. shoestring fries, malt vinegar aioli - we inhaled this side. The aioli is beautifully prepared - I wanted to slather it on everything but restrained myself. my only suggestion is to convert the fries from shoestring to something easier to eat. sliced local tomatoes, louie dressing - again fresh, fresh, fresh. lovely fresh tomatoes sitting on top of housemade louie dressing (the added drizzle of EVOO is n't needed). chilled wood roasted beets, smoked egg, horseradish, apple - a yummy presentation of young beets in different colors with tiny minced apples and a delicious vinaigrette. GRAPEFRUIT TART -- candied honeysuckle, venezuelan white chocolate - i had read about this dessert and could imagine what it might taste like - ORDER IT - it's a lightly sweet tart with a hint of citrus tang. A lovely taste to end a delicious meal. Sundae: grilled pound cake with caramel, ice cream and hot fudge. Pound cake needs to be grilled - my new mantra!!! Fun dessert to share with friends. Can't wait to return. Thank you Chef Fry.
(4)Terry F.
A very unique and fun restaurant near my old stomping grounds in the Collier Road/Howell Mill area above Georgia Tech. Just don't go here when it is packed. The noise level would be very high due to no sound dampening built into this old refurbished shop/warehouse/gym. We started with a rum cocktail (with Goslings), a nice glass of house red wine (Picpoul) and six James oysters. The oysters were fresh, fantastic tasting and served properly with homemade crackers, horseradish and cocktail sauce. The standouts on the rest of the menu were the gumbo and the melon salad. The tuna and the mushrooms were also good, but a bit chewy. Not too bad for two people--we paid around $100 total.
(4)Gale E.
OK, fourth time I've been to The Optimist. Although I generally like the food and atmosphere, now it's time to break from the crowd and register some negatives of my experience on May 11, in order of importance: - Beware of the middle tables in the main dining room. The air vents blow directly, and strongly on them - to the point I had to put my glass on my menu to keep it from blowing away. One member of our party had to step outside to warm up. This really detracted from our dining experience. - The charred octopus - I have had it all 4 visits and normally love it. But this time it was prepared with too much spice and seemed a bit overcooked. Frankly like the octopus at Baraonda more than this version. - Not sure why they think they need piped-in loud music to complement the dining experience. It does not enhance the experience. - Frankly, the servers and bartenders at Lure are more professional and personable. So The Optimist is certainly good, and the location is very hip. Love the inventive drinks, although you can get just as good if not better at Lure. But I think I will move on to other restaurants for a while.
(3)Toni W.
I have only eaten at the Oyster Bar and I am a fan!! As a lover of seafood, they did not disappoint. We came shortly after they opened the Oyster Bar for the afternoon so it was quiet and intimate. The food was great- I cant pick out a fave but tried some east coast oysters (the mignonette was so good), huge peel and eat shrimp, salt n vinegar chips, lobster knuckles and snow crab, charred octopus and butter yeast rolls. I drool as I type this. Just the thought of the food makes me want some right now. The cocktails were also yummy and reasonably priced. I really liked the overall atmosphere and space. The small putt putt area out front is a fun plus. Made friends with the table next to us and went out to putt around some golf balls (if you have kids this would be a good way to keep them entertained if you are waiting for a table). Our server was delightful as well. She was friendly, helpful, accommodating and made sure we didnt have empty glasses. I definitely recommend The Optimist and can't wait to go back for more.
(5)Hieu H.
Another great addition to the Westside! A little pricey for my taste...don't go here expecting fish tacos! really spacious with the industrial aesthetic that's characteristic of most Westside eateries: exposed beams, minimalistic decor, and spare Come here for some serious seafood, served with a refined palette. standouts include: duck fat poached swordfish with crispy pancetta and for side, the basmati "fried rice" made with curry and smoked fish. loved the corn milk hushpuppies - almost like a dessert!
(4)Latoya W.
I loved this place. My good friend took me here for my birthday and everything was yummy from the peel and eat shrimp to the down to the blackened grouper. Yummy! I will definitely be returning. My only negative point is I found the bartenders to be very standoffish and kind of snooty. For what I don't know, but whatever. I actually find it hilariuos. If the lion share of your income is based on tips, I would think you would actually want to provide customer service. Go figure.
(4)Anita K.
Great ambiance and delicious food!
(5)Christopher P.
Cool building + pricey oysters + charred octopus = No Reservations! Called on a Monday to see if they had any availability for Saturday night... negative ghost rider. This can only mean they are ballin out of control. Wifey and I made an executive decision to just go and see if we can grab some seats last minute... another negative ghost rider. Hostess said we can wait for some seats at the bar (there are two - one with a snack menu and one that had a full menu... heads up). We lucked out and found two seats at the bar. Not sure why I felt to write all this shit out but I guess I'm trying to tell you to put in work and get some reservations... DO... get the charred octopus (perhaps one of the best dishes in Atlanta). It has a nice char, very tender and comes on a bed of chorizo and calabria peppers.... totes noms!!! DON'T... get the oysters. They were expensive and did not have much taste to them. Nothing like a good kumamoto. DO... get the beignets. DO... get the scallop crudo. Ball out...
(4)Billy H.
I'm not even a big Seafood fan but the Optimist has become one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta. Chef Ford Fry and designer Smith Hanes did a spectacular job of creating a gorgeous space that is fancy enough for a romantic dinner yet comfortable enough for a laid back night with friends. The Oyster Bar is much more casual. My wife loved the oysters and all the other dishes she had. It's her favorite restaurant in the city. I loved the drinks and fish & chips. The service was perfect. The only negative to The Optomist is that it's expensive. However, it's worth it and I recommend it to all my friends.
(5)Adrian S.
I had a great experience at THE OPTIMIST from the time I entered until the time I walked out. The outside patio waiting area was great, there was a local guitarist that was playing all the favorites. Our drinks were great, the outside atmosphere was nice and relaxing. I ordered the Swordfish specialty dish which was recommended by our waiter. This was my first time tasting swordfish and it was great! There wasn't anything I would change about it. I enjoyed every bite. I would definitely make another reservation at THE OPTIMIST!
(4)paul k.
Outstanding.
(5)Jeremy S.
Good food and service. Not amazing but well worth the visit. Not a destination in my opinion.
(4)Chris B.
Shrimp toast. She crab. Clam roll. Mixed drink. Rinse/repeat. Love this place. They need to bring back the Oxtail jam though!!!
(5)LaTrese F.
Had dinner with a group of friends at The Optimist and LOVED every minute of it. We started at the Oyster Bar. I don't do oysters but the drinks were tasty and my friends loved the Oysters. Dinner was awesome, love that every time we go we are able to experience something different as they change the menu daily. The service was great, atmosphere awesome. I highly recommend.
(4)Eric K.
Putting green, great bar and signature drinks, coozies for your beer and she crab soup? I'm in. It was odd to see live entertainment, on the Friday - I just wasn't expecting a guy singing cover tunes outside. He sounded like he was plucked from the old Buckhead saloon....yeah, I'm that old. Anyway, not bad and It worked with the open outdoor space. I could have done without the kids on the putting green, but I know that's hard to get around. Food - Scallops and she crab soup to start - The little shrimp stick thingy that accompanied the soup was the highlight of the meal - I'll take a dozen to go next time. Both apps were tasty. It could been the bottle of wine, or the martinis or a combination, but I thought I ordered blackened grouper, but I go black grouper...so I was a little surprised - not the restaurants fault by any means. It was prepped well and tasted pretty good. The swordfish reminded me of hallie berry......wait, never mind. It was well prepared and I think it was topped with crem freshe (sp?)..mmmmmmm . For sides - the caramelized onions were top notch and the horseradish sugar snap peas were good, not great. Desert = Coconut custard. enough said. The place is proud of what it does - and it should be. It is as billed - a swanky little west side eatery that didn't disappoint. This aint the buckhead fish market (thank god) and its now on the rotation.
(4)Msa A.
I have been to the Oyster Bar several times but this was our first time eating in the dining room. We celebrated my daughter's birthday on 4/19/14. It took about 25 mins to get seated. But we closed the place down so I can understand why people weren't ready to leave. Our service was great. Prompt but not hovering. We ordered two bottles of wine, apps, oysters, entrees, sides, and ice cream. It's pricey. You have to order the sides separately but they were enough to share, kind of. They were sold out of several items we had our eyes on. But everything was good though on the salty side. The décor was beautiful. All in all we had a fab time! We'll be back.
(4)David N.
Man was that swordfish killer. Really great service. Loved the atmosphere. The bread they bring first is super good. Had the the hushpuppies as well, best part. So good. Gorgeous big room. Really fresh food. Very pleased. Great date night place.
(5)Frank B.
I heard how great this place was and how they pride themselves on customer service. While I will agree on the fact that the oysters were excellent I would say the price and the way we were treated made them less than desirable. I could not get a reservation but I called two times and was told don't worry we treat everyone as if they are important and the longest you will wait is 30-45 minutes. When I showed up I was told 2+hours but I could sit outside with a limited menu. Figuring that would still be okay I sat down and after looking at the menu and price I was disappointed. Regardless we ordered food and found that the service and the treatment were less than desirable, the two words that come to mind are RUDE and slow. Not sure I will go back just based on the way I was treated.
(1)Paul S.
Things are looking up in Atlanta! A resounding 5 star seafood restaurant has finally made it's way to Atlanta. Thank you Ford Fry for finding a voice and changing the face of this city. I'll be happy to return anytime to sip on a strong drink, throw back a delicious oyster from the oyster bar, or just enjoy a fantastic meal prepared with care. This place is gorgeous! Seriously. Take a second just to gaze at the attention to detail that went into everything in this space. The food is spectacular and service spot-on. I can't focus on one entrée, appetizer or side item that I've loved more than the rest fortunately (unfortunately for this review). Every plate is beautiful, but doesn't have that manufactured look to it. We've been three times now, and already excited about our next visit. If you're a fan of JCT, which I'm sure you are, you should check out The Optimist.
(5)Annie R.
I've been here 5 times. The food is always incredible and hits the just.right. spot. I've always been less than wowed by service. The service never quite matched the perfection of the food... (not that the service was bad, just not as incredible as the food is and the two should match--- at least) This past Saturday my party had the pleasure of being seated in Jonathan's session. His service matched, if not exceeded the perfection of the food. He takes service to another level. Personable, but not inappropriate. Attentive, seriously attentive, but not overbearing, deeply knowledgeable about the food and drink menu. Good Vibes. If you make it to The Optimist make sure to have the messy shrimp (that's my name for it), the kale salad (mmmm), any whole fish on the menu, of course oysters, and ask to sit at one of Jonathan's tables- he'll take extra good care of you! minus one star for the 15 minute valet wait outside. Instead of just two valets, they might need 3 or 4 on the really busyweekends.
(4)Rachel M.
Ford Fry's establishments are certainly impressive- unless St Cecilia blows me away in the coming weeks, ( it very well may!) , this will remain my favorite among his outposts. The servers here are FRIENDLY- something that can really make or break a restaurant. I've been here many times, and always had a phenomenal experience with the servers and bartenders- A + , Optimist staff!!! The selection of Oysters is fantastic- they're always super fresh, and the servers are quite knowledgeable about the different varieties. I tend to be a teensy bit picky about my oysters, too( read: very particular), so that's saying something. The seafood gumbo is perfect- flavorful, a bit of spice, exactly how you want your gumbo. The fish chowder is also wonderful- creamy, smokey from the fish, but not gluey at all ( chowder isn't supposed to be goopey and gelatinous- cheap chowders have improperly skewed people's expectations !!!) I'd skip the She crab soup- it's just not my favorite version. The salted buttery roll thingys are divine- and dangerous! The Charred Octopus is freaking phenomenal- I've had it prepared the " Bar" and " Dining room" ways- and both are equally as delicious! The octopus is tender and smokey. I've actually ordered two of these. The green curry mussels are divine- tons of flavor. For entrees, the whole fish with garlicky sauce is so, so good- I actually haven't seen anything like this entree in Atlanta. The sauce is sweet and savory- and the fish moist. Love the halibut with sea salt- so simple, but so, so well done- the fish is perfectly cooked and it's own flavor really shines. I could go on and on- cocktails here are wonderful as well, but just get there- you'll love it!!
(5)Harper C.
Amazing ... atmosphere, location, food and service. This is was the perfect place to choose for a weekday work dinner yet it will also be a weekend spot for me in the future. The menu was spectacular as was the service with the server bringing a lot of knowledge to help us make some decisions. No one at our table was displeased which is not an easy feat! Items ordered were diverse from chicken to steak to seafood, plus salads and some starters. All came in perfect timing and were absolutely delicious. Personally, I had the argula and duck salad to start with the swordfish as my main dish. The swordfish melted in my mouth. One of the sides we ordered to share at the table were fingerling potatoes. I could have eaten ALL of these myself. The cocktails were also yummy. Fortunately our server was able to work a deal so we could have one of the punches with dinner. Typically they only serve the punches at the bar (recommend you go to the bar just for the punch). Dessert was the finishing delight and the perfect way to end the meal. The price wasn't to bad either.
(5)Rayandra S.
I had been wanting to try this place for some time based on the buzz it had generated. Perhaps my expectations were too high. It was packed, which is usually an auspicious sign for what is to come. We arrived at 9:40 for a 9:45 reservation but were not seated until at least 30 minutes later. My friend had a question about a dish and it took our waiter close to 25 minutes to find the answer from the kitchen. Our waiter was very nice, but other servers who brought our good were downright surly. I ordered the octopus salad, which was a tiny piece of charred/tough octopus. I think it could have been a good dish, but the octopus was overcooked, which ruined it. It dampened my enthusiasm for the rest of the menu. My friend is vegetarian, so we ordered some vegetable appetizers, which were hit or miss, but the hush puppies were good, with powdered sugar and a honey-based dip. The bananas foster on a stick for dessert was quite tasty. I would come back here at some point for the bar scene and to people watch, or perhaps with a date. However, the food and most of the service would not compel me to rush back right away. Perhaps my rating would have improved if I was able to get a seating early enough to take advantage of better prepared food and a less stressed wait staff. Right now, I'm failing to see what the hype is about.
(3)Preeti M.
I've only been here twice and both were during the week for dinner. Has been amazing both times! Other than their 5:45 pm reservations (which is way too early for me), the food, service and experience has been incredible. If you are a seafood lover, this is your spot. Don't forget to grab a "key" by the bathroom for a fun momento!
(4)Mallory Z.
We ordered the French Kiss oyster which is definitely fabulous. The lobster roll and the grilled octopus are the best in town I'd say. The scallop is not as tender as those scallop sashimi you get at a sushi place... Hmmm and the halibut is Okay. :)
(4)Anna D.
I was with a group of 8 at Optimist the other night, and from the reviews I read, I was expecting something a little more impressive. The decor is very cool. It tries to achieve a New England shore house feel, and it mostly hits the mark. There is a bar in the middle of the dining area that is quite a focal point as well. The wine list at the bar was limited, but I enjoyed the pinot noir I ordered, and the wine list in the main dining room (by the glass) is also much more extensive than the one at the bar by the entrance. The food was interesting - at the waitress's suggestion, I ordered the octopus as an appetizer and it was awesome. The rolls they bring out are so saturated with butter that it tastes like butter leaks out as you bite into them, My main course of flounder was also perfectly cooked. I ordered a side of sauteed mushrooms, which were more exotic mushrooms than the ordinary white button mushrooms. However, the meal really lives or dies on the strength of the fish - this is not a place that adds sauces, vegetables, or sides to complement or tone down the fish. While I love seafood, I do tend to prefer some counterpoints to the seafood at the same time. I would probably order more side dishes next time to create my own meal. Lastly, just a minor pet peeve that you are forced to valet (which was free, but there's still the tip) even though the restaurant has its own easily accessible parking lot that you have to drive through to get to the valet station. I came on a Sunday so maybe this is a necessity on more busy nights.
(3)Michelle M.
Excellent food, excellent ambiance, excellent service. The big, open space with high ceilings and lots of light make for an enjoyable experience, and the food is first rate. At the recommendation of our server, we ordered the charred Octopus and it was our favorite dish (we've had many). Scallops, shrimp a la plancha, hush puppies, oysters, lobster roll -- all outstanding.
(5)heather d.
Love this place. The food is amazing and the staff is so attentive! The hush puppies are mind blowing.
(5)Laura T.
Been wanting to try this place for a while now based on reviews from friends. Had lunch here today & was a little mixed in my opinion. The shrimp loaf (po-boy) was tasty. It had 4 or 5 lightly fried, decent-size shrimp on it. However, for the size of the roll, I would have expected a couple more shrimp on there. A lot of the roll just contained lettuce, tomato & sauce. The shoestring fries that came with it were lukewarm at best and a tad overcooked. I ate maybe 4-5 sticks & left the rest of the large mound. I was kinda surprised that the server didn't inquire as to why I left them all on the plate. I also had the she-crab soup. It was okay. Decent flavor, but the sherry was a little overpowering. And if there were any actual pieces of crab in the soup, they were miniscule. We did try the hushpuppies and they were very tasty. I'd order those again in a heartbeat. They were both savory & sweet due to the powdered sugar served on top. My coworkers were both very pleased with their entree selections. One had the lobster salad and the other had the blackened fish sandwich with a side of brussels sprouts. Our server was good. She kept our drinks filled and checked on us without being obtrusive about it. I will visit them again and will most likely opt for the blackened fish sandwich with a side other than the fries.
(3)Josh M.
We hit this place up at about 9:00 on a Friday night after a Yelp event. We walked from nearby and were really disappointed by the lack of a proper pedestrian entrance. We had to walk up the driveway, around a concrete wall and through the valet area just to get to a door that opens (you suburbanites get to bitch about parking, so I get to whine about pedestrian access). Not a great welcome, however as we found our way to the oyster bar our mood improved. We sat at the bar and were immediately impressed by the service. Our waiter was there off the bat and stuck around all night. We never wanted for a drink, menu, napkin, or utensil. Our order consisted of Georgia peel and eat shrimp, shoestring fries, grilled octopus and a Maine lobster roll. The shrimp and fries were out of this world. I don't know if I have ever had better cooked shrimp. The fries were millimeters thick and super-crispy (like freshly made French's potato sticks). Octopus dish was way too small and flavorless (I know how much a whole cephalopod costs and this was a rip-off). The lobster roll was okay. It is hard to impress a true New Englander with a lobster roll. I would recommend that they add a little bit of tail meat and adjust the price, as Maine lobster prices are at a near all-time low. They also had oysters for sale at $3.0-6.5 PER OYSTER! Having lived in NC where one can purchase an entire peck of oysters for $10.5, this did not compute for us. Granted, their selection included specimens from Washington, Nova Scotia and Maine, but would it kill them to have some southern selections at $0.5-1.0 per oyster? Overall, we were very impressed. The service was absolutely impeccable and the food far surpassed most wanna-be seafood joints in Atlanta. I just wish that properly cooked and prepared seafood in Atlanta was much more available and less costly.
(4)Neil P.
I certainly don't want to set expectations too high, but service at The Optimist (all three times I've been) has been outstanding, and the dining experience, on par with Woodfire Grill. The atmosphere is open and coastal, and there's a great outdoor space where you can even sit at a small table on the grass. While there have been kinks at times (server in training), I wasn't upset by the small inconvenience, as the more experienced server came in quickly to answer our question. The menu offers a great selection of local and in season options, both surf and turf. And the wide selection of side orders come in portions easily shared with dinner companions; each seem to pair well with most of the entrées. The oysters are the best I've had in Atlanta, rivaling The Octopus Bar. And wait... hot towels when I finished my peel-and-eat shrimp? What? Loved that. The deserts are light and inviting after diner. The first time I went (alone), I was really pleased when the server practically read my mind, offering a cup of coffee to finish off my experience. I'm definitely looking forward to going again.
(5)Megan R.
The octopus was the greatest thing I have ever had!! Only 14$ there was not 1 thing we didn't like.
(5)Jessica L.
Really a 3.5 I came here so excited to try the lobster roll. It was great. But so small!!! I wanted more. Also got the she crab soup and I couldn't even finish it because it was way too rich. The little piece of bread that accompanied the soup was really good though. I ordered a drink but I forget the name....tiki sunrise or something? I thought it would be watered down, but it definitely wasn't. What a huge plus!! Overall, this place is worth trying.
(4)Christina S.
The fabulous Ford Fry's new establishment will not fail you! This man is accomplished, to say the least. With the successes of other wonderful Atlanta eateries (JCT, No 246) under his belt, I was nothing but OPTIMISTIC when I was told we had gotten a reservation at Ford's new sustainable seafood place on my latest visit to Atlanta! Optimistic ... AND excited! So, let's (again) get the basics out of the way: THE ATMOSPHERE: Smith Hanes did a wonderful job with this project. The main dining area and bar are open and airy and bright, yet still cozy. For a moment you believe you're in the warehouse district, but then you feel like you're in your favorite local watering hole. And, I can only think of the words "upscale beach" to describe the Oyster Bar (Think: The Hamptons and Destin collide, gracefully). The scene is hip. It's a "true" hip, though - one that you know is here to stay. And with so many restaurants coming and going in Atlanta, that has to be a great feeling. And, stay, they want from you - When I sat down, I felt I was in for the long-(gastronomic) haul. It was comforting to know that they want you to come in, sit for a spell and "enjoy" your meal, instead of rushing your table out the door. And "enjoy" I did - BOY oh BOY did I ENJOY! Could it be that I was dining with some of my favorite folks, one of whom just happens to run the largest seafood distributor in the SE? I think not. I think that's just how they do it there - there was no special treatment for me (other than I got a first hand narrative of what was yummy on the menu that night). Ford wants you to feel comfortable and enjoy yourself (i.e., you can play putt putt out front) - simple as that. THE BAR: ohhh yesssss ... the bar. Where it all began. For starters, it's gorgeous - a towering wall of glass and bottles. And it's comfy for "a drink at the bar" kinda evening. It also serves up some crafty cocktails: The Truth as We Know it martini of pink gin and bitters, the Port Antonio, which is a couple different rums, Kahlua and cinnamon, The Old Salty Dog , which was my first choice of the night, and, as it always goes with this group, BUBBLES! They've also got some tasty craft beer behind the bar, and if that doesn't do it for ya, well, order yourself a Miller High Life! Now, for the good part ... THE FOOD: Where to start? Of course seafood was in my repertoire for the evening, whether I was eating from my own plate or from the plate of others at the table! We started with the oysters - In fact, we liked those so much we got a dozen ... then some more, and they were served with these homemade crackers to die for (I will settle for nothing less while eating oysters now - Guess I better let the folks down at AJs know before next my next beach trip). We had all three salads: Simple Salad with the shaved celery and herbs (my plate), a Little Gem Salad with the meyer lemon and anchovy dressing, and a spicy arugula salad with the peaches and Farmer's cheese - all were absolutely tasty and beautifully presented. Since the papa-bear didn't want a salad, he indulged in the Angels on Horseback, which are fried oysters with pork belly, and served with these amazing little "toast points" - a decadent griddled piece of bread (like grilled cheese without the cheese - they needed their own top billing on the menu, IMHO). One of the young ladies at the table ordered the mussels with the spicy green curry broth, and I have to say that I'm thankful I was seated directly to her left - so I could taste that TOO. All of that yumminess was followed by our main dishes: Alaskan Halibut, plated with grilled Hen of the Wood (mushroom), a red snapper dish, the roasted Georgia trout, served with marcona almonds and a pickled celery, the Fish & Chips (three cheers for my choice), which was ale battered haddock (traditional), and for the one meat-eater at the table, the skirt steak with a romesco sauce, which was out of this world. Not a complaint at the table. As if that wasn't enough, we still wanted more, believe it or not. However, we needed a little break in our consumption activities, and decided to utilize the 7 minute drive home for that very purpose. But we took home one of each of the FIVE items on the dessert menu that evening - the buttermilk donuts (served with sweet corn ice cream and pepper jam!) were my favorite, but the chocolate "cloud" was a wicked treat, too! Chef Adam Evans - who is from THIS side of the time zone, (Muscle Shoals), went to Auburn and worked his way around the Craft family of restaurants after he left New Orleans and the Brennans - will not disappoint! (And He's a super sweet dude to boot!!) So, if you get the chance, when you're next in the ATL - visit my new friends at the Optimist. And be prepared for one of the very best seafood meals you've ever had.
(5)Liana H.
I have been to the Optimist 3 times now. I really want to like it but the bad experiences just make me not want to go back. Pros: - Atmosphere - a great building that has been redone inside, different from typical - Atlanta seafood joints - Nice servers - The Beignet-Style Hushpuppies are to die for! - Some of the other dishes are great as well (Fried rice, fish sandwich, long bean appetizer) Cons: - Often Pretentious - Overpriced, under-portioned - Charged a higher price than what was on the menu for a meal - 10% "gratuity" added to our $400 bill because we brought in a small birthday cake - The Oyster Bar will not serve many items from the main restaurant The first time I ventured to The Optimist was a Wednesday for lunch shortly after it opened. The place was practically empty yet service was slow. We had drinks and ordered the Beignet-style hushpuppies as an appetizer. These alone will make you go back even if the food is grossly overpriced and under-portioned. Our lunch was delicious but a joke in how small it was. We think American-portions are usually way too big so I look forward to properly sized portions in nicer establishments -- but this was entirely too small. I left feeling like I needed to have lunch afterwards. My husband had a lobster roll/wrap that he was overcharged for (and didn't realize until we had left so we didn't bother bringing it up). It was the size of a small hotdog on a bun, about two bites. The french fries were the small mini-stick variety like the dried kind you'd get out of a can at a grocery store. They were extremely difficult to eat and left much to be desired. I would expect a delicous fresh-cut flavorful fry from a place like this. My fish sandwich was absolutely delicious with flavors unique but not too out-there. Again, the portion size was just a few bites. I'd guess about 3-4oz of fish max. It was like getting a big slider appetizer. But there was only one on the plate. The second visit was to the Oyster Bar on a Sunday afternoon/evening. We met clients there and stayed a good while. It was a comfortable, casual yet nice environment. Uninformed at our previous visit that the "Oyster bar is a separate restaurant from the main restaurant and they do not serve the same food" I had been raving to our clients about the hushpuppies. It was a great disappointment to learn they would not serve us what we came for unless we moved to the restaurant. We were already comfortable and had part of our order already in.... the server thought the chef/management may make an exception... but it turns out they did not. Instead, I had to go to the bar in the other room, order a drink and our hushpuppy order "to go" and then bring it back to our table at the Oyster Bar. Any place that charges $6 for 6 pieces of fried dough you think would be willing to make an exception to their self-imposed rules and walk our order an extra 20 feet. I had to wait 25 minutes at the bar away from the rest of our group. The third visit was a Thursday night for dinner, party of 7. We made a reservation and when we showed up at 5PM the restaurant was nearly empty. Even with a reservation we had to "wait while we get your table ready." Hu?? I guess they want us to wait long enough to spend some money at the bar first? That's the vibe I got. We started off the meal with a bottle of bubbly to celebrate us 7 local small business owners getting through the holiday rush. We ordered long beans (delicious tempora-battered fried green beans with a dipping sauce) and the hushpuppies as an appetizer. Our party ordered a variety of entrees, soups, and seafood appetizers. No complaints on the taste but everything was small portions except the fish & chips which was enough to split. We also got an array of what they claim should be "family style" sides at $6/each. All of these were very good, but somewhat small portions if meant to be shared. 3 of the 7 were celebrating birthdays so we brought a small homemade cake, plates, and serving utensils. The server later brought us our check and we noticed 10% gratuity already added, so we added 10% more to make it 20%. As we were leaving the server informed us the "10% gratuity" was actually a "cake cutting fee." Hu? No one cut our cake nor served it it us. We certainly were not informed it would cost $35 for us to eat our cake there. Happy birthday to us, right!? We spoke to the manager on the way out as we didn't want the server to get stuck with only a 10% tip and her excuse was the server should have told us about the fee in advance. I was thinking of going here again in a week for my actual birthday, but I don't think I'll be returning. They took away the festive spirit of an otherwise wonderful evening. The Buckhead Life Group Establishments, Canoe, Rays, or Fifth Group Restaurants all have seafood and service that surpass that of The Optimist....
(2)Michelle H.
The food overall was decent but the service left a lot to be desired, which is unusual for restaurants of this calibre in Atlanta. None of the dishes were particularly remarkable or memorable, and I especially did not enjoy the shrimp ala plancha - they were incredibly and unnecessarily messy for this type of dining experience (I will peel crawfish with the best of them, but at a nice restaurant, why leave the heads and shells on and slather the outside with sauce??). They were also out of the one dish we really wanted, which our server failed to tell us until we ordered it. Too many misses overall to return.
(3)Laura K.
Had a disappointing experience last weekend. Server was missing for majority of our meal, we had to ask two people for a new round of drinks (which were made incorrectly), and our swordfish was overwhelmingly fishy tasting. The octopus appetizer was the only highlight of the meal.
(2)Mark M.
This is a great place. I haven't been here in months because of a job transfer. The food was just as good as the last time, the service is excellent and the atmosphere is just terrific. If you're in the area I would highly recommend that you stop.
(5)Katie R.
I love this restaurant, and I can't believe it took me so long to discover it in West Midtown. I met a colleague here a few weeks ago for drinks and dinner. I arrived early, so I posted up at the bar. Good wine list, interesting cocktail menu, and nice bartenders - the perfect combination. There are actually two bars in the restaurant (I think one is the official, so there is plenty of space to stretch out. The decor is all over wood/distressed metal, and it works really well in West Midtown. Lots of open windows, too! Moving on to dinner. Everything on the menu looked great, and I've never had a friend who told me they had a bad meal there. I'm pretty sure I had scallops, but really, it's all good. As mentioned in other reviews, service was excellent. I really have nothing bad to say about any part of the experience. When I first got to the restaurant, I went straight to the bar (really, it had been a long week), and I completely missed the outdoor garden area. I was able to check it out while waiting for my car, and I'm sad I missed it. Lots of green space, picnic tables, in general a nice outdoor space to enjoy a drink. Valet parking.
(5)Ada K.
We had a team dinner here, so nothing was spared: we basically tried everything on the dinner menu! The appetizers were amazing, the shrimp scampi (while messy) and the octopus (while well octopus) stood out the most! That octopus is a must try -- haven't had one so well prepared in the states in a while! I also got out of my comfort zone and went with the monk fish and it didn't disappoint, a very unique lobster-esque taste. Definitely worth a try! Great atmosphere, wonderful wine selection. Had a great time!
(5)Cherie B.
Won't be back. I started out going to the Optimist for dinner Saturday night. I called in advance to see if we could get in wo a RSVP. I was offered an RSVP but was told I could probably get in earlier at the bar. She said there could be a short wait but she couldn't tell me for how long -- like no idea. Their parking situation has been jacked for months. That said we get there and valet says they won't valet any cars wo a RSVP. Yeah it's drizzling and there's no street parking. Is it appropriate to ask your customers to walk from God knows where in heels in the rain? And the mgr wasnt sounding genuinely apologetic and confirmed they had this unheard of policy when I called to complain. Once I told the manager about how unconcerned she sounded she offered to give us a gift card. She said we could come in or have it mailed. Of course coming in without a reservation is apparently a problem so I suggested mailing it. I haven't received a call about sending the gift card out like she said and it's been two business days since. The food is decent but not worth this kind of hassle. I said I wouldn't come back after I had to wait like 30 minutes for valet to park my car the time prior. I should've stuck with my instincts. Why have a special event when you can't accommodate parking for your customers? Get organized so your hostesses at least can tell people oh yes, you should make a reservation or you won't be able to park her. No point in going back to this place. We ended up at Article 14 -- good food, friendly service, plenty of free valet parking, and no wait.
(1)Jason S.
Meh is right. Were out of half of what we ordered on a Saturday night. Cool space and good energy but the food was a bit miss.
(2)James D.
great service, everything is fresh Oysters were ok (didn't love them but were ok. East Coast were better than WC, imo) and everything was quite good. Nice plating but the mains were a little light, more like entree. You would be hungry if you didn't have a few apps and dessert, and I'm not a heavy eater. Otherwise, well cooked and seasoned. Nice flavors and quite nice atmosphere!
(4)Billy H.
I'm not even a big Seafood fan but the Optimist has become one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta. Chef Ford Fry and designer Smith Hanes did a spectacular job of creating a gorgeous space that is fancy enough for a romantic dinner yet comfortable enough for a laid back night with friends. The Oyster Bar is much more casual. My wife loved the oysters and all the other dishes she had. It's her favorite restaurant in the city. I loved the drinks and fish & chips. The service was perfect. The only negative to The Optomist is that it's expensive. However, it's worth it and I recommend it to all my friends.
(5)Adrian S.
I had a great experience at THE OPTIMIST from the time I entered until the time I walked out. The outside patio waiting area was great, there was a local guitarist that was playing all the favorites. Our drinks were great, the outside atmosphere was nice and relaxing. I ordered the Swordfish specialty dish which was recommended by our waiter. This was my first time tasting swordfish and it was great! There wasn't anything I would change about it. I enjoyed every bite. I would definitely make another reservation at THE OPTIMIST!
(4)paul k.
Outstanding.
(5)Justin B.
i happened to be in atlanta for a few days for work, and all i heard was that this was the place to try while in town. i was just thankful when my colleague said that the place was known to have pretty decent oysters, so i was game regardless at that point. first of all, driving over here, you realize you're in a really up and coming part of town. there were several fine looking establishments by the side of the road, along with relatively new but well-designed condominiums, furniture and decor stores, etc. i was impressed. i didn't know that this was what atlanta really had to offer. driving up to this place, you don't really get a chance to fully experience what's in store. it's not until you park your car and walk up to this rather unobtrusive building that everything comes together. there's a little putt putt green out front with trees creating a center courtyard. strung lights sit above you, creating a warm romantic glow. that same warm glow is coming from inside, while some areas of the restaurant are open facing the green. each of the rooms inside are very nicely appointed. it's a mix of classic industrial design sensibility with antique flair and southern charm. i'm a sucker for type, so i was a bit fan of the typelogo and way the menus were presented. the lighting was smart, drawing your eye in various directions around, helping to create distinct spaces while keeping the very space you sat with your dining partner private. my one critique is that the reservation, restaurant, dining room situation is rather complicated. not having gotten a chance to familiarize myself with the place ahead of time, i didn't realize there were multiple restaurants inside with different rules for reservations, waiting for tables, terms of service, etc. i didn't really feel like it was necessary, to be honest. i like when a restaurant has one system. i don't mind a good private or seemingly secret room, but this system didn't seem to do them any favors. regardless, we sat in the oyster bar and rather enjoyed our whole dining experience. the waitstaff were lovely, the oysters were lovelier and the other items we selected from the menu were a mix of pleasant surprises and classic favorites that i knew i would enjoy. highlights included the garlicky clams and the preparations for the cucumber oysters. i love the shot pairings for the oysters, as well. overall, a really smart dining experience. next time, i'll manage to conquer the system and find my way into the main dining room. the real test, i presume.
(4)Matt P.
There are times when you eat food that is so absurdly delicious that you just don't know what to do with yourself. My first time eating at the Optimist was one of those times. I went with my parents and sister, and, in order to maximize the amount of things we could try, we shared a number of small plates and sides. The mussels appetizer was amazing--by far one of the best bites of food I've had in a while. Instead of giving you a list of what I ate and telling you similar stories about how amazingly delicious they were, I am going to let you go in, flying blind, to create your own adventure :-). Oh, and bring all the monies... this place is not cheap.
(5)Selena M.
What is there to say about the optimist? It's big, trendy, and impeccably decorated in shabby-chic/industrial/it's cool because you can see the ductwork style that seems to be the decided upon decor for all new restaurants. The space is really great and just generally gives off a good vibe. The server was knowledgable and helpful, the food came out promptly and drinks were replenished without being asked to do so. The food is...meh. I think The Optimist, like many other trendy but well meaning restaurants has sacrificed the integrity of the food in an effort to be experimental or cool or even avante garde. For example, the beet salad, which is a mainstay of any "good" restaurant these days was accompanied by some weird cheese. It was semi-hard, tasteless and generally not a good pairing. It should have been goat cheese. Goat cheese with beets is just better, no need to switch it up just to differentiate YOUR beet salad from another beet salad. Beets are rich and woody, you need that tartness to balance it. Likewise, the hush puppies, which come as a side WITH dinner were covered in powdered sugar. Were they yummy? Sure...But was it necessary? No. Did it in any way complement the fish? No. Did it come across as contrived and odd? Yes. It's all just trying too hard. Apparently the oysters were good, but that says nothing of the restaurant except they order good oysters. The octopus was overcooked and overseasoned. The baby gem salad (basically a Caesar) was wayyyyyyyyyyyy overdressed to the point of being sopping with dressing. I mean that's such a rookie mistake. I ordered the skate wing schnitzel. It was ok. I found the taste to be lacking, you could really only taste the breading. The fish was unremarkable in every way. Moreover, it came with a brown butter sauce which itself was markedly bland. And because the fish was sitting in a pool of butter the whole thing was soggy and greasy. My father had what I think was snapper in a lime sauce. What it amounted to was a decent cut of fish (albeit also pretty flavorless) sitting in a pool of limeade with slices of lime. The sauce was not complex or interesting...it just tasted like straight up lime. I guess it was a passable dish because how bad can fish and citrus be? But certainly not worth thirty bucks and would have been ten times better if it were just a whole,grilled fish sprinkled with lime. However, the key lime push pop was delicious and adorable and MADE SENSE. So, basically, as a a seafood restaurant they need to quit it with the gimmicks and just focus on the fish. It would be a million times better if everything weren't smothered in some bizarre sauce which apparently has convinced a lot of Atlantans that the food is actually good. They are doing just enough to fool the unwashed masses.
(2)Jemel D.
Very, very good, but just a little overpriced in my opinion!
(4)Kar T.
Stopped in on a very busy friday night. By the time we were seated they were sold out of 2 items on the menu, but it wasn't a big deal. For starters the whole shrimp were spectacular. I had the duckfat poached swordfish for an entree, which was okay.. but the hushpuppies are a must. The service was prompt and friendly, and overall it was a good experience.
(4)June J.
Excellent dining experience. I will definitely come back. As opposed to what others have said in reviews, I didn't feel like this place was too noisy nor too expensive compared to other restaurants with similar caliber in Atlanta. I had dinner here as a special occasion with my parents for holidays, and our server Paolo was very courteous and was there whenever we needed him. It was almost like he was watching every second of our dining but without making us feel intrusive at all, which I appreciate. Appetizers: fried oysters (pretty good, but i would rather recommend fresh ones for better value), fresh oysters per server's recommendation, kale salad (very flavorful without much dressing added - I've eaten many kale dishes in the past and loved this simple execution). Entrees: we had swordfish (per server's recommendation which came along with duck fat, pork belly - excellent), mahi mahi, and sea bass . I was tempted to order the skirt steak for entree as I'm not a big seafood person, but I do not regret ordering fish for entree at all. It was apparent that the fish was very fresh; simple yet intricate execution on each dish, not too much to hinder the natural taste/aroma of fish. Side: hushpuppies (not bad - i've had better but this one tasted less greasy hence presumably healthy), brussel sprouts (over salted - i would not recommend but has enough flavor. i think i can cook better brussel sprouts to be honest), mushroom (very simple yet with enough herbs and ingredients added to retain the flavor of mushroom). Desserts: I was wined up at this point and do not remember what we had but it was some sort of cake and a few ice creams. Nothing spectacular (except the sorbet - which was very good) but nothing to complain about. Drinks: not a bad wine list but could be less generic. I really don't want to spend $60 on a bottle of wine when I know exactly where to go to get that same bottle for $15. But they had some interesting Italian and french wines to try. I was very apprehensive to try this place out as Ford Fry's restaurants tend to have subpar service from my numerous visits - atrocious service almost every time except a few occasions. Optimist definitely stands out among Fry's restaurants, and I look forward to coming back soon. I would highly recommend this place to anyone seeking a pleasant dining experience centered around seafood.
(5)Maira D.
Probably the best service I ever had. Ambiance was great, and the food was really good, and I didn't think it was expensive for what they offered.
(5)adrienne i.
One of my favorite dinners since I moved to Atlanta 4 years ago was had at The Optimist. Flavor abounds here. Service was excellent, and not stuffy (my favorite kind).
(5)Julie P.
Second time having dinner here. We enjoyed the food better this time. As usual, the place was packed. I love the space, great vibe! Service is always good. We had mostly appetizers plus one entree. This is what we ordered. Clams - nice flavorful broth but clams were a little chewy. Squid - our favorite appetizer here. Nice & tender sautéed with bok choy Snapper cheeks - tasty but curry sauce was a little overpowering Hush puppies - light as donuts but a little too much powder sugar. Taste almost like dessert. Halibut - Very moist, perfectly cooked fish. I love the crispy okra. Delish! A great place for date night or groups as this restaurant is always full of energy. Nice ambience with good food. I would come back.
(4)Tanya C.
I've eaten at the Oyster Bar a few times but never had a chance to check out the main dining room at The Optimist. I was finally able to make it out a few weeks ago and had a wonderful meal. Since I'm a carb whore, I'll start out with the rolls. These rolls are divine. Crusty and soft at the same time and topped with salt. I could just have those rolls and be a very happy camper. We started off with a few shared appetizers: East Coast and West Coast Oysters Frothy She-Crab Soup Charred Spanish Octopus I don't eat raw oysters so I can't comment on them. The others at the table really seemed to enjoy them. The she-crab soup is not your usual she-crab soup. It's frothy and very smooth. You will not find chunks of crab in the soup, but you still get the same great crab taste. It's served with shrimp toast that really complements the soup nicely. Everyone at the table liked the charred octopus the best. We actually got an extra order of this after we devoured the first one so quickly. I really like the lobster roll at the Oyster Bar and asked our server if if would be possible to get one in the main dining room for dinner. She said she'd see what she could do. I told her that I would get the wild Alaskan halibut if she wasn't able to get one of the lobster rolls for you. She didn't stop by and let me know the outcome so my entree was a surprise. I ended up with the halibut. I was disappointed at first, but quickly realized that I should try other things on the menu and not stick to the same items I always order. The halibut is very simple and only comes with lemon and olive oil. Sometimes simple is best. The fish was cooked perfectly and I really loved it. My friends will tell you that I am not a fish person. In fact, I go out of my way to avoid eating fish when dining out. The fact that I am raving about a piece of fish is a big deal. The others in my party had the halibut, duck fat poached swordfish, seared yellowfin tuna, and roasted chicken. The only person less than completely satisfied with their entree was the chicken person. She does not eat any kind of seafood so her options were slightly limited. I'd say stick to the seafood here. We also ordered a few sides to share: shoestring fries served with malt vinegar aoli, hushpuppies, and basmati fried rice. I liked the fried rice the best. Make sure you get some. Beware that the hushpuppies are served with powdered sugar and cane sugar butter. They are not your usual hushpuppies. The highlight of the meal was dessert. We got a few orders of beignets. Not as good as what you would get in New Orleans, but very, very good. A few people also took some orders home in a bag and said that they were still good the next day. I ordered the ice cream flavor of the day. It was a cookie dough - I think it was oatmeal cookie, but I can't remember exactly. All I remember is that it was so freaking good. You'd think that I would remember the actual type because it was so good, but I think that I went into a food coma from all of the delicious food. Service was outstanding. Completely unobtrusive. We never had to ask for anything.
(5)Eve A.
Absolutely wonderful! I enjoyed every moment every bite and worth every penny spent . I cant begin to express how hapoy a am with tjis dining experience . Go take your honey ...great atmosphere great service you will be pleased!
(5)S L.
How could anyone give this place anything but 5 stars?! I live in Chicago and I've dined at Alinea and I enjoyed this more. It was a flavor journey.
(5)Cary L.
Really delicious food. We are originally from NY and was on a roadtrip down South so we stopped in Atlanta for a night. Arrived around 8:20PM for a 8:45PM reservation but they wouldn't seat us until 845. I was a little annoyed because we were on the road for 8 hours and there were plenty of available tables. I was eyeing one table for the whole time that they said it was reserved. It ended up that were were seated at that table! Quite frankly, it pissed me off. Our waitress was a complete doll. I forget her name but she had shirt brunette hair and a big smile. Maybe Heather is the name? The ambiance is fantastic. Not too loud but also not quiet at all. I just love it. My husband and I ordered the shrimp cocktail and octopus to start- Both were fantastic! I love the shrimpcocktail because it was tossed in Old Bay. He then ordered the steak and I ordered the sword fish. Both were absolutely delicious. The sauce and complements that came along with the steak was absolutely delicious! We finished off with a banana cake which was just ok... I have to say- the bread is so yummy!! So buttery and fluffy. The only downside of the food is that it's a bit salty... Too salty for me but it was fine for my husband.
(4)Laurel B.
Excellent service, great vibe. Hush puppies were awesome, lobster roll was excellent. Everyone's meal was superb, except for my husbands fish-n-chips. The fish was definitely old, and very "fishy" tasting. We sent it back, and we're told "all the fish was fine". Not good. Otherwise a positive experience.
(4)Alexandra A.
I've been here twice for dinner and once for lunch. Dinners were amazing, I love the menu selection, the whole fried halibut was exceptional, though the menu changes a bit with the seasons, so it might not be available. Love the seafood here. The lunch lobster roll was ok - not a big fan.
(5)Hieu H.
Another great addition to the Westside! A little pricey for my taste...don't go here expecting fish tacos! really spacious with the industrial aesthetic that's characteristic of most Westside eateries: exposed beams, minimalistic decor, and spare Come here for some serious seafood, served with a refined palette. standouts include: duck fat poached swordfish with crispy pancetta and for side, the basmati "fried rice" made with curry and smoked fish. loved the corn milk hushpuppies - almost like a dessert!
(4)Christopher P.
Cool building + pricey oysters + charred octopus = No Reservations! Called on a Monday to see if they had any availability for Saturday night... negative ghost rider. This can only mean they are ballin out of control. Wifey and I made an executive decision to just go and see if we can grab some seats last minute... another negative ghost rider. Hostess said we can wait for some seats at the bar (there are two - one with a snack menu and one that had a full menu... heads up). We lucked out and found two seats at the bar. Not sure why I felt to write all this shit out but I guess I'm trying to tell you to put in work and get some reservations... DO... get the charred octopus (perhaps one of the best dishes in Atlanta). It has a nice char, very tender and comes on a bed of chorizo and calabria peppers.... totes noms!!! DON'T... get the oysters. They were expensive and did not have much taste to them. Nothing like a good kumamoto. DO... get the beignets. DO... get the scallop crudo. Ball out...
(4)Jeremy S.
Good food and service. Not amazing but well worth the visit. Not a destination in my opinion.
(4)Chris B.
Shrimp toast. She crab. Clam roll. Mixed drink. Rinse/repeat. Love this place. They need to bring back the Oxtail jam though!!!
(5)LaTrese F.
Had dinner with a group of friends at The Optimist and LOVED every minute of it. We started at the Oyster Bar. I don't do oysters but the drinks were tasty and my friends loved the Oysters. Dinner was awesome, love that every time we go we are able to experience something different as they change the menu daily. The service was great, atmosphere awesome. I highly recommend.
(4)Eric K.
Putting green, great bar and signature drinks, coozies for your beer and she crab soup? I'm in. It was odd to see live entertainment, on the Friday - I just wasn't expecting a guy singing cover tunes outside. He sounded like he was plucked from the old Buckhead saloon....yeah, I'm that old. Anyway, not bad and It worked with the open outdoor space. I could have done without the kids on the putting green, but I know that's hard to get around. Food - Scallops and she crab soup to start - The little shrimp stick thingy that accompanied the soup was the highlight of the meal - I'll take a dozen to go next time. Both apps were tasty. It could been the bottle of wine, or the martinis or a combination, but I thought I ordered blackened grouper, but I go black grouper...so I was a little surprised - not the restaurants fault by any means. It was prepped well and tasted pretty good. The swordfish reminded me of hallie berry......wait, never mind. It was well prepared and I think it was topped with crem freshe (sp?)..mmmmmmm . For sides - the caramelized onions were top notch and the horseradish sugar snap peas were good, not great. Desert = Coconut custard. enough said. The place is proud of what it does - and it should be. It is as billed - a swanky little west side eatery that didn't disappoint. This aint the buckhead fish market (thank god) and its now on the rotation.
(4)Msa A.
I have been to the Oyster Bar several times but this was our first time eating in the dining room. We celebrated my daughter's birthday on 4/19/14. It took about 25 mins to get seated. But we closed the place down so I can understand why people weren't ready to leave. Our service was great. Prompt but not hovering. We ordered two bottles of wine, apps, oysters, entrees, sides, and ice cream. It's pricey. You have to order the sides separately but they were enough to share, kind of. They were sold out of several items we had our eyes on. But everything was good though on the salty side. The décor was beautiful. All in all we had a fab time! We'll be back.
(4)Malcolm M.
Best restaurant I've been to in years! The decor is amazing. Chic and sophisticated yet understated. The food is so amazing.
(5)Whitney M.
Wow! This place is uh-mazing. We went for lunch and ordered a couple if sandwiches. The lobster roll was sweet, buttery and tinder. The fries were crispy, crunchy and salty. The dish was perfectly portioned, though I could have eaten a dozen rolls before the food coma kicked in. The fish sandwich was just as good in its own way. The bread was soft and chewy, and the fish was dripping (literally) with flavor. Fries also came with this sandwich. We were too stuffed to order a big (tasty) dessert, so we opted for a lighter option- coconut sorbet. The presentation was cute. The sorbet came in a tiny paper cup with a tiny paper lid. Who doesn't love tiny food stuffs?! The actual sorbet was very refreshing. Service was excellent. Out waitress was very friendly and did not steer us wrong with dish recommendations! We would have love to have tried the burger, but I guess that's our excuse to go back. Food, service, atmosphere = 3/3!
(5)Brett B.
Possibly the best casual restaurant in Atlanta. I mean casual in that it's new and hip and upscale and had great food and you don't have to wear church clothes to get past the hostess. It even got the honest thumbs up from my brother-in-law chef from Brooklyn. And those bastards are a picky lot. See? Atlanta has good food, too. That's why they call it Foodlanta.
(5)Abraham K.
had a great experience at their oyster bar. expensive but the place has great oysters. was still hungry after a dozen oysters and a plate of mussels so my fiancee and i decided to go to the main restaurant. wtf? why so salty? do you call this food? it felt as if i had swallowed a gallon of saltwater. we didn't return either dish as we were starving. but i spent way too much money to get such poorly seasoned dishes. it's as if they unloaded an entire box of salt on each fish. is this because the fish were going bad? BAH! whoever is responsible for the seasoning needs to be fired and then hanged. ok maybe not hanged but at least tortured. i'll give it 2 stars based on their oyster bar. nice place for a date and some drinks.
(2)Courtney R.
The food was delicious and the server was amazing. I had the calamari, fish and bok chuy. I was delicious. The wine was also delicioso. I will return to this restaurant. I loved the atmosphere as well.
(5)Lohr B.
Amazing food and service! The best waitress I have ever had! I wish I remembered her name so I could tell her manager how fabulous she was.. She has red hair and is from Austin TX and she could not have made the night a better experience
(5)Leo A.
The Optimist was such a pleasant surprise. We had a 9:15 pm reservation, arrived early but were seated right away. We had two dozen oysters which came out with amazing homemade saltine crackers, cocktail sauce, freshly grated horseradish, and onion vinaigrette. They tasted so fresh we could have been fooled we were on a port. Next came the clam roll (a little too fried for my taste), seafood gumbo (fairly tasty) and green curry mussels (delicious!!). The service was very courteous and friendly. The location seems a little inconvenient, but in ATL everything is! Definitely would recommend if you are craving seafood.
(5)Marcus Z.
Atlanta has a new culinary knight in shining armor in the form of a seafood restaurant. I had read many great things about this place, especially from eater.com But I was surprised that none of my foodie friends had ever frequented this establishment. So my husband and I decided to give it a try one Thursday evening. We arrived around 19:00 to a lovely valet service. Perfect! I hate looking for parking. Complimentary? Even better. We announced our presence to the hostess who informed us that it would be about an hour wait. Not a problem though because they had a lovely oyster bar area to wait in. We sat at a small table while we waited for a regular table in the main dining room. I gazed around and realized that this place was very cute. It had a "Florida meets the Hamptons" look. We were greeted by a bar waiter and we ordered a few cocktails. I don't remember the names but I remember loving them. I also ordered one of each oyster that they offered. It was the most informative and exciting oyster eating experience I had ever had. My husband's smoked fish chowder was on point. Perfect blend of cream and veggies and fish. Lots of yum factor. The service was also phenomenal. Once in the main dining room, I ordered a delicious cocktail that had Pisco, passion fruit juice, egg whites and paprika. Talk about an explosion of flavor. It was called the Mermaid something. I can't quite remember. Our server brought us these butter and sea salt covered dinner rolls that were delicious. As an entree I ordered 2 appetizers...the grilled octopus and the Georgia white shrimp. Whoa! Talk about an overdose of scrumptiousness. The octopus was tender and had a wonderful smoky char to it. The shrimp were left with the heads on with lead to a wonderful flavor experience. It was quite messy trying to eat them but that was part of the fun. We also ordered the fried rice and the hush puppies. Definitely an A+! Honestly, we ordered way more than we could eat. But the experience was well worth it. Yes this place is pricey but its quality. I cannot wait to eat at The Optimist again!
(5)Mansi R.
The Optimist has been on my list for a while. I went there to grab dinner on a Monday night with a girlfriend. Loved the open concept of the restaurant with delicious cocktails. A perfect time to be able to catch up. We ended up sharing the hushpuppies and oysters. The oysters were so fresh and I liked both the sauces with it. The hushpuppies were a little sweeter than what I am used to since they were "beignets" but they were still pretty good. I also got the asparagus/radish salad and the fried rice (which was amazing). Both had really good taste. I loved the lemony bottom on my egg that came with my salad. Glad I finally tried the place!
(4)Carlos M.
Just came back from dinner there.....Place is great, open and very well decorated. I wish I could say the same about the food. If I return I may try the oyster bar because I won't be returning for the food. Went there with Out of Town people, they liked it. I was very bleh about it. The food was ok, nothing worth writing home about and definitely over priced.
(3)Jihan D.
It definitely is not easy to just grab a table so I do recommend making a reservation. Their food is delicious. I had the mussles for an appetizer and the scallops for a main dish as dessert I had their Tawny Port (wine). The service and atmosphere was impeccable.
(5)Stephanie P.
My husband chose this Atlanta restaurant for an early birthday dinner as we were in Georgia for the holidays. The menu looked fantastic online and I was really excited to try it out. Reservations were tricky to get, and I was panicky because my flight in was horribly delayed and we missed our 8:45 time. My husband called and explained, and they were very nice, indicating it was no problem as long as we arrived within the next two hours. The entrance is a smaller oyster bar area, which is more casual and looks like it might be nice during the summer-no one was in there this Saturday evening. The main dining room is fantastic. I love when design elements create a feeling of warmth-the flooring, the lighting, the huge bar area....I just loved it. We were seated around behind the bar near a huge window of a wall. We ordered a couple drinks, about 3 sides as everything is a la carte, and two seafood dishes. I didn't realized the mahi was prepared wrapped in pork-oops!-but our server was very nice and accommodating and pointed out another seafood dish that was prepared sans meat. Both the red snapper and black bass we ordered were delicious. The black bass especially was phenomenal with its buttery, crispy skin, and the snapper was so lovely and simple with lemon, salt and pepper. The mushrooms were a hearty side, as well as the turnips with marcona almonds. The combination of the almond crunch with the turnips was unexpectedly good! The sweet potatoes could've been skipped. They were over-cooked and somewhat dry. We did splurge on a dessert too and got the mascarpone cheesecake. It was a wonderful experience: great food, great service, and the best company.
(5)DineWithDani D.
And may I say that it BLEW MY MIND! I tried the she crab soup with shrimp toast (OMG!) and the octopus salad (again OMG!). dinewithdani.com/?p=1004
(5)Lorenzo D.
The Mussels were great. Spanish Octopus really good. Atmosphere, very cool. The hush puppies outstanding! The red snapper was a bit dry and not anything more than average. Overall, it was a nice evening, but the main course was just so-so. I'd definitely go again, as more outstandings than the one average plate. Staff was nice and fairly quick too.
(4)Amit And Fritzi G.
The main dishes have large portions. Fish and chips are amazing. They must have a very large deep fryer for this filet. The "chips" are not like normal fries, they are roughly cut up potatoes and deep fried to yummy/crispy goodness! We were disappointed in the gumbo. We've had it in New Orleans and so it doesn't compare. It could be the person who poured it in the bowl, but I barely got any rice and it was watery. Wasn't very well seasoned or spicy. Would definitely recommend this place for seafood lovers though!
(4)kim p.
"Tonight we had dinner at the highly acclaimed #Optimist. We sat at the Oyster Bar and the FABULOUS bartender and our personal guide for the night was Michael. We literally tried every oyster on the menu and more than half of the spectacular light- tapas-like menu. I am a HUGE critic of seafood in Atlanta and I am pleased to say the critics are right on. This is the best seafood I have experienced by far in Atlanta. Hell, the best I have tasted in many years, and I am a Floridian. Sincere appreciation to the Optimist for being so damn good at what they do and to Michael for helping to make my birthday night so spectacular!
(5)ted B.
My first (and probably last) dinner at the Optimist last night was very disappointing. We had reservations for 5 for 7:30. The first and biggest complaint is that the noise level is overwhelming. You cannot have a conversation with your tablemates unless you shout. I realize that "energetic" restaurants are trendy but this was the noisiest restaurant I have ever visited. My voice was hoarse by the time we left from shouting above the ambient noise and the music. The service was poor. We were seated after 8 for a 7:30 reservation. Then for 20 minutes we were totally ignored until we finally grabbed a waiter who turned out to be a trainee. He got us water and then disappeared. Five minutes later another waiter showed up and immediately started explaining the specials without asking about drinks. So it was a good 35 to 40 minutes before we got drinks. After that the service improved but there was no attempt to apologize for the bad start. The food was average at best. Oysters on the half shell were good but the mignonette was warm not chilled and much to vinegary. I ordered the scallops and they were okay but I have to say $22 for 3 scallops and nothing else is pricy. None of my tablemates was impressed with their dinners either. The halibut in particular was overcooked and bland. I would give this restaurant a C at best. There are much better restaurants in West Midtown than this--Bocado, Miller Union, and JCT Kitchen.
(2)Rex O.
#NAME?
(3)Jennifer T.
Went with a group of friends for a birthday. Service was ok, nothing special. Drinks were good. Food, well some of us enjoyed our meals while others had to send there food back for the fish being under cooked. Staff did immediately take care of the problem. My grouper sandwich was pretty blah. Over all not terribly impressed for one of the best restaurants in Atlanta.
(2)Craig P.
Have eaten seafood gumbo in probably over 100 restaurants in my life. If its on the menu I will always give it a shot. The best is always and will always be found in NOLA but the bowl I had at The Optimist tonight was by far the best I have ever had outside of NOLA. Can't wait to back again to try the mussels.
(5)Jie Y.
nothing special, average seafood and good service
(3)Barbie H.
The atmosphere at the Optimist is great. The Oyster Bar is fun and the actual restaurant has a very urban feeling. The server was very attentive and spent time at our table describing the specials. Our dinner did not disappoint! I will be going back.
(5)Mike M.
Vibrant atmosphere, busy bar and great food. Our group of six had a great waiter in AJ who knew the menu very well. Between us we tried 4 apps, oysters, 6 different fish entrees and ALL the desserts. Everything was really wonderful. The best apps were the shrimp in chili sauce, the yeast rolls are melt in your mouth and the hush puppies are mini beignets. The Brussels sprouts are caramelized and delightful. The menu changes daily. The best desserts were the salted caramel ice cream and apple crisp with cinnamon ice cream. Get here soon.
(5)Rich K.
Everyone is raving about this restaurant so I hate to be a contrarian. We went there Monday night, 12/3/2012. Very nice open, modern decor, my only complaint is that the tables are very close together and you become part of your neighbors' conversations. My wife started with the frothy she-crab soup. It was very subtle, not what you'd expect in Charleston. For me the saving grace was the shrimp fritter that accompanied it for dipping into the soup. I had the grilled octopus salad. The octopus was absolutely covered in a paprika and other sauce so that it was difficult to actually taste the grilled octopus. Kyma, although not my favorite restaurant does a better job and more traditional job with this appetizer. For our main course my wife and I split the flounder. Absolutely perfectly cooked and delicious. We couldn't finish it and took almost half of it home, but it was absolutely awesome. Cooking fish is delicate and difficult business, and these guys do an absolutely great job. The flounder like a great last hole on the golf course, is what will bring us back again to this place. As sides we ordered the fingerling potatoes and turnip greens. Like the octopus, the fingerling potatoes were dripping with this paprika sauce and again you really couldn't taste the potatoes underneath. The turnip greens were fresh and clean, not overly cooked like you would expect in a southern style barbecue joint. They were sweet and we enjoyed them. For dessert we had the lemon tart with lavender meringue and honeycomb. Absolutely delicious. The lemon taste with the lavender was so interesting. Not sure I understand the honeycomb on the side but we dipped the desert in the honey. I would be curious to know the rationale behind the honeycomb with this dish which clearly didn't need it. To drink we split a bottle of the Rose Cremant, sparkling wine at $55 for a bottle which sells for approximately $20 retail. So not so bad. Without tip, our bill came $139 for two. I will definitely come back to this restaurant solely based on their ability to prepare fresh fish. Last night I had dinner at Hal's with a couple that had similar observations, except that their sweet potato fries/chips were crispy on the outside and not cooked on the inside and corroborated my feeling about the octopus salad. However like us, their yellowtail tuna was expertly prepared. Unlike us, they went to the restaurant early on a Saturday, enjoyed the putt putt and outside ambience before having dinner and had a really great time. I would be curious to hear other people's comments on the appetizers and side dishes. I was thinking about trying the tiny clams in garlic broth and the smoked fish soup.
(3)Theresa N.
They do have the best oysters in town. And the food is great as well. But the service is not what it should be for a restaurant of this quality. We've been here twice. The first time our server treated us like she was too good to serve us. This time our server was good. But when our food came out....my sister's food came out first...with our sides....then 5 minutes later my friend and my fiance's...and then five minutes later...my food. And five minutes is being generous. And nothing was said other than a quick rushed apology from our server. The only saving grace for our server was we could see him getting stressed urging the kitchen to get our food out.
(3)Katie W.
I ate here last night and it was so good. It is a little hard to find the first time and my GPS totally messed up on showing me the *exact* location but it was fine in the end. The space is gorgeous. It is so lovely inside that I could live here. The main dining room and bar are bright and open and shiny, and the oyster bar is very upscale beachy. I liked both a lot. Their signature cocktails list features a few rum drinks - yay! I think this only makes sense at a seafood restaurant. I chose to partake of both rummy concoctions offered - the Beach Shanty (Allagash White, Brinley's Shipwreck spiced rum, ginger liqueur, lemon) and the Port Antonio Cocktail (Flor de Cana 7 Year Rum, Gosling's Black Seal Rum, cinnamon, Kahlua, falernum, adorable crushed ice, umbrella). Both were excellent but the Port Antonio rocked my knees off. I did not have any oysters but I did have the mussels in a curry broth and I tried the garlicky clams. The garlicky clams were good and also featured delicious fried pork belly but I really liked my mussels. I would get them again. My entree was the soft-shelled clam, which was wood-fired. It was very flavorful and I liked that it wasn't fried. The sides we tried were the mushrooms (four varieties of them) and the beets. They were great. For dessert, I had the doughnuts and tried the grapefruit tart. Both were good but in the future I might skip dessert and just have another cocktail. I still think I could live here and I look forward to returning and hanging out at the bar.
(5)Christina J.
The seafood gumbo is chock full of a variety of saltwater critters. The bacon potato salad gives a nice touch to the traditionally seafood heavy dish. There's a bit of a kick to it and my nose was running a bit after finishing my bowl, so those who have a heat aversion may want to stay away from the dish. Everyone loves the lobster roll. I love the lobster roll. It's delicious, sweet, and you can tell they let the lobster shine by barely adding anything else to it. But it's small. Real small. 6 bites and you're done small. Sub the fries it comes with for the basmati fried rice ($2 upcharge but best side they have). I could eat two of those sides alone as my meal. I also had the frozen shortcake bar for dessert. It was delicious. Strawberries and cream icecream covered in vanilla pound cake crumbles. Sounds fancy but it's served on a stick and covered in a plastic wrap, which provides for that childhood nostalgia of the icecream man driving by on a hot summer day. Well done Optimist.
(4)Shon I.
I love this place. The food was good. The ambience is nice. Is it expensive? As hell. Is it the most expensive place in the city? Not at all. What is the problem is that almost everything comes A LA CARTE.. yay for paying $25 for some fish and $6 for a side. It is really hard to get a seat in the place if you don't RSVP. But it is worth it. I will go back. For hubby and I (and unborn son) it was only about $112. The included A (as in one tentacle) charred octopus ($12), halibut ($25), side of mushrooms ($6), scallops/short ribs ($28), side of basmati fried rice ($6),3 beers for hubby ($15 total), a virgin cocktail for me ($6) and a mascarpone cheesecakes ($8).
(4)Dana G.
I was so excited to go to the Optimist for our anniversary dinner. Reviews online and with friends were spectacular...so I'm not sure why my food experience was so-so. We ordered several apps and one entrée (the whole bass). Bread was warm and salty...very good. The gumbo was so-so, good, but nothing special. Soft-shell crab... although this was my first time ordering this, I still felt the shells which I didn't like. The La Plancha was tasty, but I thought it could use more salt and I really didn't need to see the head of the shrimp. Its was messy enough and to add a prawn to the mix was an extra mess I didn't need at my small table for two. I asked for the whole Bass to be fileted and our waitress said okay, but when it arrived it was a whole fish nicely presented. They fileted at the table no problem, but still I rather just eat my food, than spend time cutting it and wiping my hands with warm towels that were provided. Dessert was yummy- peanut butter cookies and coconut ice cream where really good and was the only thing I took home. Overall, good presentation, nice contemporary atmosphere (my chair could have been more comfortable though), but the food was just okay.
(2)Sara R.
2nd time around - what a diff! Client dinner and it was great from start to finish. So happy I tried this out again. Seated immediately, nice. I think we had a new server as she stumbled over her presentation and the answers to our questions (how prepared, etc). Heirloom toms a must have. Halibut was cooked perfectly and one of the best I've had in some time. It was served over yummy grilled baby okra. Peas & corn side was ok. My friend had red fish which she said was very good. Her side of carrots was not so great. No dessert.
(4)Dalan C.
Was out here on business and looking for a seafood place and I hit the jackpot at The Optimist. Very cool trendy decor with an awesome bar as well as an oyster bar. 3 star for the service. We sat at the bar, and for some reason I kept getting ignored even after waving at the bar tender. Also, when I asked what the LOCAL PEACH TARTE TATIN was, the guy didn't know, he just said it's a really good peach dessert. The food gets 5 stars. I had: charred spanish octopus, spiced greek yogurt, dill pickled carrots & cucumbers - this was the best dish of the night and a must have. Not a chewy like you would think and has a great char taste. fish & chips, beer battered haddock, malt vinegar aioli - good fish and chips, but I'd probably get something else next time LOCAL PEACH TARTE TATIN, buttermilk ice cream, hazelnut - so it is a wonderful dessert with a cooked peach over an upside down tart, topped with hazelnut ice cream.
(4)Emily T.
This is my favorite restaurant in Atlanta. I live in LA which has a great food scene, but this def rivals it. Oysters, service and atmosphere. Go!!
(5)Sarah Anne S.
Easily my favorite restaurant in Atlanta. Consistently great drinks, delicious food, and impeccable service (shout-out to Daniel who took such great care of us last night!) Last night I went to dinner with a couple of friends (one is a huge fan of the Optimist and the other was just in town for the night). We arrived early so we started with drinks and putt-putt (always a winning combination!). My grouper was by far the best I've ever had; the sides (brussel sprouts and beets) were perfect too. Definitely get a reservation and try the fantastic cocktails if you arrive early.
(5)Gillian R.
I've recently fallen head over heels for oysters, so my boyfriend and I celebrated our belated Valentine's Day at The Optimist. I'd heard so much hype that I wasn't quite sure whether it would live up to my expectations. Parking is valet only, which is annoying, but I've come to expect it at this point. We arrived right on time for our reservation and were ushered quickly and politely by a very sweet hostess. I loved the look of the bar...absolutely beautiful! The dining room is very industrial in size, but manages to also feel cozy with wooden tables and candles. It seemed a little noisy at first, but then we realized that it was not too loud, but just loud enough that we couldn't hear the conversations of the couple next to us without really trying. We decided that it was just noisy enough. There is another great bar in the dining room. We sat facing the kitchen, so I was able to watch them making the dishes throughout dinner. The wait staff was dressed casually, but it worked for them. Our waiter wasn't overly friendly and didn't tend to really steer us in any particular direction with our food. Which is fine, but I tend to value the opinion of wait staff, as they know what really shines on the menu. In retrospect, we probably ordered too many appetizers, but should have chosen a side to go with our entrees. The appetizers were well-priced and certainly well-portioned. We shared a half-dozen oysters, the green curry mussels, and the escargot. It was my first time eating snails, which dug up memories of my uncle salting the slugs on his patio when I was a kid. I chose the seared scallops for my entree, which was fine (overcooked slightly, perhaps, but I liked the crispiness and the accompanying vegetables were delicious). I asked for it without the brown butter chicken jus, but I think it came with it anyway... I didn't complain, but I did get a bit of a belly ache after the meal was over. He had the monkfish, and enjoyed it. Although both entrees were good, I think the appetizers were really the shining star of the meal. We could easily have ordered one or two more appetizers and made a meal of it. We declined dessert, since we had plans to go to Jeni's afterwards. I think we probably made the right choice. While dinner was good, it didn't blow us away. While we'll likely make our way back, I think we'll probably try to slip in at the bar and have a meal more focused on oysters and appetizers in the future.
(4)Mel C.
Started at the bar and what a great first impression! I would have to say some of the best mixed drinks in town! Ordered an appy at the bar, the fried oysters, and all was great until I bit into a shell or glass or something...I survived and they replaced and didn't charge us (yay for great service). We moved to our table for dinner with friends and little did we know we were about to embark on some taste bud explosions...oysters, whole fried fish, fried rice all to die for. Can't wait to go avian and again and again until I've tried everything on the menu!!
(5)Theresa S.
Waaahh! I almost gave Optimist a 3. Why I almost did: 1) My fish was not cooked the whole way through. 2) I returned it via the manager and the same piece of fish came back (cooked but still...a little awkward) 3) The manager did not inform the server that I had to return the fish so my friend had to make a specific request for the bill and the fish being returned. 4) Service for food and drinks was a tad bit stilted 5) The valet when leaving was a logistical nightmare (cars coming in off the street, and backed up in to the street, blocked the main way that cars were being returned to people leaving -- they have to figure that one out given their entire old parking lot will soon be....MORE Apartments........) Why I still gave it a 4: 1) My 3 dining partners all had perfectly cooked fish & the apps were solid 2) I have had many great experiences before 3) They took the fish entree of the bill 4) The fish house punch 5) Their chairs are more comfortable then they were when they first opened We went on a Saturday and the server admitted 'they got hit early'....6 pm .... well I know its early but people usually need reservations so it shouldn't have been unexpected. I hope this chink in Optimist's armor is temporary..... I will find out next time I go
(4)Sam W.
I ate here mid may and everything we ordered was Aooooooo good! We had the fried oysters, fresh oysters, the mussels, frothy she crab soup and a side salad. I can't wait to go back! I could bathe in the frothy she crab soup...
(5)Kate H.
Our waiter Ben was the one of the most cheerful service staff we have had in ages; every tiny quip from him was always upbeat and energetic. I was also impressed with his wine selection for me, spot on. I am still drooling and daydreaming about the Hen in the Woods. Swordfish did not live up to the hype, it was a skotche overcooked for my taste and scant of blackberry sauce. Hush puppies were the perfect balance of savory and sweet. The hubs loved his scallops and the confit potatoes were one surprise after another in each bite a different flavor profile between heat, mint and confit deliciousness. I was sad there were no putters or balls in sight tonight to entertain us while waiting for the busy valet.
(5)Tyler W.
I've traveled to all 50 states and had amazing meals throughout the country, but this absolutely makes my top 5 in the country. It started with a great, jovial attitude at the valet and continued with the hostesses. Ben, our server, was quite possibly the best I've ever had. He had perfect recommendations to match his charming wit and impeccable presence at the table. Though I've never enjoyed octopus before, this was prepared perfectly and I would fly here again just to have this dish. The she-crab soup was delicious, but the shrimp toast accompaniment was the star of that dish. Strawberry grouper crudo made an excellent addition to our meal and had terrific presentation. The fried rice tasted fresh and flavorful; better than most asian restaurants. Salted caramel ice cream and the chocolate Creme brûlée were a great finale to one of my favorite meals of all time. Thank you, The Optimist. We WILL be back.
(5)Sal D.
After watching Atlanta Eats, I knew I wanted to return here for my birthday for the lobster roll. Unfortunately, it's only available during lunch and at bar during dinner (birthday plea didn't work). I got the highly recommended shrimp a la plancha instead and the reliable mussels while my date got fish and chips and side of mushrooms. He was impressed with the portion size and practically drank the mussel's green curry broth. The shrimp had nice kick to it and was messy to eat (server brings hot towels with lemon afterwards), but it's well worth it. Although fried to perfection, we'll probably skip the fish and chips next time and get 3 starters with a side for dinner. Service was prompt with 5:45 p.m. reservation, and hosts and servers were attentive. We finished our meal by 7 p.m. Looking forward to return for lunch or bar service.
(5)Pratik S.
After hearing so many great things about The Optimist, we finally decided to give it a try. We did not have a reservation, but luckily we saw 2 spots open up at the restaurant bar and snatched them up. I loved the classy, open, modern feel of the restaurant. The bartender was very friendly and gave us some great drink and food suggestions. We started with a variety of east and west coast oysters on the half shell. They also have a good selection of beer and wine. For my entrée I ordered the "swimming" black bass and it was AMAZING. The presentation was so unique...it looked just like a swimming fish. I also loved that they served the fish whole with the head on. My wife ordered the monk fish and loved it. We also ordered a side of the basmati fried rice and thought it was the best thing we had. Seriously....order it as a side and I promise you will not regret it. Overall we were very impressed with The Optimist and look forward to going back. They have a constantly changing menu with a focus on fresh, high quality, and sustainable seafood. I loved the variety of fish on the menu...some seafood restaurants seem to focus on shellfish more than fish. The service and décor are both top notch. I also would love to try the oyster bar at some point soon as it has a completely different menu.
(4)Kristin B.
Fantastic! Split three starters: octopus, mussels, and shrimp la plancha. All delicious and big enough to share. I had the swordfish which was delicious and very meaty. Paired well with the onions, pork belly and strawberries. Large portion. My companions had the crispy whole fish and the scallops. We split the hush puppies and shisito pepper sides. Hush puppies were very salty but also had powdered sugar on them. Very interesting. The peppers were good, not too spicy. While the sides were good I didn't really see anything that I thought paired well with the fish. We then split key lime pie and chocolate desserts, which were tasty and big enough to share. Very nice dining experience. Favorites were the starters. All the entree fish were cooked perfectly and were extremely fresh. We all had craft cocktails as well which were tasty but did not seem overly strong. Dinner rolls warm and soft. $2 valet parking. Extensive oyster menu.
(5)Kim N.
This review is based on lunch service only. I'll update my review after I return for dinner service. Our server was very friendly and helpful. I love the the simple decor & the huge glass windows of the Optimist. ~ Lobster roll - absolutely amazing! fresh lobster; I ordered the lobster roll & gumbo combo instead of the lobster roll & fries combo listed on the menu ($5 upcharge) gumbo doesn't taste like your typical gumbo; however, it was very yummy & full of fresh shrimp, oysters, tiny crab claws, and sausages. ~ Butter burger - much better than Bocado and/or Holeman & Finch burger imo ~ Hush puppies beignets style - amazing amazing amazing! the hush puppies and cane sugar butter make a perfect combination & perfect dessert even though this is listed as a side item. Private lot during lunch & dinner Mon - Wed. Valet only Thurs - Sun.
(4)Travis B.
this place reminds me of where top chef contestants go for a cooking challenge. i could just envision tom, padma, and gail sitting next to us glorifying the food! we had a reservation for 8:45. the plane was late and didn't land till 8am. baggage, shuttle, car....we would miss it! but when i called the restaurant, the hostess says "oh no problem...as long as you get here before 11pm, you'll be fine"....YAY! the decor reminds me of a mix between the herb box and culinary dropout in scottsdale. high ceilings, contemporary yet farm-to-table-ish. warm and cozy without being too cluttery. there is an oyster bar upon entry, but we didn't partake even though the server in the oyster bar tried his most charming to bring us a drink! the lady who took us to our table was full of southern charm and our server was beyond pleasant and helpful. the menu is, for lack of a more articulate description, fancy american comfort food with lots of meat. even on their fish. both of our dishes were ridiculously rich and buttery....something we can't do everyday, but delicious for a special dinner. i had the red snapper-2 appearingly small fillets but surprisingly filling. the skin is crisp and the fillet was moist. we ordered the sweet potato, mushroom, and turnip side dishes at 6.5bucks each. my favorites were the turnips with almonds, the mushrooms, and the sweet potato wedges, in that order. the skins on the heirloom sweet potatoes were a bit too chewy and/or hard to bite, but it's not that hard to scrape out the filling. my wife ordered a delicious piece of mahi, only to be served the mahi wrapped in a pork product....which it described on the menu, however, we didn't know what that description was. in any case, our server was super accommodating and sent out a new dish of sea bass in a matter of minutes. it too was delicious, rich, and buttery. i haven't been to downtown atlanta and years, but i remember this area when i was a kid as being quite...."in the hood?". but tonight driving around, there were all sorts of cool looking restaurants, bars, shops, etc. and people walking around enjoying the warm december weather. good find and if you have a chance, you will be well pleased at your choice!
(5)Christy P.
This restaurant was recommended to us by my boyfriend's boss and I must say, we were not disappointed! We made it for the end of the lunch hour so it wasn't very busy. Everything from the atmosphere to the service to the food was stupendous. The restaurant has a rustic nautical look to it with a very open dining area and an oyster bar. We got great service from our waitress Christin who was very helpful in answering our questions about the food. Everything we tried was good but my two favorite dishes were the mussels in a thai coconut curry sauce and the fries with chowder and bacon. Who knew potatoes and chowder went so well together (being from the west coast I could be missing something big here). And the coconut curry sauce was one of the best I've ever had. Definitely will recommend this place to anyone living in or visiting Atlanta.
(4)Ivan S.
This place is probably actually 5 stars but since I've been really stingy with my 5 stars lately AND I've only been here once AND it was only during lunch time AND it was after a massage AND I wasn't that hungry AND I had the day off which put me in a really good mood, the contextualist in me is sticking with four stars. But oh what a four stars. The space was roomy and bright (during the day, at least). The putting green is a nice touch (if even a slight bit douchey, considering my highly personal opinion of those who would love to idle away their time on a putting green.) The service was personable and spot on. The food, while I didn't order much, was delicious. They even let me order a single raw oyster, plating it beautifully enough that it took away the sting of feeling stupid for ordering a single raw oyster. The she-crab soup had me wanting more. The La Plancha, while tasty, wasn't as exotic as it's hyped to be, though. Sure, head-on, shell-on shrimp seems exotic to most, but to an Asian that's called "a Tuesday afternoon." But tasty, though, as I said. I also ordered a Fog Cutter which I enjoyed, but Trader Vic's is still my gold standard for foolish, fruity booze-laden drinks. The wife loved her arugula salad and whatever else she ordered (it escapes me) as well as the "Winter in Cape Cod" cocktail she had. Sure, it's kinda spendy and it's across the street from the Alliance for the Homeless. Ignore all that. Succumb to the beautiful wood-roasted smells of their oven, the clean, brininess of their oysters, the richness of that she-crab soup....that's it....yep, quite a late lunch capper on my day off. Four stars for now.
(4)Preeti M.
I've only been here twice and both were during the week for dinner. Has been amazing both times! Other than their 5:45 pm reservations (which is way too early for me), the food, service and experience has been incredible. If you are a seafood lover, this is your spot. Don't forget to grab a "key" by the bathroom for a fun momento!
(4)Mallory Z.
We ordered the French Kiss oyster which is definitely fabulous. The lobster roll and the grilled octopus are the best in town I'd say. The scallop is not as tender as those scallop sashimi you get at a sushi place... Hmmm and the halibut is Okay. :)
(4)Krista H.
Went there last night for dinner after friends giving it rave reviews. Our waiter, Daniel, was awesome and highly recommend requesting him. The oysters are the best in Atlanta. Hands down!!! Unfortunately our charred ctopus appetizer was more than charred in spots and could have been better. My husband wanted to lick the plate of Georges bank Scallops. They were outstanding. My mingling was ok but the broth delicious. Side of bok choy was some of the best we have ever had. So despite the few things that could have been better we recommend the Optimist! Get the oysters, scallops and bok choy. You won't be disappointed! Bon Appetit!
(4)Hazel J.
Met the owner who shared our love of burgers, and told us to try his opti butter burger: Opti butter burger: definitely a good burger. not the best i have ever had, but it was very good. very rich, very moist. I would consider it a "gourmet" burger vs a traditional burger love the atmosphere - very business-lunch and have a cocktail
(4)Mark J.
The braised lamb shank with polenta and feta was outstanding! Also highly recommend getting oysters, we split half-and-half East Coast and West Coast oysters. And also highly recommend the hush puppies. I wish you could get the lobster roll in the main dining room at dinner but you have to sit at the oyster bar or go there for lunch. All around attention to detail.
(5)Anna D.
I was with a group of 8 at Optimist the other night, and from the reviews I read, I was expecting something a little more impressive. The decor is very cool. It tries to achieve a New England shore house feel, and it mostly hits the mark. There is a bar in the middle of the dining area that is quite a focal point as well. The wine list at the bar was limited, but I enjoyed the pinot noir I ordered, and the wine list in the main dining room (by the glass) is also much more extensive than the one at the bar by the entrance. The food was interesting - at the waitress's suggestion, I ordered the octopus as an appetizer and it was awesome. The rolls they bring out are so saturated with butter that it tastes like butter leaks out as you bite into them, My main course of flounder was also perfectly cooked. I ordered a side of sauteed mushrooms, which were more exotic mushrooms than the ordinary white button mushrooms. However, the meal really lives or dies on the strength of the fish - this is not a place that adds sauces, vegetables, or sides to complement or tone down the fish. While I love seafood, I do tend to prefer some counterpoints to the seafood at the same time. I would probably order more side dishes next time to create my own meal. Lastly, just a minor pet peeve that you are forced to valet (which was free, but there's still the tip) even though the restaurant has its own easily accessible parking lot that you have to drive through to get to the valet station. I came on a Sunday so maybe this is a necessity on more busy nights.
(3)Michelle M.
Excellent food, excellent ambiance, excellent service. The big, open space with high ceilings and lots of light make for an enjoyable experience, and the food is first rate. At the recommendation of our server, we ordered the charred Octopus and it was our favorite dish (we've had many). Scallops, shrimp a la plancha, hush puppies, oysters, lobster roll -- all outstanding.
(5)heather d.
Love this place. The food is amazing and the staff is so attentive! The hush puppies are mind blowing.
(5)Laura T.
Been wanting to try this place for a while now based on reviews from friends. Had lunch here today & was a little mixed in my opinion. The shrimp loaf (po-boy) was tasty. It had 4 or 5 lightly fried, decent-size shrimp on it. However, for the size of the roll, I would have expected a couple more shrimp on there. A lot of the roll just contained lettuce, tomato & sauce. The shoestring fries that came with it were lukewarm at best and a tad overcooked. I ate maybe 4-5 sticks & left the rest of the large mound. I was kinda surprised that the server didn't inquire as to why I left them all on the plate. I also had the she-crab soup. It was okay. Decent flavor, but the sherry was a little overpowering. And if there were any actual pieces of crab in the soup, they were miniscule. We did try the hushpuppies and they were very tasty. I'd order those again in a heartbeat. They were both savory & sweet due to the powdered sugar served on top. My coworkers were both very pleased with their entree selections. One had the lobster salad and the other had the blackened fish sandwich with a side of brussels sprouts. Our server was good. She kept our drinks filled and checked on us without being obtrusive about it. I will visit them again and will most likely opt for the blackened fish sandwich with a side other than the fries.
(3)Samantha M.
Finally got a chance to check this place out 2 weekends ago. Saw on here that someone mentioned live music in the courtyard, which sounded perfect for a saturday evening. Finding seats for 5 on the patio was no problem even though the place was really busy. They have a different menu for the oyster bar & outside, tons of tasty options, but only small plates. The music and drinks were great, very fun atmosphere. When we decided we wanted to a table inside to eat (last minute decision), we were told it would be a 2-3 hr wait (ouch!). We opted to just hang on the patio and eat some small plates & oysters, all delicious. Would love to go back and try items off the full menu. Beware, the servers said weekend nights are always slammed, suggested we make reservations at least a few days out for peak times. Fair enough, I like a place that has good enough food for that high of a demand! Definitely go a little early to enjoy the live music & a cocktail in the courtyard before your reservation :)
(5)DL T.
I celebrated my 56th birthday here. We started in the cocktail area and tried the lobster roll, mussels and oysters which were excellent. We did not have a reservation, but moved to the bar to order the cajun shrimp appetizer which was amazingly delicious!
(5)Andy S.
Went here for a birthday dinner with a group of 6 and everyone left a happy diner. I have to reccomend the warm kale salad with a fried egg on top if it is still on the menu...it was delicious! The staff was not as good as the food though. We all had drinks but when it came to just keeping the water glasses full we ended up having to grab a glass jug and just bring it to our table since the waitress was not very attentive. Still, the food overshadowed the service and I would absolutely return to try something on the menu that seems to change every season.
(4)John T.
Industrial vibe with fish focus. I liked it immediately and started with the she crap soup. This is more a bisque than a traditional chowder but good nonetheless. You must try the octopus. It is part octopus part buffalo wing. the seafood selection is also good I got the corn mill crusted red snapper and it was perfect. with a great bourbon selection, hipster chic waitstaff, nice vibe and good all-around food the Optimus is a hit with friends. Make sure you hit it when you're in Atl.
(4)ZsaZsa E.
My dining club attended this restaurant at the recommendation of a friend. She raved about a few dishes she tried a while ago. The venue is very nice, comfortable and visually interesting, was great for a warm spring day in Atlanta. The valet service was definitely a perk.... Drinks were delicious and unique, the Spanish style charred octopus, kale salad, and fried oysters were a hit with the table. The Monk fish, chicken, and curry rice were just average, nothing to rave about. Service was amazing as well. No complaints there.
(3)Sadiha A.
Love! Love! Love! This was my second time going there and I have wanted to go back since the first time I went. You cant make reservations for more than 4 or 5 on open table so it seems like there are never any open reservations. Call them! Not only is the food amazing, the service is outstanding. Also, the people working there add to the eye candy ;)
(5)Necota S.
Great drinks, great service, great seafood and please request the bread (server may not tell you). The wine list is good and this place is conducive for romance as well as your friends (that you know will pay their portion of one expensive dinner).
(4)Anup S.
Incredible food selection! Phenomenal seafood and beverages, highly recommend and will be a regular!
(5)Jerry G.
Dined with the family recently. My first trip, the family had been to The Optimist before. Fish, fish and more fish.. That's not a bad thing mind you.. First up oysters.. Excellent.. Fresh, on the half shell, delicious.. For a main I had skate wing schnitzel. OK, the presentation side of the fish (the pretty side) was a bit over browned and the bottom of the fish looked like it hadn't hit the frying pan but the fish itself was excellently done.. Family had scallops that looked good, Vermillion Snapper and scallops that all looked equally as nice. Wine list is medium in length and a bit steep in price but, hey, it's an upscale Atlanta eatery so I didn't feel gouged.. Waiter staff is somewhat attentive.. Did the "let's pour out the entire bottle of wine on the first go around" trick but that's rather standard these days. At one point our server sort of "disappeared" and while I want to believe he was just giving us room to talk and sip wine I think he was really working other tables that he could flip faster.. More customers, more orders, more tips, etc. The restaurant itself is very tasteful but suffers from the trappings of the latest open architecture.. A conversation in a normal speaking voice is not possible. The prices were are a bit high but the presentation and quality of the fish is first rate. I would certainly go back next time I'm in Atlanta.
(4)Prisca W.
This is a pretty cool restaurant! This was my first visit, as I haven't hung out in this area in a while. I believe this building was previously an art gallery. But anyway, while I'm not a fan of oysters, the menu is chock full of other tasty offerings! The gumbo was pretty yummy! I'm definitely coming back with friends to sample more of the menu!
(5)Glynn H.
Have eaten there several times and had fantastic food and service. Could not ask for more. But are they still in business???.................have tried via email and phone to make a reservation but no email connectivity and no one is answering the phone or responding to left messages. I certainly hope they are still with us as they are one of the best in Atlanta.
(4)Heather H.
I really wanted to love this place. The restaurant is beautiful and luxurious in a relaxed sort of way. I went for lunch and then had dinner at the oyster bar and both times the food fell flat. The menu sounded amazing and enticing, you wanted to order everything. However, the execution was off. And what I ended up getting was a disappoinment., even their fresh "hot buttered rolls" were cold, hard, and made 12 hours earlier for an overpriced $4.
(3)Meredyth Y.
I have to give the Optimist five stars because the oysters are exceptional, and no other restaurant in Atlanta can match the Optimist's selection and variety. The rest of the food is still very good, but next time, I will go straight to the oyster bar.
(5)Joel Y.
It's the perfect date restaurant. All 10's on list Lighting Food Drinks Service Atmosphere Restroom The restroom one is important for me because I have gone to so many "nice" restaurants to be disappointed by the lack of thought given to their restrooms. But we had some great wine and the oysters. Not a huge fan of them but she convinced me to try some and I'm glad I did. They were prefect. Ruined me for all other oysters anywhere.
(5)David W.
Fourth visit, each time fulfills the hype. Freshest seafood, creatively prepared. Excellent wine and cocktail list. Top notch service and reasonable prices make for an unforgettable night of dining.
(5)Kristen M.
Went to The Optimist with some co-workers for lunch 2/28/13. Everything was amazingly delicious and well-thought out. Love the decor and the service was excellent. Our party had the shrimp loaf, blackened mahi sandwich and lobster roll. Definitely try the hushpuppies; and the grapefruit sorbet & chocolate mousse was great, too. Will definitely be back.
(5)Tim S.
If your black, stay back...After sitting at the bar for 20 minutes without be recognized I decided to move directly in front of the bar and still wasn't waited on until the other 2 W patrons who had just set down were finished being severed. I had a few words with the bartender, nothing outrageous, I just informed him of the situation at hand. He obliged by not charging me for my wine, which again, wasn't as full as the W patrons. Any-who, I was there to check out the Oysters. I'm not a big Oyster guy, but when I was in Boston last week I was at a place called the Island Creek Oyster bar on Commonwealth Ave, again, I'm not a big Oyster guy, but Island Creek had the BEST Oysters I ever tasted in my LIFE. The Oysters at Optimist was like going to Walmart for Oysters. Very small, no juice, grainy, and AGAIN very small!!!!! I love seafood, so my quest is that you need to go coastal for quality. Bad experience, all the way around....
(1)Jacob W.
The oysters are pricy but really good.
(4)Julie S.
Very cool atmosphere especially for lunch. Everything we had was delicious but I was especially blown away by the hush puppies and the white fish chowder. I got the lobster roll for my main course and I loved it. It was not very large, about the size of a hot dog roll but I didn't mind because I had already filled up on appetizers and my soup. The service was also amazing. I definitely want to return soon!
(5)Chloe B.
Great, fresh seafood. Pricey but you get what you pay for. It was very crowded when we went, so just be aware that this isn't a quiet, romantic spot.
(5)Fred J.
In my review universe, a place has to be really stellar to get 5 stars. Last night at The Optimist, well, it was stellar. First off, Keisha was our server and was extremely helpful and gracious. Lure might want to take notice, as Keisha was exemplary. Okay, I'm picking up this review where I left off, and that's at least 6 weeks ago. The point is, The Optimist was/is fantastic and you should go. Period.
(5)Ashley W.
O-M-G!!!! This place is totally awesome. The food is totally awesome, but the customer service is some of the best that I have EVER experienced in Atlanta. This alone makes it a fine establishment. I ordered the salmon which was good. I sampled the halibut and yum yum! The hushpuppies are to die for and the she crab soup with the shrimp toast is a winner too. Will definitely be venturing here again. But be warned, reservations can be difficult so plan accordingly!
(5)Kathleen M.
Yep, still wholeheartedly in love. The lobster roll (always on the menu at lunch, sometimes at dinner) might be the best $14 you can spend on food in Atlanta. The fish house punch, only available at the oyster bar, is the one and only punch I've ever fallen head over heels in love with. The staff is all warm, helpful and kind. If something gets messed up, they take care of it, no questions asked. The desserts are now made by Sugar Coated Radical's Taria, so you won't regret pushing your stomach beyond comfort to wedge one in. The napkins are heinously linty. Don't wear black.
(5)Melissa B.
I had a great first visit here and hope to have many more. They've got things split up with the Oyster bar on the back end and a full bar upfront. We sat at the Oyster Bar while waiting for a table. Plenty of small plates, oysters and a selection of punches and a few beers at this bar. This side is open air to the patio and is much quieter than the main bar and dining area. I could see myself having a little oyster/beer happy hour here after work. The main dining area has an open view of the kitchen and high arch ceilings. I love the open feel and I must mention the mighty comfy looking cushioned bar stools :-) The cocktails I tried were awesome. Gin with celery bitters? OK! And the other gin cocktail with a smoke salmon garnish? Money. I loved them both and think they have a nice selection of uniquer flavors on their cocktail menu. The oysters (while I'm not expert) were absolutely perfect. The clams/pork belly appetizer is very flavorful and has a nice spice to it. Tempura green beans were good as well. The service was perfect. The bar tender at the Oyster Bar was very quick to take drink orders and actually explain the difference between the two bars. We were seated right at our reservation time I believe and our waitress was great. It was a full house and certainly busy, but didn't seem frantic at all. I'm excited for this new addition to the west side and based on my experience I'm sure it'll stick around.
(5)Vida D.
I can't say too much. I went for a wine tasting and only had a few appetizers. It has a great atmosphere, it isa perfect after work drink spot. I met up with friends and chatted away for a while. I'll have to go back for dinner and update my review.
(3)Sabrina C.
The Optimist was great - we stopped in for a snack before a later afternoon wedding on a saturday and sat in the raw bar area. We shared 4 small plates: Opti Chips, charred octopus, garlic lime chili shrimp, and some oysters on the half with a few beers (not a bad selection and it looked like they had some interesting punches as well). The chips were good but odd served with Mayo ? The favorite dish by far was the garlic lime shrimp - it was delish! The outside had a cute golf course and a live band - nice atmosphere.
(4)M H.
The bartender knew how to correctly make a Sidecar. I complimented him on that and he told me the boss requires them to know how to make ALL vintage cocktails. That kind of thing goes a long way with me. The salted bread and the oysters were out of this world. Good service too. Fun Friday night crowd. Lives up to the hype.
(4)Chucky C.
Very well prepared and delicious. While the menu is somewhat limited it has a very good selection of seafood. The sides were exceptional especially the brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes. Service was good but not exceptional. The setting was pleasant and not too loud. Will return.
(4)LaShawna F.
What a great place. Just recently had dinner there for a friend's birthday. The food was great and so were the cocktails. The staff was very friendly and our waiter gave us some great suggestions. Definitely worth the price.
(4)Carolina B.
I was really excited to try this place out, but came away disappointed. I had a specialty drink to start - the Beach Shanty - really good! Moved on to the she-crab and shrimp toast appetizer - wasn't much crab in the soup that I could tell, mostly cream. It also lacked flavor - so I ended up asking for salt and pepper. The shrimp toast was okay, but on the greasy side. My friend had the same and wasn't impressed with the soup either. I was going to have the scallops, but the server recommended the Alaskan Halibut. I should have stuck with the scallops because after a fairly long wait and lots of apologies, the halibut was just alright. The top was really tough and hard and the rest was really bland. Had to use salt here too. I will say the sides - a mushroom plate and a tomato plate - were really flavorful, which made me happy but also angry. You shouldn't enjoy the sides more than the meal! This was a fairly expensive dinner out (about $50) and the meal left me hungry for something more satisfying. I really hope this place gets better on the food front because everything else is perfect: the service is outstanding, the space is gorgeous, plentiful free parking... everything is top notch but the food, which is sad. I do think think they need to separate the dining room from the oyster bar - the energy/atmosphere is very different for both, not to mention they keep the door open in the oyster bar and we had several flies comes bother us throughout our meal.
(2)Leanne E.
I went on a Friday night and chose to be seated on the patio as the dining room was booked. I tried octopus for the first time and liked it. The server was very nice. The lobster roll was nothing short of "dear Lord sweet baby Jesus" it was a small version of what Bocado serves. I did enjoy my meal, it was a nice night. I do agree, it's very RHOBH. I gave it a 3, because it's not as good as Local 3 or Two Urban Licks.
(3)Anthony T.
Very elegant and pricy place. The shrimp a la plancha was really great and ordered red grouper and fried rice both good. But my date and I had to sit at bar because we didn't have reservations so if u want a table reserve way ahead of time. A little pricy but food was good
(4)Brandy T.
Awesome ambience! Great food! Live music, small course of mini golf. Will definitely be back!
(5)Gina N.
My boyfriend took me here on my birthday because we are fans of the show Atlanta Eats and since they were featured on there we thought we would give it a shot and I am so glad we did. Their seafood is fresh and their flavors are delicious! He had the scallops with mushrooms and Brussels.I had the lobster roll with hush puppies. Let me tell you about those hush puppies...I am not really a fan of them, but our server recommended them so I tried them and I would say they are the best hush puppies I have ever had! The lobster roll was made with lobster claw meat mixed with some celery and their seasonings on a toasted sweet roll. I was in a food coma. I will definitely be back!
(5)Jen H.
As soon as you arrive you'll see The Optimist is one of those warehouse type restaurants in the middle of nowhere, like Two Urban Licks. Second thing you'll notice is the valet only parking, which I hate. The interior is bright and spacey with a view of the kitchen and a cool bar. There is also the bar area near the entrance. Staff is friendly and nice but they are a little inattentive and seem inexperienced. They were too busy chatting with each other to seat us even though we were the first party at the restaurant at opening time (we were waiting at the bar) and they had already seated several parties in the dining room. I think the best part of the meal was the bread and butter they bring out at the beginning. Portions are small and not filling, even for a lightweight like me. The seared rare tuna was neither rare enough nor tasty enough. I have never had a restaurant mess up rare tuna since a good tuna tastes delicious with minor seasoning. However the rare tuna here was underwhelming and lacked flavor. I also thought the scallops tasted too fishy-- it was not an enjoyable taste. The duck fat swordfish was also just okay. The fish and chips were pretty good, though you are paying $18 for pub food. That is not what I go to a nice restaurant for-- I can find excellent fish and chips at the food trucks for half the price. All in all, I would not come here again.
(2)AV G.
When I read the article in Esquire that this was the country's best new restaurant, i was eager to enjoy my company's xmas lunch here. The place is cool; an indoor/outdoor space that is a Florida/southern style (not that i am an expert on this look). We had a pre-fixe menu lunch that was passed apps of great french fries, not good charred octopus,nasty tuna tartare and mushy fried oysters (although the breading was good). I then had the best caesar salad EVER followed by a very very good half chicken that was boned out. Excellent 'nana puddin' for desert. Very large portions. Good place--I would like to go back
(4)Cassie P.
Never disappoints!
(5)Somee K.
The Optimist lives up to its name. Everyone we came into contact with genuinely looked happy. I reserved a table for 2 at 9:15 PM. We got there on the dot and were seated immediately. This usually does not happen at restaurants even with reservations so I was pleased. We were seated at a table by the window and it was so romantic. My boyfriend is always taking me to new, trendy restaurants so I wanted to treat him out this time and I am happy that we both got to try The Optimist for the first time together. We asked our server what he recommended and without hesitation, he pointed to the Scallops so we both ordered scallops and assorted mushrooms. Honestly, the food was mediocre. The scallops were good but they tasted like any other scallops I've had before. It came with 4 pieces, which were not filling at all. Nothing particularly outstanding about the food. However, the ambiance was perfect for our date. It created an intimate atmosphere for my boyfriend and I. It was simple yet lavish. I was very content with my restaurant selection. On top of that, we ran into my best friend. We shared many happy moments at that restaurant. No wonder it's called The Optimist. I would come here again but next time, I'll try a different dish.
(4)J P.
Went for business dinner with out of town colleague - although the food was tasty the service was 'rush-rush' - whoa, sloooow down. Ordered the clams as starter to share and each of us ordered an app - all came out at same time - so dilemma was - cold clams or limp salad....given the price points here they should know better than this - shame on the wait staff - i know you want to turn a table but when you're spending $160 for 2 - you dont plan on eat and run as the mantra....then waiter came 3 times during our entrees to ask "are you still working on that?" - why yes, thats why i was holding my knife and fork!!
(4)Ken B.
One of the best meals that I have had. There aren't that many good seafood options in Atlanta, and this one would be good in pretty much any city. Wife, Mother and I went as a late birthday celebration and we started with the Clam Roll appetizer. This is really really good. I really could eat a couple of these things and just call it a meal. Also the starting bread is really good the way you wish it was good at all restaurants. It is warm, slightly buttered and topped with sea salt. Really good. The appetizer was so good and there were so many interesting appetizer options that we thought we were going to regret ordering appetizers. Boy were we wrong. I had the scallops served over a short rib with some sort of muscadine sauce. Really Really Good. My mom had the flounder which was also amazing. I didn't know that flounder was this tasty of a fish. Wifey had the monkfish which we don't see nearly enough on menu's in the south, but is a great fish and here was very well prepared. The side items are also really good. We tried the tandoori style fried rice which was the winner. But the field peas and corn tasted very fresh and was also good. This would be one of the few restaurants that every single thing I tried wound up tasting amazing. Definitely an expensive meal, but the quality of the food lived up to the price.
(5)Nestor R.
Service was top notch! Thanks Andrew! Our table had: whole snapper (awesome albeit a bit salty), blackened mahi (solid, but just ok), cobia (very good), and monk fish (I didn't try, but the verdict wasn't too good - chewy). Appetizers: grilled octopus (fantastic!!), little gem/Caesar salad (very good), arctic char (minuscule, but good). Our sides: Brussels sprouts (good, but very salty), collards (inedible), fried rice (delicious), hush puppies (what's not to love?). We had various desserts and they were all tasty. Overall Optimist lives up to its reputation and hype. I'm not giving it 5-stars because there was an underlying saltiness to many of the dishes and the sides were generally weak. That should not be the case at a top restaurant. Pricey, but a good special occasion option.
(4)Christine U.
My boyfriend and I came here for our 3rd anniversary dinner because he read on The Week that it was one of the best restaurants in the US. We were definitely not disappointed! The charred octopus was by far the star of the night. PERFECTLY prepared and the accompaniments were very well thought out. Our entrees were also very well cooked and the service was excellent. The only low note was the carrot side that we got. It was crazy salty and a little burnt. I believe they've since taken them off the menu so I'm sure everything there now is great. Would definitely go back and I would certainly recommend it for special occasions!
(4)Erin H.
I chose The Optimist for my birthday celebration meal this year. We arrived about an hour early to sit outside and have a cocktail before moving to the table. I let the hostess know about our plans. She kept an eye on the clock, and came to get us at our reservation time. Very nice! Our cocktails were very tasty and nicely balanced. A word of warning, however: the jalapeno infused drink is far from mild. We also tried the peel and eat shrimp, which were perfectly cooked and well seasoned. We were lucky enough to get a table right next to the window. The space is huge. I was honestly a little worried that the large space meant that the food wouldn't be good. I was dead wrong. The rolls that are brought out at the beginning of the meal are awesome. I had the swordfish, and my husband ordered the halibut. Both dishes were cooked and seasoned perfectly. I am pretty picky about fish, and this was, by far, the best fish I have had in recent memory. The halibut was particularly succulent. The wine list had good depth; I was happy to see vinho verde as an option! Too full for a big dessert, we opted for the white pepper ice cream to finish. I wish I could have taken a pint home. I'm beyond excited that The Optimist lived up to its reputation. I cannot wait to go back.
(5)Christopher K.
Lovely venue that offers a variety of settings. A dinner setting which I would recommend reservations. A bar setting with small plates and refreshing cocktails for small get togethers and a more intimate room for special occasions. We sat at the bar and our server Mike took us on a tour of their most delicious and house specialties. Starting with an array oysters, grilled octopus, steamed clams, soft shell crab, shishito peppers and some pretty amazing fried rice. All with fresh made cocktails to compliment the dishes. What an amazing night!!!
(5)Dio S.
Good seafood restaurants are always welcome addition. Like other FF restaurants, Optimist is well conceptualized with trend setting menu, mostly solid executions, and stunning space. The restaurant had halfheartedly marketed itself as evoking the charm of a seafood shack on the New England shore. What we really have is large high ceiling dining room, enormous fancy bar, gorgeous natural lighting via gigantic windows which makes it a pleasure to visit early evening or at lunch time. It does not look like a seafood shack, ha ha. It looks every bit as elegant and recognizable as the other FF creations. That's good enough for me. I ate here a few times over the past two years. It's mostly hits with just some misses. The menu is easy to like: small plates and sides are many and varied. Many oysters. The requisite lobster roll. Most of the mains come with different, unique preparations, sides, and/or sauces. The fancy bar makes you want to order one of the trendy cocktails, which at any FF restaurant usually turns out to be quite delightful. I like almost all the small plates I ate here, except for the soups which makes me sad. If you are a traditionalist with seafood preparation, you might not like the mains as much. I am not a traditionalist but I still felt a couple times where the fish was messed with a bit too much or that there's just too much distractions in a smothered plating of lots of different things (delicious things, though) on the fish. I have no verdict on who has Atlanta's best lobster roll. Optimist's will certainly not disappoint. Overall, even if the food is not perfect and there probably isn't any dish I would crave and regularly want to eat, Optimist delivers a smooth, pleasurable dining experience, with foods that generally excite, very much meeting justifiably high expectation of a FF restaurant. And is a good option on the Howell Mill corridor that has become a mini food mecca over the years.
(4)Dawn L.
At last :drumroll: I made it into The Optimist! Surprisingly, we were able to walk right in and get a table. For starters we ordered the Mussels in the Green Curry Coconut Broth, I just couldn't get my boyfriend to be adventurous enough to try the charred octopus as I was hoping. :whimpers: However, the mussels were excellent! I was one fraction of a second off from lapping it up like a dog, right there perched on the table. Their complimentary dinner rolls were absolute heaven soaked up in this creamy spicy decadent sauce. I also ordered two of their raw oysters, I LOVE the little house-made saltines & fresh horseradish that they come with. I ordered the Grouper with Rock Shrimp and Bacon in a Lemon Sauce, while I enjoyed it, I also found it mildly bland, it could have just used a *little* something extra. The grouper had a wonderful crispy exterior, and was cooked to perfection inside. My boyfriend ordered the Blackened Mahi with Charred Jalapeno Butter, this was my favorite, while my grouper was his! As a side I ordered the Basmati Fried Rice with Smoked Fish and Curry. It was the only side dish without meat we could find to order, and I am glad I did, I could make a meal out of this alone! The saltiness of the smoked fish and crispness of the peanuts was an explosion of happiness to my taste buds. To finish we had the Salted Caramel Ice Cream, what can I say, it was sweet, salty, creamy and full of what dreams are made of.
(5)cath g.
What the heck is the deal with the parking now??? Can't even get in safely!!! The food was good last time but damn that construction project prevented us from even dining there!
(1)Nemil S.
Free valet parking. They don't seat until the party is there (even if only one is missing). Sat at the oyster bar and got some drinks while we were waiting for the other guests to arrive. Interesting/unique cocktail selection, although not a lot that caught my eye as a bourbon and whiskey fan. Apps - Oysters - I enjoyed the oysters, although I am not too picky. The other's at the table seem to enjoy them as well. Cocktails - We received the wrong martini and the waiter had poor knowledge of the beer selection. When we did receive our correct order, it was a decent martini (not that it's too hard to make a gin martini). Octopus Appetizer - Would have been nice if it ever showed up. Fried Whole Haddock - 5/5 - Perfectly fried, nice and flaky and flavorful. The presentation was wonderful and the taste was exceedingly delicious. I would definitely recommend!! I only wish they had more of the other items on the dish. Side Mushrooms - 4/5 - a good variety of mushrooms, but I'm also bias because I love mushrooms. Brussel Sprouts - 3/5 - decent. Good sized portion, not a big fan of brussel sprouts in general. Our server was not knowledgeable and slow--the service really ruined the entire experience for us. The food was good.
(3)Dina S.
Do not miss the fabulous food at the Optimist. We had a wonderful lunch at the bar. The restaurant has a fun, hip vibe, not stuffy. Our server was incredibly informative and attentive. He suggested a terrific mussel appetizer and a perfect wine pairing! The mahi fish sandwich and lobster roll were delicious. I did not love their seafood gumbo, but everything else was amazing! To top off our meal, we had a celebrity sighting!
(4)Ryan V.
Really good seafood. I took my my wife here for an "all-out" birthday dinner and we were not disappointed. We started with the razor clams which were chopped up with potatoes in sort of an au-graten hash. We also had what the menu called an "opportunity" which was a black bass crudo. Both were outstanding. My wife had the Monkfish with octopus in a tomato broth. Fish was great, octopus was beyond tender. I had the duck fat poached swordfish served with butternut squash and pork belly. The swordfish was surprisingly dry but still very good and it actually worked with the super fatty pork belly to balance it out. The brussels sprouts are amazing. Not to be missed. We also had the collard greens which were quite tasty but I honestly could have eaten another side of brussels instead. We also had a "s'mores" ice cream sandwich for dessert. It came with two whole ice cream sandwiches which is great for sharing but that wasn't explicit on the menu. They were quite good. Overall I would definitely eat there again and recommend it to anyone for a nice romantic or power business dinner. I would have given 4.5 stars because there were a few spots of waiting on our waiter and also their valet system is ridiculous. It was in the low 40s and the heater wasn't turned on while waiting 5+ minutes for them to fetch the car from god knows where. Also the cocktails could have been a little boozier but they were pretty interesting. All of those are minor complaints greatly overshadowed by the amazing food.
(5)Maurice D.
My partner and I had reservations here for 6:45 on a Sunday evening. We arrived approximately 10 minutes prior to our reservation time and was able to be seated immediately. The Optimist has been on my list of restaurants to try for the past few months, so I was excited about what our evening would entail. The seating enrangements at The Optimist immediately turned me off. We were sandwiched in between two other dining couples, not even an arms length away. We could hear the conversations of both couples and I'm sure they could easily hear ours. I enjoy having private, intimate conversations with my partner, especially in such a beautiful romantic setting alluded by the restaurant, so this was unfortunate. A server brought us glasses of water and fresh bread with butter and sea salt as a starter while we glanced over the menu. Several moments later our server came to the table, introducing herself, and giving the spiel on the dinner specials for the evening. I was not interested because I knew exactly what I had came here to try and was to be persistent on getting it- The Lobster Roll. For Appetizers, my partner ordered the Simple Salad and I order the Fried Oysters. Both appetizers were standard, nothing mind-blowing. For dinner entrees I was insistent on getting The Lobster Roll, when our server said it was a lunch menu item, I asked if an exception could possibly be made. She had to check with "higher-ups" in the kitchen and they granted my request. GOOD. My partner, opted for the standard Fish & Chips. As a side to share, we ordered the hush puppies, which is one of their popular menu items. The food was standard, again nothing mind-blowing. The lobster roll was extremely salty to me. Maybe I should have been expecting that, but certainly not that salty. By the end of our meal, our server warmed up to us and began telling us her life story. Very sweet girl though. An Atlanta native. Don't meet too many of those in this town anymore. We ended up skipping desert at the restaurant and stopped by Krispy Kreme Donuts on the way home. Those indulging, succulent donuts were the best thing we had all evening.
(3)Justin K.
Excellent food. The staff is very accommodating and very knowledgeable on the menu. The atmosphere is very nice. I highly recommend this place. You're missing out if you don't come here. Valet parking only so come prepared or get dropped off.
(5)Marina M.
The Optimist was good, but... That's the problem, there are a few flaws that keep me from giving it 4 stars. Although the restaurant said they would work with my severe dairy intolerance (I can't even have butter), but that is apparently a tall order in the South. The waiter tried really hard, but many of the appetizers were not alterable. The bread itself is made with butter, though it looked delicious. I ended up trying the lobster roll, sans bread. Although all of the excellent reviews made me want to try it, it was just okay and overpriced at $21. I had the grouper entree, which didn't need to be altered since it is pan seared in olive oil. It was tasty, but with very sparse accompaniments and slightly over seared. I ordered the beet, farro, mizzuna side to supplement, and it was tasty, but over salted and the yellow beets were very starchy. I had the cranberry sorbet for dessert, which was tasty but was overly generously seasoned with mulling spices. Nice idea because there isn't much you can do with cranberries, but it was over powering. For a $90+ dinner for one (solo business traveler), I was underwhelmed and frustrated that I overpaid for what I got. (White Oak was better the following night and didn't involve a cab fare.)
(3)Mariel J.
I really enjoyed dinner at the Optimist. It was difficult to get reservations (though I think you may have better luck if you just grab a spot at the bar), but it was worth the wait. We had some oysters to start - a bit expensive, but definitely very fresh and tasty, and their homemade sauce was very good. From there, we had the mussels and charred octopus. The mussels were good, but didn't have the punch I expected from green curry and chiles. The octopus was some of the best I've had - very tender. At about this point in our meal is where we ran into a bit of a bump - we'd finished all of the starters, and had been chatting away. Our waiter stopped by at one point to refresh drinks and said he was working to get our main courses out soon. It was only when we looked at the clock that we realized it'd been about 45 minutes since we finished the starters. The atmosphere was great, so we were happy to have a long dinner, except that we were planning to see a concert that night (we'd planned about 2 hours for dinner, but it was getting tight). We mentioned it to the waiter, and he explained that there was a back-up in the kitchen, but that he would do everything he could. The manager also stopped by to say he understood we were on a schedule, and that he'd work on it and comp part of our meal for the inconvenience. I was really impressed at just how attentive they were and how seriously they took our desire to get to the concert, even though we hadn't mentioned it in advance (when we first sat down). Shortly after, our main course came - halibut, which was very good, along with a side of mushrooms and the basmati fried rice. All of these were tasty, but the standout dish of the whole meal for me was the fried rice - it has smoked fish, curry, crushed peanuts, and egg, and was unlike anything I'd had before - it was sooooo good! Overall, great restaurant, and definitely a place we'll be back to!
(5)Ali S.
the oysters were fresh and delicious, didn't have a fishy taste or smell about them at all. the garnishes were well prepared. i did expect more than a selection of 2 oysters though from a seafood restaurant the cheesecake's crust was a little too buttery, especially with the mascarpone and whip cream. it was still good though. it's have that hard, refrigerated feel to it. the whip cream was thick and freshly whipped, not out of a can the decor was gorgeous, atmosphere peaceful they should put a sign directing you to self-parking so you don't have to valet
(4)ester k.
great atmosphere and decor. good drinks. service was pretty good. the food was good but I'm not sure it's worth the money. it's very expensive, and i thought the food was not as good as it costs. I would try it if you have the money to spend, but don't feel like you're missing out on anything spectacular if you don't go.
(3)Dean O.
Was able to get in for lunch on my birthday without a reservation which was comforting since they are packed to the gills for dinner... See what I did there? Anyway I started with the she crab soup which was good but just too rich for me. I don't think I could get it again. However the shrimp toast that came with it was awesome. I got the lobster roll and fries for lunch. How can something so simple be so divine? Seemed like a whole lobster was on that bun. That being said I'll pass on the fries next time. You know when fries get so thin they're difficult to eat? Also server was a little strange... Every time we ordered something it was her most favorite thing on the menu.
(4)Jamillah S.
I was totally excited about going to The Optimist last night for my boyfriend's birthday; I'd heard so many wonderful things about the restaurant. For appetizers, he had oysters and I had the kale salad. For entrées, he ordered the lamb and I had scallops. In "cute" couple fashion, we shared each other's meals excluding the oysters because I don't care for raw food (it's a texture thing). The food was delicious and the service was great! Unfortunately, within an hour of returning home from the restaurant, my boyfriend became violently ill--vomiting and the whole bit (a classic case of food poisoning). Today, I called the restaurant and after speaking to the manager and explaining my ruined evening, I was issued a bland apology. My ask was simple: please refund the oyster portion of our meal...less than 10% of the bill's total cost; I was told NO. Specifically, she told me, in the case of food poisoning numerous people call in reporting sickness; evidentially, because no one else has called in there was nothing they could do. However, she will keep my name on file should anyone else call in; thus, proving it was in fact a bad batch of oysters. In my opinion, this was pretty poor response--I won't return and won't recommend them to anyone else. Honoring my meager request would have retained a loyal customer and spurred endless good publicity. I've concluded they don't care about the power of 1 and have a pretty solid policy in place for WHEN they have outbreaks of food poisoning. .
(1)Mary Margaret B.
I had a wonderful experience at The Optimist. The staff is knowledgable, and they have a great wine list! I feel like our servers name was Dotty. I also had copious amounts of alcohol so please just know she was amazing and I hate that this review is being written weeks later and not everything is fresh in my mind. The famous charred octopus app was every inch as amazing as I had heard it was. We also ordered Hendricks martinis a bottle of wine which I can't remember the name of except it was a Pinot Noir, and it was excellent suggestion given by our server. We decided to all pick an entrée so we could share around the table. I chose the hanger steak medium rare. We also had the swordfish and the trout. I will say that the portions are unbelievably small, however the food was so delicious it felt like it was worth every cent. Having split entrées between four people each person got a very small portion of each but it was the best way to try everything. Only complaint- the high ceilings, bright lights, and low music gives off a slight 'cafeteria' feel. The low rumble of conversation was all I could hear at one point... Next time I will set at the oyster bar and partake in some of the oysters as everybody says this is an extremely important part of the optimist and something that should not be missed. We finished our meal with some tawny ports, and some warm grandma. Yum!
(4)Jennifer B.
Fantastic "small plates" at the Optimist Oyster Bar last night. My riend and I strolled in at about 9 on a Friday night & scored 2 seats at the Oyster Bar (first come). We had some nice wine - I enjoyed VERY much a plate of grilled vegetables - cauliflower, broccoli, green pepper, chilis, etc. Spicy, with a bit of cheese on top. So delicious. I also had the whole (head too) georgia white shrimp with garlic, lime and chile. Wonderful sauce and a nice big piece of bread to soak up all the yumminess. Messy eating but oh so good. My friend had the mussels - very fresh and delicious - great sauce. We finished up with the Savannah Style Beignets - my friend LOVED it but for me it was just a big pile of sweet dough - I took a little taste and not for me. But I'm not a big sweets person. I love the way this restaurant has 2 concepts in one - the Oyster Bar, more casual setting and small plates menu - very high energy! Kick back with a beer and some great oysters or seafood dishes.The main dining room is a bit more sleek and elegant - gorgeous bar, dinner menu. I'd like to dress up and have a martini there.
(5)Brian K.
The few times I've been here, the service has been nothing but excellent. The staff is always happy to accommodate your needs if it's within their ability. The decor is very rustic and open. The atmosphere is lively and enjoyable. The food was amazing and fresh. I would highly suggest getting the Spanish Octopus and Shrimp a la Pancha as your appetizers. Would come back here again.
(4)Erika E.
Finally made it to The Optimist for dinner last weekend and I am so glad that I did! The food, the drinks, the service, and the beautiful atmosphere all made for a wonderful dining experience. We decided to order some fresh raw oysters for appetizers, and I had the cornmeal crusted sea bass with an order of hush puppies on the side for the main course. I wanted to try dessert, but I was stuffed and couldn't have eaten another bite if I tried. I look forward to going back to The Optimist to try one of those lobster rolls for lunch one day and would totally recommend this place for anyone looking for a phenomenal dining experience.
(5)Geordie J.
Better than average. Wife loved her scallops, I was underwhelmed with the blackened mahi. Way too much seasoning and slightly overcooked. You must try the spicy clam roll starter, that was amazing. Had a side of crispy fingerling potatoes with bacon that were very good. Atmosphere is typical for a newer, hip restaurant in west midtown; open, light and airy, with all of the servers in the usual plaid shirt and skinny jeans. Service was above par, very attentive. It was a hot day today so I drank a lot of water, they must have refilled seven times. I had the bourbon special, which was very good. I'd definitely return, but would not recommend the mahi. The cornmeal-crusted snapper was my second choice so I'll try that next time.
(4)Kenny N.
Upon looking and searching for anniversary dinner location, optimist came up as a top seafood restaurant here in Atlanta... Made reservation at 5:30 because that was only time available..and yes they were very busy...We ordered Appetizers Crab soup and shrimp toast 9 Spanish octopus 14 Entrée Lobster roll 24 Fish and chips 21 Side Hush puppies 6.5 Soup was very salty, and didn't like it at all. Spanish octopus was well cooked and steamed, and fermented bok choy complemented the dish very well, but they should name it Korean kimchi octopus since it tasted exactly like kimchi octopus .. Although lobster roll was not on the 2015menu, our waiter said we can order it.. And My wife loved every bite of it..then again you can't really go wrong with lobster.. I had the fish and chips and it was nothing out of ordinary.. Hush puppies was on the average side also.. Interior design of the restaurant was very open and modern.. Loved the furnishings and decor.. Some what romantic and detailed.. Only problem I had was that our table was way too close the next tables..it made me feel like I was having dinner with the couple next to me.. At this price range I need some elbow room:( Service was good and our waiter checked on us often.. I find the optimist very romantic place and perfect place to dine with some fine wine with your family and friends.. Although, I got the impression that lot of foods are on the salty side to complement your alcohol..
(3)John C.
Outstanding food and service! We had a large party (12) on a Wed night, but were seated on time and the service was great from begging to end. Everyone enjoyed the appetizers and seafood dishes. Being skeptical or seafood places I don't know, I opted for the skirt steak, which was delicious and perfectly cooked. The Tuscan kale salad was unique and particularly terrific. Wine list was balanced with some good choices. Only negative was the parking, but they managed the valet well enough.
(5)Loren B.
If a man were to propose, he would need to do it at the Optimist for me to say yes. I absolutely love this place. Upscale, classy, with personal touches that makes it feel very welcoming. Definitely a high roller type of place to eat and who doesn't love their mini golf course in the front. The food is absolutely amazing. Best gumbo of my life and the crab cakes were sooooo GOOD.. Definitely looking forward to come back again. The servers were friendly and the service was top notch.
(5)Mai H.
My friend and I had greasy food for the past couple of days so we decided to splurge on our last night in Atlanta. We came here due to the near perfect review. Gumbo - taste funny and bitter. It looked very black for some reason. I Informed the waiter and he said kitchen apologized. Took order off our bill. Thank you. Fried oyster - oyster was very fresh. But the breading fell apart and was very soggy. Left most of the breading uneaten. Fish chowder - watery like a milk broth with ingredients thrown in it. It was forgettable. Definitely don't have the feel and look of a chowder. Baked oyster - I can't tell if the oyster was fresh or not. It was prepared with a hefty layer of sea salt and garmishes. I just did not realized the amount of the salt that was on that oyster. Unfortunately, i ate the oyster with all the preparations and I was not happy when the oyster hit my tongue. It was like eating a spoonful of salt with a small soft pouch of something that burst in my mouth. This this the point where I thought to myself it was a mistake to come here and I want to cancel the rest of my meal but I didn't act upon it Grilled squid - sold out Grilled Mahi - was very watery as if it wasn't completely thawed or it was boiled prior to putting on the grill for grill marks. The fish was not truly grilled. We can taste the grains of salt on fish. Part of it was very salty. Part of it was very bland. We just threw the fish in our mouth and quickly ask for a check. Service - not so good. I thought this restaurant was suppose to be a bit on the high class since the prices are not cheap. A drop of sauce got on the table and the waiter ignored it. We decided to shared an entree. He placed a sharing spoon about an inch next to the sauce on the table and left. I thought to myself this is unacceptable in this kind of environment. I was sort of annoyed. I have to remind the waiter to refill my drink. I felt a bit ignored by our waiter. I shouldn't but I put down my 20% tip. We got out of there as fast as we can because there was not a chance we will buy another dish from the menu not even dessert. Overall, they have fresh ingredients but dont know how to cook them. I think the main chef was out of town for the night and left an apprentice to take over because there is no way yelpers will give this kind of ratings with what I just experienced. This place is definition very memorable for me, but all for the wrong reasons.
(1)Jennifer H.
Appetizers were awesome and good size. Octopus was so soft and the sauce was just great. Large shrimp was cooked perfectly. Their bread is buttery that you can see and feel the melted real butter. Probably the best dinner roll I have ever had anywhere... The whole fried snapper was good, but seemed overpriced. Soft inside and crispy outside. Cobia was plain and again overpriced. Will come back for dinner but order a few appetizers and try the oysters. And of course just to get their dinner rolls. The place looks spacious and nice.
(4)Jennifer V.
This is hands down the best meal I have had in Atlanta since we moved here 18 months ago. The food was so delicious - from the octopus to the swordfish poached in duck fat, to the cornmeal encrusted flounder. The flavors were so different from what I am used to, yet so complimentary. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and we took his recommendations as to what to order. It was truly a terrific experience and I highly recommend it. AND this is coming from someone who is not really a fish person!
(5)Thi T.
Came back during lunch for the infamous lobster roll. Honestly don't understand the rave. The chunks of lobster were big and tender but the sandwich was not very flavorful. I also got the frothy she crab soup which lived up to its frothy description. The soup was a bit too fishy for my taste though. The shrimp toast that came with it was very greasy, if that is your cup of tea. I made reservations for 1230, just in case it was packed. Sure enough, the lot was full but the valet attendants were prompt. We were seated immediately and the server was very friendly. I give this a 2.5 at most. I don't consider the food to be of average deliciousness an I definitely did not feel it was worth the price.
(2)Jamie S.
Optimist has it all...ambiance, amazing food, and hand crafted drinks. We ordered a bit of everything from oysters, halibut, swordfish, kale salad to gumbo soup. The sides are shared portions....highly recommend the award winning fried rice! There is a putting green outside with an outdoor dining patio as well. Great experience!
(5)Ray M.
Today after much ado I finally was able to eat here. The service was great the ambience simple yet elegant. I had the shrimp appetizer it was quite good probably the best thing I ate. Though tasty it was very messy. I also had the scallops and a friend had the sword fish. Both were perfectly cooked . But not exceptional in flavor . The hush puppies however were terrible! Salty nasty sea biscuits is what they should call them . Barely edible really . They were gracious to remove those nasty bites from our bill. I don't know if I'd be back. I did not experience the wow factor .
(3)Marcella G.
I like this restaurant, not just because of the food but because of the atmosphere. It's trendy, it's romantic, it's cozy and it definitely served good food. The staff is very attentive (hello never-empty-glass) and they know what's good on the menu, so if you ever undecided just ask them. I came here with my BF. I ordered the grouper with truffle oil and my BF got the swordfish and they both are really nice. The fish were cooked perfectly, the sauces were both amazing, it's just that it left me unsatisfied, somehow. I think it's just that the food were nice by itself, but just okay combined. Or maybe for the price that I paid, I expected something more. We also ordered the sides (beets), which was amazing and also the dessert chocolate tart which extremely amazing. The beets were tender but not mushy, and coated with delicious vinaigrette so it's sweet and also a little bit sour. The chocolate tart, came with a very light cream that made the chocolate more present. The cream just blew me off I guess. The tart was flaky and the chocolate filling was almost like brownie. Oh my, I need more.
(4)Lillian M.
One of my favorites in the city! Wonderful service, beautiful restaurant, and delicious food. Great for a special occasion!
(5)Rach D.
My husband and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at The Optimist. Clean restaurant with a gorgeous interior. The staff were professional, knowledgeable and friendly and the food was delicious. The grouper, flounder, gumbo and mussels were very tasty. We will definitely be back!
(4)Lindsay E.
My husband and I went on a date a couple weeks ago to The Optimist, and I loved it! The atmosphere is super chic but relaxed. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful. The food was very, very good. Here's what we had: Shell on GA shrimp a la plancha for our appetizer. This was amazing. Garlicy, creamy, seafoody sauce over succulent shrimps and perfect toast. How do they get it crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside?! My husband got the fish and chips with hushpuppies as a side. He didn't like how thick the fish's batter was, but I thought it was okay. I like the faint scent of beer you got right before biting in. Hushpuppies aren't usually my thing. These ones were sweet, which was cool. I got the NC flounder with a side of assorted mushrooms. I enjoyed it all, but by the time I was getting full, the mushroomy taste and the fishy tastes started to overwhelm me. I guess that meant it was time to stop stuffing myself! I'm looking forward to visiting again, and then I think I'll have a better idea of the Optimist. I'm suspicious that the chefs might be trying too hard with some of their dishes, but then again, I'm not terribly familiar with fine dining. Keeping with some of the simpler recipes might be a good idea for me next time, except for that shrimp a la plancha! Can't go wrong with that! The restaurant was quite loud. There were many interesting looking people, and I enjoyed surveying the room looking at the groups at the bar, the bachelorette parties, and the couples on dates. This would be an excellent place for a classy night out with a date or a group.
(4)Tom C.
The Optimist is the answer to Atlanta's "We have no good, fresh seafood here." Optimist's food was incredible. Fresh, quality seafood. They even have a raw oyster bar. I was trying to find a good restaurant to take a date to. Several my friends recommended the Optimist. I was skeptical. I was looking for a place with a good ambiance and décor and judging by the google pictures it didn't seem so. But when I dined there it met my expectations. The ambiance and décor were nice. The pictures can't capture it. Service was awesome. Server anticipated my date and my needs. Reset silverware. And most importantly the food was good. Oysters were fresh, shrimp planche was delish. Entrees...scallops were tasty and the mahi mahi was delicious. We had side items of basamati rish and bok choy were both were good. I would definitely recommend this place.
(5)Luckie D.
Why 5 Stars.......many visits 2nd review....They get it on all fronts. Delicious creative food, friendly knowledgable service and a "vibe" The place has a soul and a funky, hip and eclectic combination of diners, sraff and decor. A must try is the homemade caramel sea salt icecream!
(5)Rick M.
Pricey but worth every penny!!! Atmosphere is great. First timers must do the lobster roll! I bring a lot of friends and clients to The Optimist and have never had a bad experience. The bar is more than well stocked. See you there soon.
(5)Brooke M.
Absolutely fantastic seafood! Wow. This is our new favorite restaurant in Atlanta. Nicole, our waitress, was fantastic and just adorable. She said fish and chips or the lobster roll was perfect for lunch, but for dinner, go for the grouper with miso butter (incredible velvet masterpiece), swordfish cooked in duck fat (words can't even!), and the redfish encrusted in corn meal (wow!). We had all of those dishes and 12 oysters to share from the fresh oyster bar as an appetizer. They were awesome! The cocktail sauce was delicious and you felt like you were eating those oysters at the beach they were so fresh. The fried rice was so great we ordered 2 for the table and the asparagus with goat cheese is incredible. As you can tell, this is our favorite restaurant in Atlanta! Bravo x a billion! This place is incredible! WE WILL BE BACK SOON!
(5)Dale N.
Killer octopus! Great cocktails and winning ambience.
(4)Franklin J.
The food quality and taste was amazing. I got the $20 Lobster roll which was stuffed full of lobster. Wife got the scallops and they were giant sea scallops that tasted fresh, were well cooked and deliciously seasoned. Atmosphere is also a good one. They have putt putt while you wait. Little pricey for what it is I feel but definitely good.
(4)Sebastian M.
The optimist is a little over priced in my opinion. Their oysters are good though. They tasted very fresh, which is big to me because most places in Atlanta that have oysters are going to be hit and miss. I almost always have at least one bad one in a dozen. Atlanta is landlocked so any oysters here are brought in so you can't really have high expectations. We had several drinks and oysters at the oyster bar after we ate dinner at Bartaco which was fun and it was great because they are like walking distance from each other. I got the Three Sheets Under which was really good. Fresh tasting and refreshing, nice and strong. I love strong drinks because I like the taste of alcohol so that was perfect. My wife and her friend had a Winter on Cape Cod. She enjoyed it as well. We would be back for another after dinner drink but I doubt we would be back for dinner.
(4)Chris H.
I was very Optimistic about our romantic dinner at the Optimist. Having eaten here three times before, I had no doubt that our two year anniversary meal on Valentine's Day would be "da bomb" (as you chaps say). It was "da bomb" alright unfortunately it was an explosion of sodium. Picture an IED made of salt and you will understand how our meal tasted. Please allow me to explain... I booked our prix fixe menu reservation months earlier because I knew how popular Optimist would be. I really wanted this meal to "hit" the spot because our next stop would be '50 shades of grey'. The hostess seated us right away and even congratulated us on our anniversary. The waiter arrived shortly thereafter and took our drink order. He had a great attitude and was very attentive. Our first course was creme of cauliflower soup. I hadn't eaten all day in anticipation of this bad ass meal. When the soup arrived, it was the size of a thimble. A thimble! I kid you not! It was about a spoonful and a half and most of it was salt. Blah! Then they brought out some dinner rolls which looked like Hawaiian rolls with some melted butter on top. We passed on the rolls despite our hunger. The Heart of palm salad was decent and the only course seasoned properly. I had the escargot with bone marrow and egg. I took a giant gulp of water because I had a sneaky suspicion of the days worth of sodium I was about to ingest. I've had escargot a couple times before and liked them but these were a little tough and not every tasty. The combination of the marrow and egg was a good touch but it would've been nice to have some veggies or something to defray the "taste of the ocean". The meal was really slow and we were about to be late to our "steamy flick". I ordered the short rib which wasn't really that tender and it was...you guessed it salty as a MOFO. My GF ordered the blackened Cobia. It was mostly tasty except the last couple bites were sushi. By the time we finished our entree, it was 5 minutes until Mr. Grey began to discipline his Sub. I won't ever do VD here again but I know they are much better than this unfortunate experience and will try them for a regular meal.
(2)Amy N.
We were greeted as soon as we got there. It took a couple of minutes for the waitress to serve us but she was great: she checked on us regularly, was extremely friendly, and answered all the questions we had about the wine and food. We sat at the oyster bar which limited the menu options but that was ok since we were only there for the oysters.They have a wide range of different oysters for you to choose from. I tried 7 out of the 12 they offered; they were delicious! They also have a nice selection of wine, beer, and cocktails. I will definitely be coming back!
(5)Maya S.
Food had no taste #gross Do not come here You will leave sad #sadface Optimist? More like pessimist #HA
(2)Chris B.
Excellent sea food. Loved the atmosphere. Hip cool place. Ordered oysters, grilled grouper and brussels sprouts. All excellent and tasty. Service was a bit slow and we felt like we had to wait for ages to get our drinks and appetizers. That said everything was very well done and we will definitely be back.
(4)Trinh N.
The atmosphere was nice and hipster-ish. Very loud too, but it's because everyone was enjoying their time. The waitress I had was super super super nice. Heck... Even the people that sat next to me were so friendly. If you're looking for a place to relax and enjoy your time and have good food, this place is it. For starters, I got the Frothy She Crab soup and it was sooooo yummy! If you love crabs, get this soup. You'll be in love. I honestly wouldn't have mind eating this the whole time there because it was that good. Everyone kept raving about the hush puppies and I couldn't help but ordered one for myself and I'm not all that into it. Maybe it's just the hush puppies today because they were too salty for me. If they didn't sprinkle some salt on any of them, I'm sure they would have been so much better. And you would think that by sprinkling powdered sugar would make it sweet, but actually doesn't taste sweet at all. The duck fat poached swordfish....can you say AMAZING? Yelpers weren't kidding when they recommended this dish. You can't go wrong with it.
(4)Alexander G.
Wow! West Midtown has another hit on its hands. I ordered the Cobia served with Chorizo and a cream sauce, the white fish chowder, some oysters, and the key lime desert. Everything was fantastic and the portions did not disappoint. The mixture of flavors in each dish complemented each other perfectly and magically surfaced the unique flavors of the primary item. Did I mention how awesome the fish chowder was? I am optimistic (hehe) that I going to go back often just to order this fantastic appetizer.
(5)smacksmackgulp K.
I think all in all, a 3.5/5.0 experience, but I'm rounding up due to the fact that it's still early. Been opened, what, 2 months now, max? Had a girls' night dinner with two others. The positives - tasty, fresh, non-gulf oysters with a delicious vinegar mignonette sauce. We got a dozen, half East Coast, half West Coast. Very good bread/roll service, could eat those till the cows came home: yeasty, buttery goodness. BEAUTIFUL, open dining space - and I love the Oyster Bar side as well...very retro-fun decor. Service was quite smiley and eager-to-please. Did not rush us, even though we stayed past 10pm just chatting and drinking wine. The scallops were cooked perfectly, and the beet salad was yummy. Good wine selection too. The not so good - while nice, the service was still a little stumble-y. The server wasn't exactly sure where the oysters that day came from (other than knowing East Coast/West Coast). Mind you, this isn't the usual douchey, "where exactly was this chicken raised? Free range? Heritage?" Portlandia b.s. The breed of oyster actually lets you know what they're going to taste like. A Fanny Bay tastes waaaay different from a Malpeque, that tastes way different from a Kumamoto. And the Optimist has raw oysters as a specialty, right? Its prices reflect that ($2.50 - $3/per oyster), so the servers should know the daily selection verbatim. When the oysters arrived, they were just plunked down by a runner. No explanation which side was from which coast, and we had to flag someone down so they could tell us. We were also 1 short of a dozen (although once we brought it to their attention, they brought out four more, which was very nice of them). The oxtail reduction next to the scallops--while the sauce itself was nice--it had dry, tough pieces of oxtail. I've cooked oxtail before, so I know the reduction needed to just cook a touch longer to loosen the tendon of the meat. The gumbo was a little too salty, but the spice was nice. The mussels were fine, but have had better made at home. The price point was that of a nicer restaurant, so I would like to see a little bit...more. But very promising. I would go back...after all, I'm an optimist too :P
(4)DoAnn B.
I was so excited to try the Optimist for lunch. After arriving, the hostess said we had to wait 10-15 mins although 60% of the restaurant was empty. After sitting down, it took our waitress about 10-15 mins to come over to bring us water. I really wanted to try the lobster roll but decided to go with the shrimp po' boy instead (we both did). BIG mistake. After ordering, it took about 10-15 mins to get our soup, which is fine. No biggie. But after the waitress picked up our empty soup, it took another 20 mins to bring us our sandwiches. There shouldn't be this much time in between courses, and especially during lunch. Them, when we both bit into our sandwiches, the shrimp were incredibly tough and dry. I waited all this time for an inedible sandwich. I seriously took one bite and couldn't eat anymore. I could understand if I waited forever and the sandwich was delicious and cooked correctly, but in this case, I waited a really long time and ended up with a sandwich I couldn't eat. The waitress picked up our sandich not even wondering why we barely touched it. I should've said something but by that point and 2 hours later, I just wanted to get out of there.
(2)james e.
We were right on time for our 8:30 reservation but were told we would have to wait a few minutes. No problem, but 50 minutes later we were still waiting and watching others just walk in and get seated. So after spending $76.00 plus another $14.00 tip on a dozen oysters and four rum sangrias we left
(1)Tiila N.
One of the new must eat restaurant of 2012. I arrived before my friend so the hostess direct me to the bar/oyster area where I could get a pre dinner drink. I was very surprised at the fact that it does not smell like a seafood restaurant(bonus point for that). The waitress recommend Los Feliz Cafe(if you like citrus, then you would love this drink), it was so good I end up having a total of 3 by the end of dinner. We were directed to the main dinning room immediately at the arrival of my friend. This is what we ordered: Gem salad-anchovies caesar dressing, grill garlic, hand pulled croutons. What a great way to start a meal but be careful it's addicting. Corn hushpuppy- come with butter dipping sauce. I can eat this all day, everyday. Mushrooms- with shallot confit. I ordered this as a side dish to go with my main scallop and it was just the perfect addition. If you like mushroom then you would love this. Scallop- oxtail marmalade, brown butter-chicken jus. This dish is so flavorful thank to the butter chicken jus, the jus was so good my friend use it as a dip for his seared tuna. Tuna- seared yellow fin tuna, charred octopus, crispy potato salad, harissa. This dish was bland, nothing interesting or memorable. So 90% of what we ordered was delicious. The service was excellent and so was the food. I will definitely come back! Enjoy :)
(5)Julee D.
One of my favorite spots in Atlanta. Great seafood and wine offerings in a very cool space on the Westside. Enjoyed the east coast oysters and seared tuna with charred octopus. There were so many items that looked great (including interesting side dishes). Can't wait to go again! Highly recommend a reservation ahead of time on Fridays and Saturdays. Bar/patio areas are really cool to hang out and grab drinks. You can even play some putt putt on the patio.
(5)J G.
Cool interior.. two restaurants in one. Oysters at oyster bar are awesome, and I have tried every one! The fish of the day, shrimp app, a bit spicy, certainly fattening, and certainly amazing! Everything in the main dining room Rocks! Always good service, and always good food.. not extremely small portions either, as I'm finding in a few restaurants. It is a very nice restaurant, dressy or hip jeans, all fits in, and you will be sure to have a great meal!
(4)Nick A.
Dinner Sunday night 11/10. The Optimist is a converted warehouse-one large open room with with high ceilings. The noise is at a high level but we sat against the street facing wall so it was not so bad. For starters we all had the waitresses' "personal favorite" she-crab soup. It was a crab tasting broth with no crab. No she at all. It would have been better with something in the broth. Perhaps one small shrimp? The main for me was pecan crusted flounder. The crust"ing" was so salty I could not finish the fish. I am not certain if the extra salt was to take away the taste from "day old fish" or that's just the way the Chef decided to enhance the flavor. The menu did not identify any salt free entrees, so it is a matter of luck to determine which foods taste natural or which are enhanced. (When I eat at Chinese restaurants I request that no MSG be used to enhance. Lat night I should have ordered Chinese take out and stayed home.) I spent the night getting up and drinking water to wash the salt from my body. Summary: The optimist is the latest rage, but it is over priced and the Chef seems to be out of control of his/her spices.
(1)Al N.
I try not to write a review after just one visit, but seeing as the missus and I don't get to eat fancy like this too often, here we are. Service: The valet-only parking is plentiful and quick. No charge, just tips. Unless you're evil. We had a reservation and were seated quickly. Our waiter was friendly, informative, and attentive. I was curious as to how the roasted octopus appetizer was cooked to be tender yet flavorful, and he was able to tell me how it was cooked and what ingredients were used. Food came out quickly, and each person who brought stuff was upbeat and friendly without being cloying. Food: Overall, it was excellent. I lived in New England for 20 years, so I'm a bit of a d**k about fresh seafood. Everything at The Optimist was fresh and top quality. For appetizers, we had the roasted octopus and the fried oysters. The octopus was one large tentacle and the kimchee spices were very good. I usually like my oysters cold and snotty, but when baby wants fried, baby gets fried. Also excellent. Portions were good for the price. Entrees were the duck fat poached swordfish and the crispy fried whole black bass. The flavor of the swordfish was very good, with the right balance of duck and fish. The fish was a bit dry, though, defeating the reason people order swordfish. The bass was awesome. The sweet soy ginger coating is a subtler yet more complex version of what you'd get in an upscale Chinese place. I picked that monster apart until there was nothing left but a skeleton (tips: Eat everything on the head that ain't bones, and eat as much of the fins as you can), and I barely had to deal with any little bones. Dessert was the crème fraishe ice cream for me and the chocolate cake with a coma-inducing pool of caramel. Everything was great, but the flourless cake was, as the youngsters say, "off that hook" it's like someone took a two foot high cylinder of the best chocolate mousse and squashed it down to an inch and a half. Ambiance: The high arched brick ceiling absorbs a lot of sound, so conversation is possible. The room has a great vibe and reminded me of a dockside fish market like I've seen in Maine. Dress is casual, and the crowd was diverse. The Optimist is not the kind of place where a palooka like me feels out of place.
(4)Amber A.
$195 dollars later, I left hungry....and sticker shocked. We got a few drinks, dozen oysters and each a fish entree. I got the Ahi Tuna and it was delicious and I highly recomend it. The oysters were not the best I have had (especially at the price). My fiance got the Monkfish and it was delicious but small portion. Actually both meals were small portions, which we usually welcome but we had been holding out all day for our meal. Noise level pretty high and with it being so trendy you are sitting pretty close to the table next to you. Atmosphere was great and wine selection was great. Service was par to sub-par. The wait staff was not friendly and a little too rushed for the cost. Would I got back......maybe.....but would really watch the cost!
(3)Wayne F.
Went hear a couple of weeks ago and had a nice dinner. My friend told me this was voted best new restaurant of the year (nationwide) by Esquire and honestly I think it's a bit of a stretch. It's a really cool place to have a good meal but not among the select few memorable dining experiences I've had. Apps: Oysters, we got 6 east and 6 west coasts as my friend was from Cali, myself from Maryland....west coast won this time damn it! Whole ga white shrimp a la plancha: menu says mess-y but worth it, I agree. Great flavor and the toast soaks up the rich sauce Main Course: Whole "swimming" black bass, garlic ginger sauce, sweet peppers, crispy shallots: well-prepared bass that was fried whole and then roasted if I had to guess. Good flavor but honestly too much of a rip off from cantonese restaurants Service was outstanding and the ambience was great-- we didn't sit at the oyster bar near the entrance but looks like a great place to grab a drink and a bite after work. Only complaint would be that the table was close to the other, too close honestly. I understand it was Saturday and packed but it was like the "lunch from hell" episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. Would come back for sure for a nice, laid-back dinner in an amazing space.
(4)Kim K.
Exceptional meal, wonderful service and a impeccable atmosphere. It was a perfect birthday celebration meal. We will be back soon.
(5)Kirk L.
I enjoyed the Optimist, but it didn't live up to the hype...at least, not after one visit. It's pushing 4 stars, and I could see it jumping up to a 5 star, but that wasn't my experience this visit. We started with a drink at the Oyster bar while we waited for the table - both the Green Tea Whiskey and the Fish House Punch were excellent - not very sweet, which gets a thumbs up from me! On to dinner...here's what we had: -Fried Oysters - Probably the best I've ever had, but really, that doesn't mean much because I usually only get them at lower end places. But they were very "light and fluffy"...that's right, "light and fluffy." The "smoked paprika mayo" that came with it was bizarrely bland and frankly, I would never have guessed what it was based on the flavor (actually seemed like a honey-mustard type base) -Spanish Octopus - first off, this dish is hot. Too hot for my fiance to eat, but she has no tolerance for heat in a dish. The "glaze" is along the lines of a Thai chili sauce. For someone who likes spicy, it's a great flavor overall, but not the type of dish that would make me go, "You have to try this!" -Duck fat poached swordfish - the flavor of the fish was good, but it was overcooked and rather dry. Beautifully presented, though (as were all the dishes), and the peanuts were a nice touch. -George's Bank Scallops - this was really a disappointing dish. The scallops were cooked fine, but didn't quite test fresh...the little lady commented that she liked my scallops better (and that's not a euphemism! =). The oxtail marmalade was similar to pulled pork in bbq sauce, and was quite tasty by itself, but for me, it just didn't work with the scallops. Otherwise, the service was great. I really liked the decor and design of the place, however they do use "European style" side by side table seating, which I despise (on the plus side, they space the tables a bit more than most places that do this). And it's quite loud - for someone like me that doesn't hear so well, it was extremely difficult to carry on a conversation. PS - the bread they served was excellent (the little lady commented that it was the best thing she had...which probably isn't a good thing!).
(3)Shannon H.
Very delicious Lunch! The App makes it look like they don't serve lunch. But they do. I had the tuna burger - subbed in the brussel sprouts which was a little too much salt. Should have kept the salad. Other folks I was with had the lobster roll and gave it rave reviews. The Lobster Cobb looked pretty amazing as well. Don't bother with the fries though - tiny shoe-string crap. Sub in something else! The Shrimp a la plancha is messy but delicious!
(4)Lyndsey G.
The Optimist was perfect. The atmosphere is amazing the space is beautiful. The oysters wowed us. The starter sweet buns were a great little bite and the server was knowledgeable about the wine list. We ordered the octopus, the shi crab soup, the scallops, and the shrimp a la plancha. The whole experience was on point. Thank you Optimist team for making a night in ATL great!
(5)Keith H.
It had a nice feel to the insides. Waitress was polite and on her game. Appetizers were tasty and the right amount and wanting more. Main course was over the top. Had the sea scallops with beans and ham bits. The scallops were great, not a bit of grit in any bite. Long fingerling potatoes with honey glazed pork belly bits dusted with crushed red peppers. Great flavor. Wife is not a seafood lover and she ate every bite of her cobia fish. I think she might enjoy seafood now. On to desserts. WOW, cranberry sorbet with a dusting of cinnamon. Sounds strange but tastes awesome, cinnamon was light enough and just the right amount to not over power the cranberry taste. The s'more cookie my wife had was out of this world. I tasted the vanilla ice cream that they had folded toasted marshmallow into and rimmed the side with honey covered graham cracker crumbs. If you want great food and good service, this is a place to go!
(5)Lori F.
Good oysters, decent beer selection, and yummy chowder fries. Service is much better than before (hostesses, however, are always a bit off putting - wth?)
(3)Matt S.
It is rare in life to have a dining experience that makes you wish you had a larger stomach, but The Optimist does just that. Although my sister and I ate at the oyster bar, and not the full restaurant, we were nothing but impressed. Daun, our server/bartender, was informative, helpful, and attentive. Being in the service industry, I can be a bit picky - couldn't find a single flaw. The oysters were outstanding, both raw and roasted; the bread was clearly freshly baked and remarkable; the octopus perfectly cooked and ingeniously paired with house-made harissa, kale and sausage (the combo was stellar!); lobster braised monkfish with shrimp and fennel was one of the most succulent and rich dishes I've ever encountered; clams and pork belly with garlic and jalapeno can not be topped! If you can only choose one place to eat seafood in Atlanta, I don't think you can do better than this.
(5)Primo L.
Very cool, upscale atmosphere with knowledgable staff and seafood that tastes like it was just caught. I was here for an event so our menu was limited to the appetizers but between the lobster roll, oysters, octopus and different rice dishes I didn't feel like I missed anything. The house red (Malbec? I can't recall) was also delicious.
(4)Greg C.
Excellent. Expensive and pretentious but worth every penny. Atlanta finally has great seafood. A must visit for anyone who appreciates good food. Highlights were octopus, tuna, and lemon tart.
(5)Shawn R.
this place has an awesome atmosphere, the snapper with excellent, the chef personally visited the table which was an added bonus to my first experience. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone would like to experience seafood at its finest. I will be in Atlanta again in February, and this will be on my list of places to eat. Thank you very much for the excellent service Adam Evans.
(5)Sarah M.
Due to my most recent experience at the Optimist, i am forced to update my review. Has this place jumped the skate wing? Service has gone way downhill in the months since the restaurant opened. On a recent Saturday night, we were essentially ignored by our server who kept playfully saying upon his return "wow, I keep saying I'll come back, but then I never do". Yep, we agree. Opting to share small plates, imagine our surprise when every. single. one. arrived at the exact same time. Including Oysters that had been ordered first 30 minutes ago. Our table looked like a scene from Dr. Suess - things dangling off of the edges. And last, dessert. We opted for key lime pushpops "to go" - and when they came they weren't even remotely lime - they were coconut, and warm and gooey and cloying. We told our server, and he didn't even take them off the bill - just said "I'm glad no one was allergic." I still adore the space, but the shine is off the penny for me....
(2)Courtney M.
Fish House Punch is something I'd come back for! Grab some at the OysterBar while you wait for your table!
(4)Katy S.
Solid seafood joint but expensive (we are inland afterall). Oysters were very good but the home-made crackers they offered were bleh (just suck it up and give out saltines if you can't make a cracker better than that). Both the vinegar dip and hotsauce were delicious. The veggie sides were all quite good as were the cocktails (servings are small in both cases). While I enjoyed the hushpuppies, I wouldn't order them again. They're trying to do too much - lots of savory and lots of sweet. One should be a hint to complement the other, either way you do it. The Grouper Cheek was very flavorful. The swordfish was the stand-out. Excellent flavor and accompaniment. The sauce the mussels were served in was super tasty but the mussels themselves were small and rubbery. When you make a sauce that good you gotta give something for sopping. I would return but not with a non-seafood lover. The non seafood options were sparse and uninteresting - a bummer for good sports who tag along anyway. Decor and ambiance were industrial and loud, meh. Patio looked very nice though and the mini golf was a nice touch.
(3)Laurie F.
One of the Cougar's favorites - everyone needs to just go. Get the Lobster Roll and have a cocktail. Heaven.
(5)Peter L.
One of the best presentations of snapper I've ever had - whole fish, Asian spicy sweet garlic sauce. Licked the bones clean. Sinful homemade Hawaiian yeast rolls. Fresh oysters- just right. Nice bar. Will be back!
(5)Erica J.
came on date night without a reservation hoping to snag 2 seats at the bar but it was packed. so we decided to sit in the oyster bar tapas section for their lighter menu. we ordered a dozen oysters, clams with pancetta, raw himachi, and cooked halibut (not my favorite dish that night, thick and tough). everything else was DELICIOUS! oysters were so cold, fresh, and melted in my mouth. can't wait to come dine here in their restaurant and order more food!
(5)Warren T.
Went to this establishment twice. The first time I couldn't get a seat so we sat and ate oysters which were actually pretty good at the bar. I return one week with reservations and was able to sit down immediately upon my arrival. I was kind of excited because we had invited another couple to join us and we told them how great this place was. I ordered monkfish and my wife ordered scallops. My friend ordered fried fish. His wife just had an appetizer. We also had appetizers. After the first course came out it took a very long time for the second course, the main course to come out. When it did come out my monkfish was swimming in either oil or water. I couldn't really see because it's very dark. My friends plate had a piece of fried fish on his plate as if someone throw it from 3 to 5 yards out. It also appeared to be three or four cubes of potatoes. All three entrees collapsed and we're not hot. The saving grace came a little late. I told the waiter about plate and he offered another. I was almost finish at that time and didn't want to wait because of the time get our entree, Maybe my standards are too high. I've been to just about every major restaurant from Atlanta to New York and everything in between and this one, this time skipped a beat. This place has four exits, you should ask not to sit by one, people will be coming in and out the entire time you dine. Bon appétit!
(3)Esteban A.
It did not inspire. Thats me being optimistic.
(3)Augustus M.
If you're a seafood lover this is the place to go. The first time I went there I was amazed by their ways of cooking great place to enjoy some delicious foods.
(4)Jay M.
A legit 5 start restaurant. The west coast oysters I had were seriously the best I have ever had. Mussels, excellent. As was the charred octopus. Our server steered us very wisely when ordering and the whole fried bass was a gift of the gods. The swordfish was the best I've had other than McKendrick's. All of the sides were awesome. Run, don't walk, to the Optimist because it kicks all kinds of ass.
(5)Evelyn-Anne C.
Bottom line- you pay for what you get here, but what you get is a dining experience that ranks up there with a place like Bacchanalia, but in a much more casual and approachable atmosphere. The bartender and server we had were incredibly knowledgeable about the entire menu, including all of the wines and other beverages. We received great service from the time we walked in and the food was elegant and unique without feeling pretentious. Reccomendations: cocktail- Beach Shanty: a mix of Allagash White Ale and liquors, perfect for warm weather, highly alcoholic, but delicious appetizer/starter- Oysters: My husband sampled both the West coast and East coast selections. They come with homemade saltines and a house-made cocktail sauce. main dish- Swordfish: cooked in duck fat and finished off with crispy pancetta, this fish was amazing flavorful and rich dessert- Grilled Pound Cake Sunday: perfect for sharing, the ice cream is homemade and wonderful and the grilled pound cake had a really interesting smoky flavor.
(5)Ande T.
Wow, after reading such glowing reviews, I was really optimistic about my experience at the Optimist last night. However, from the moment we walked in the door, my party of 5 had a fairly pessimistic experience, and we walked away giving the restaurant a C grade overall. First, we called the night before to make a reservation for our group at 7:30 PM (a Tuesday night). They couldn't find our reservation right away and when they did, they didn't have a table available for us until we'd sat at the bar until after 8PM. (D) So we ambled towards the bar and had a few pretty darn good drinks, so our spirits were lifting somewhat. From the reviews, I figured I'd try the Port Antonio. My friends had the Salty Dog and the Mother of Pearl. I liked their drinks much better than mine, which really only tasted of rum and nothing else in a glass that was so filled with ice, it made it extraordinarily difficult to taste the liquor until it became quite watered down. (B) When they finally had a table for us, they seemed to forget that they also needed to assign a server. Really? I understand the restaurant is pretty new, but you should NEVER have your guests wait nearly 30 minutes for someone to come to your table to give you more than water. AND we only got someone to come wait on us when we had to ask another server to track someone down. My friends had brought their 2nd drinks to the table but I decided I'd wait until our server took the table's drink order to get my 2nd. Boy, did I regret that decision. (D) Finally, we ordered food. Oysters on the half shell and a couple of starters (Oysters on Horseback, Shrimp a la plancha, and salad with meyer lemon/anchovy dressing). The server brought out the peel and eat shrimp instead of the al la plancha because the place is very loud and he clearly couldn't hear very well. Otherwise we all greatly enjoyed our appetizers, especially the Oysters on Horseback where the smokiness of the pork belly really melded with the fried oysters well. The one thing they could improve on is to not bring the crackers and the homemade cocktail sauce 20 minutes before you bring out the oysters. (A) The noise level. It's very loud in that space. It would be accpetable and easier to talk without raised voices if it wasn't for the loud music they had playing. The level fluctuated a few times throughout the evening, so I don't think I was the only one to ask my server to turn the volume down. Who turned it up in between is a mystery. Entrees. Of the 5 of us, none was particularly enamored with their entree. Skirt steak had so much sauce that it really drowned out the steak, which was very good on its own. Halibut was just basic, nothing to write home about, with one little hen of the wood mushroom. Seared tuna with octopus, like others have said, had one TINY LITTLE PIECE OF OCTOPUS. Why? Octopus is relatively cheap, especially compared to tuna. Not so many Americans are keen on octopus, so when someone orders octopus on something, it means that they like it. Scallops. 3 scallops and you want to charge $28? They weren't that good to justify the price. And the swordfish sounded really incredible on paper, but just didn't deliver. (D) With tip, our party spent nearly $100 per person and neither of us got dessert. While I still remain optimistic about the restaurant, for the money and our experience, we have so many other great places to dine in Atlanta. We all concluded that if we were to go back to The Optimist, it would only be for drinks and appetizers and we'd sit outside on the patio so we could actually talk.
(2)Patti D.
I had driven past here several times and was dying to try it. My darling had a tough day at work so I suggested we unwind here after work. Made a reservation through Open Table and off we went. When we got there we decided to sit at the oyster bar. Great choice. Our adorable server Sara took amazing care of us and the food was wonderful. Chose 1/2 doz oysters and split them between West and East coast. Both fresh, briny and delicious. Eric decided on the gumbo, which was filled with yummy seafood. Loved the charred octopus and butter roasted rolls. Even the crackers (they had to have been house made, right?) were super yummy - both sweet and salty. The chardonnay and beer were great ways to wash down fabulous seafood. We even opted for dessert, which is rare for us. The salted caramel ice box cake was so good I'm surprised we didn't lick the plate. But that would not have been polite. The lemon drop cookies came home with us. They are still in their sweet brown paper bag, but they won't be for long. Go. You will adore it. It's the closest thing to being at the beach you can get to in Atlanta. And ask for sweet Sara.
(5)Kevin M.
Ehh. The atmosphere here is very Westside ATL, which is fine by me. The oyster bar looked really cool though we opted for seated service in the main dining room. The food here is as good as the reviews say it is. The bread at the start, the hushpuppies (beignet-style), etc., it was all very good. It gets a 3 because it's dramatically overpriced for what you get and nothing we had was "knock your socks off" good -- which could have potentially justified the steep prices. Upwards of $3.50 per oyster is just way too much money. Also, most of the fish dishes are served a la carte and although they are prepared simply and executed properly, the dishes don't have any "wow" aspects to them. Again, it's very good food, but when you end up spending $9 for the gumbo or she-crab soup, or $9 each for one of their side dishes to accompany the a la carte fish, the bill adds up quickly and unnecessarily as compared to other quality seafood options out there. If you're not serving side dishes with it, I can't possibly justify more than $18-$22 for a lone grilled piece of fish (rather than the $28 price tag of the swordfish). A few dollars per dish doesn't seem like much, but that's 25% more than it should be and it adds up quick when you have to order multiple items to complete the meal! If they bring their prices down by 20% or so, my rating would immediately jump. Until then, I'll get my oyster fix at Steamhouse or Fontaines', and I'll buy my fish from the likes of Fresh Market and cook it myself. Several tables positioned toward the middle of the restaurant, including ours, were packed too tightly together. We were uncomfortably close to the tables on either side of ours. Also, our server collected the completed bill while we were still seated. Even though both complaints are completely avoidable by the restaurant, I'm not one who gets worked up about that kind of stuff (the server was otherwise great). Neither instance affected my rating. Overall, I honestly don't think we'll be back.
(3)Kim C.
Amazing! Fresh seafood and gorgeous atmosphere.
(5)April C.
The space is really nice. Industrial, but still warm and not loud at all. The food was pretty bland. I had the tuna and octopus entree and a side of the mushrooms. The mushrooms were excellent. If I ever go back, I'd certainly get that again. My entree was not very flavorful and there was only one small bite of octopus. Certainly not worth $26. My friend did not love her soup or halibut - again, nothing exciting and overpriced. The other thing I noticed was that it was nice and busy for a Tuesday night, but most of the guests were in suits. Is this the new business dinner spot? As I was leaving, I looked across the street to Bocado and wished I'd gone over there for the burger and saved $60. Probably not a good sign that I'll ever go back.
(2)Mere C.
O.M.G. This place is to die for! I had heard wonderful things from friends, coworkers, complete strangers, etc. so my boyfriend and I went one night to celebrate his promotion. First, let me start off by saying very cool atmosphere. It was open and airy and definitely had a beach vibe even though Howell Mill is far from it. The staff were all very friendly, and they were able to seat us right away even though we didn't make a reservation. The cocktails rocked, and we started with the fried oysters... un...be...lievable!! They were so good, and I am very particular about my oysters. For our entrees, I had the skirt steak, and Steven had the scallops/glazed pork. Of course he tried mine, and I tried his, but everything was delicious! It was by far the best scallops I have ever had (even compared to beachside restaurants). They were so fresh and tender. The steak and vegetables also blew my mind. It was cooked medium just how I like, and the sauce had an incredible flavor that complemented the steak to perfection. I wish we would have had room for dessert but we were the right amount of full. Overall, it was a wonderful dining experience. We had a very romantic, carefree dinner that satisfied our taste buds and our stomachs. We will definitely be back for more!
(5)Brian C.
Pretty cool place. Had a good cocktail, and great apps including the lobster roll and a dozen oysters. Entrees were ok and fries were very salty. Thought it was a little overrated.
(3)Zaire F.
The most amazing lobster roll ever! Add the fresh squeezed lemonade to your lunch as well. It's a Maine lunch right here at home.
(5)Chris W.
This is a great place. The vibe is great. Trendy, but not pretentious. A nice modern, laid-back feel. I ate at the bar and had a great time. We mostly ordered small plates and all the food was good. I believe it was valet parking only, so that sucks. But that's the only thing I can complain about. Oh yeah - the restrooms. They're like private. Different. Definitely check out the restrooms before you leave.
(5)Belinda S.
JCT is one of my favorites in Atlanta so I was really excited to try The Optimist. Went last night for a 6:30 reservation. First the positives. Service was fast and knowledgeable. The fresh made bread was delicious, hot buttery and a great start. Got a half dozen oysters half east coast, half west coast. They were wonderful! Without a doubt overpriced but they are so fresh and tasty that I really didn't mind. Unfortunately we went downhill from there. Followed with: -Frothy She Crap Soup - very very buttery, wads of oil floating on the top... yuck. Shrimp toast that accompanied it was DELISH though -Little Gem Salad - essentially a ceaser, nothing to write home about and started a trend for the rest of the meal of everything being overly salted. I am not at all sensitive to salt so this is a lot for me to notice. For entrees we had the Scallops and Skate wing, again very very salty but once we gave them a splash of lemon they were very tasty. The real downer was the sides. We had the roasted beets which were tasty and standard to many other restaurants around town. We also had the gnocchi and potato puree. They were both TERRIBLE. The gnocchi were so soft, literally boiled to death and very little flavor. The potato puree had been whipped to death and literally dripped off a spoon... like soup. Disgusting. We then followed with literally the worst dessert I've ever had. Grilled pound cake with ice cream and fried peanuts. The pound cake was so dry, it was below grocery store quality. The cake had no warmth but grill marks.. how long had it been sitting around? Ew! The thing that really made me lose it were the two floor hostesses who I had perfect view of all night. Clearly neither have been trained on how to serve because both of them had their fingers in peoples plates all night. One of them would not stop playing with her hair, eyes, teeth everything and then taking plates from the window. I meant to call today and complain on this matter because it was truly disgusting. Bottom line - so many kinks to works out, expensive menu, lots of potential. I hope it gets better!
(2)Jen K.
Honestly, I do not understand how this place is so highly reviewed. The food was mediocre at best. I took about 10 people here for lunch during the week. We ordered the raw oysters (the only good thing I tried), the peel & eat shrimp (mediocre with old bay seasoning), the bisque (not good), some sides to share (also mediocre) and then our entrees. Not a single person in our group loved the food. Not ONE. So I know it wasn't just me. I had the lobster cobb salad. Frankly, I don't know how you mess that up. But they managed to do it. The salad sucked. The lobster looked limp and was just dumped on top. The dressing sucked. Just overall, the taste and presentation was mediocre. I will not be back.
(2)Tom D.
Delicious! The hush puppies are worth the trip! We had a party of 12 and everyone loved what they ordered, service was a bit slow, but like I said "we had 12 people" and it is a busy place! Get there early and have a cocktail.
(4)Barry G.
I'm kicking myself for not writing this review sooner. I actually visited the Optimist late in the summer 2012 and I was realllllly impressed. I'm a big fan of the Westside (my office is right over there) and the Optomist is an excellent addition to the fancy places starting to define the neighborhood. First impressions are huge here. the restaurant is beautiful. There's a huge dining room, huge bar and a smaller what appears to be a fish bar. We visited for an anniversary and were glad that we chose this restaurant. The menu is a perfect size offering several choices but not offering too much as to confuse or dilute the theme of the place. You're in a seafood restaurant. We found a table that worked out well for us (my fiancee, didn't like the first table....not sure why) and were introduced to our server. The food was excellent, we ordered oysters to start, as we tend to do wherever they are offered and were very impressed with the quality. As I recall 2 different types were on offer when we visited. One from the east coast and another from the west. It was great to really sample the difference and compare the texture & flavor of each. At this point it's worth noting that it was not cheap. Oysters are sold individually. This seems like robbery to those of us accustomed to the gulf where you can likely order them by the weight or half-dozen at very least. The premium cost was fortunately born out by the quality and selection of the oysters. Sadly I don't recall the entree selections of the rest of the tabel but I ordered swordfish which was fantastic. Everyone at the table was really impressed with their entree selections and the atmosphere of the place. Sadly I can't go into more detail as this was a few months ago BUT writing this review has helped me decide to visit again very soon. Look for an update soon.
(5)Will F.
Best restaurant in town. I've sat at the Oyster Bar 5 times and have always LOVED the food, my favorites are the Hush Puppies and the Swordfish. James, behind the bar, is great to talk to...my wife loves the specialty drinks he makes. One of the best bartenders in town hands down.
(5)Erica A.
I absolutely loved this restaurant! My boyfriend and I had reservations on a Sunday and they were surprisingly pretty busy since they were just voted best new restaurant in Atlanta. The hostess was warm, friendly, and greeted us right away. We got there early and she offered us to have a drink at the bar, or to be seated immediately. We decided to sit but it took a few minutes to be greeted by our waiter. I didn't deduct any stars for that since we knew they were busy. We loved that we could bring our own wine for a $15 corking fee. The food was delicious, the atmosphere was fun, the menu was diverse, and the service was friendly and not too "in your face". I would definitely recommend it to anyone going on a date or even just for a gathering of friends.
(5)Paul S.
I am a native Floridian. Seafood is my middle name. My wife and I went to The Optimist with very high expectations. We are light eaters so we shared some of the Oysters - which we phenomenal. The horseradish was not the normal creamy stuff, it was the true root and it was a perfect compliment to the homemade cocktail sauce that was served with the oysters. We then moved to a single main course, Redfish with cornmeal crust (very light dusting) with brussel sprouts. The side dishes were hush puppies (ridiculously good), beets with blue cheese and brussel sprouts. We had the beignets with a unbelievable sauce. They have a very reasonable corkage fee. The Service was some of the best ever. Excellent Meal - Will repeat!
(5)Johnston O.
Went for the first time last night, the food and atmosphere are excellent but our service was borderline awful. The food gets a 4.5, but the service was a 1. I go to restaurants for the food and very rarely rate for service; adequate service is all that I expect, but this was so bad it substantially affected the experience. Food: Oysters - half and half East Coast/West Coast - both were delicious and extremely fresh, it's nice to try both and really taste the difference Octopus starter - this was awesome, possibly my favorite part of the meal. Very spicy and cooked perfectly Mussels - these were great and fresh, but the bread was good for sopping up the sauce. More of a classic approach to mussels, nothing unusual. Monkfish - the monkfish was excellent - well cooked and great flavor. The description on the menu did not accurately describe it - I believe it only mentioned pickled fennel and onions, but it was served over tomato sauce with olives as well. Kind of a monkfish provencal, which I liked but was much heavier than I anticipated. Cocktails - very good and well mixed Service - It may be a product of a new or bad waitress, but we were ignored for the first 20 minutes after being seated. The junior server/bus girl brought us bread and poured water promptly, and luckily came back 15 minutes later when she saw that our waitress had not been by yet. This is understandable if the restaurant is crowded or understaffed, or if you're with a large party, but there were 2 of us, with plenty of open seats around and no one outside our area appeared to experience these problems. The service from our waitress was generally slow the rest of the night as well , with long lulls of being forgotten. This is only remarkable because she did not deliver any of the food, other staff did. I enjoy a long meal, but spending over 2 hours for 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 cocktails and a beer is a bit much. I plan on going back sometime in the not too distant future, hopefully this was just bad luck and if so I'll update.
(3)Keith B.
Two visits to The Optimist. Oysters are good also the mussels. Main course (Fish) was very tasty and presented well. The building has a modern, beach house feel. Service was adequate, the waitress was a little over-tatooed, but what are you going to do? Be prepared, the food and drinks are pricey and it is has been very crowded. I guess it is the typical Atlanta rush for a new spot. I did not stop at the bar, but it looked about 3 deep at 6:30 on a Friday night.
(4)Kevin W.
What was Bon Appetit thinking when they included this place on their Best New Restaurants list? And then to put it on the cover?? Please. The Optimist is a terrific space with a good vibe and a very of-the-moment wine list. (The staff may be a little too hipster-coolio but that's par for the course.) The cooking, however, is ham-fisted. Great quality fish and shellfish gets clobbered with too much fat and too much salt in dish after dish. This is trendy dude food excess at its most dispiriting, and it spoils perfectly good ingredients. Ford Fry, who opened the place, is apparently a fancy chef, so it's too bad there's not a good cook in his kitchen. The Optimist leaves you wanting less.
(2)Foodie F.
Was expecting to not like this place after the disastrous dinner I had at King & Duke but here I am writing a glowing review. First off, the space is beautiful & very comfortable, like visiting your wealthy uncle's beach house. The food is also very good - for some reason I've found that brussels sprouts at most restaurants taste like gasoline but these guys are doing them in fish sauce & have managed to turn me into a full on enthusiast. I had some oversalted collards once but I am willing to overlook that on account of it being a singular experience. I will however shy away from a 5 star review because the bartender seemed a little disorganized & inattentive both times I sat at the bar which was a bit of a mood killer.
(4)Chataun D.
With nearly 600 reviews, mine isn't all that necessary but here-a-goes. We had the fish and chips (sweet potato steak fries), almond crusted trout, the collards, hush puppies, and lemon pot dessert. Everything was absolutely amazing! The food temperature, seasoning, and even the cocktails were exceptional. Despite our positive experience with the food, the parking valet was not so positive. There is very little self parking. And my husband was disappointed with the amount of dust and dirt that was left on his car mats, on more than one occasion. When busy, the valet suffers from incompetence.
(5)Locals O.
I feel like the place is overly hyped. I didn't expect it to be so busy on a weekday so make sure you have a reservation. Oh, and only valet. The atmosphere was nice with the mini golf course in front of the restaurant. The bread they give you was buttery and soft. We let our server be in charge of picking 2 dozen oysters for us. The crackers that came with the oysters were good haha Starters - Fried gulf oysters - the horseradish mayo really complimented the taste Charred Spanish octopus - very tender and flavorful Mussels- theses were a miss for me. Some of the shells were missing the actual mussel meat. Entree - Duck fat poached swordfish - a lot of flavor going on in one plate. George's bank scallops - had to be my favorite the asparagus gave it a little bit of a crunch. Sides - Bok Choy- very pickled!! Beets - were okay didn't really have much flavor just a lot of color Mushrooms - yummy but a bit salty For dessert we has one of everything but brown sugar cake had to be my favorite!! The cake itself was soft but had a bit of a crunch because of the brown sugar The sour cream icecream was a miss for me it was too tart for my taste.
(3)Carter B.
Came here for lunch with a colleague. The atmosphere is nice, with a big roomy feel to it. Started with the grilled octopus. It was very good. Never had a tentacle before but it was great. Wouldn't recommend for more than two people, kind of tiny. I had the blackened fish sandwich, colleague had lobster roll. Fish sandwich was good, nothing spectacular. Lobster roll looked great and was delicious. The French fries made the entire meal, I could've eaten a plate of them. Service was okay, a little slow. Our food was cold by the time we got it and there was a LONG gap between appetizer and entree. We valet parked, and it took about twenty minutes to get our car. Not a very efficient system and not worth the $2 to valet. Valet is very rude too, kind of ruined the dreamy lunch we just had. Overall the food is great, but the parking is a nightmare and kind of ruins the experience. Would recommend ubering if you're going to try it!
(3)Rodney A.
Bring $200 for two and you'll be covered for a full course meal and a bottle of good wine. This place is exceptional. Food is phenomenal, and ambiance is spectacular.
(5)Mara K.
When in Atlanta - EAT HERE! I was in Atlanta for business but luckily stayed with friends during my trip. My friend suggested we go to dinner at The Optimist - it's in an up and coming neighborhood, decorated insanely cool, and the food is first class. I ordered the scallops and was very pleased with the preparation and presentation. Scallops can be dicey and unsatisfying - NOT the case at The Optimist. Delicious. I also had the beet salad - tasty with a great dressing. Good accompaniment to the scallops. My friend ordered soft-shelled crab. I had a taste and thought it was purty darn good. Great selection of draft beers and wines. Dessert sealed the deal. WOW. I had the toasted marshmallow on chocolate cake. This is the fanciest (and tastiest) marshmallow I've ever had. I had complete dessert envy over my friend's choice of salted caramel icecream. It was amazing on many levels. I love the layout and decor of The Optimist. Modern in a beachy way. Also - really cool single bathroom situation - with several to choose from. I wish every restaurant had bathrooms like this.
(5)L P.
There's nothing negative to say at all! The food was out of this world, and the service matched! Five of us went for a Mother's Day outing and it was the best meal I think we all have ever had, and specifically in Atlanta. The seafood was spectacular (mind you we are from Daytona Beach and I don't want to pat myself on the back, but we know good seafood). Do NOT pass up on dessert! The cookie ice cream sandwiches and home made ice creams were all divine!!!
(5)Jordan D.
I came here for my boyfriends birthday--my treat. AMAZING! The atmosphere is awesome (minus it being a little loud). We sat a table by the window overlooking the incredible modern bar and oyster bar next to it. Some tables have velvet couches and there are big tables good for groups. Great wine list. We started with raw oysters that were heavenly. They came with your typical cocktail sauce, vinegar, basil and homemade crackers. Yum. Swordfish was delicious. Highly recommend. The hush puppies with cane sugar butter were to die for!! Monk fish was amazing as well.
(5)Jenny L.
Can I say OVERSALTED OVERSALTED SAUCY SAUCY? My friend and I ordered about 5 small plates, a dozen oysters, and an entree. Every dish was SALTY SALTY SALTY and OVER-SAUCED. Octopus leg? Not impressed. Curly Kale? Not impressed. Beets? how is it pink rather than red? tasted like potato wedges. Mushrooms? Grilled and salty. Scallop entree? came out lukewarm and scallps were overcooked and salty. Chefs in this restaurants must have no tastebuds. They just mask the dish with hella salt and not much flavor. Perhaps they're trying to mask the not-so-fresh seafood taste. I was excited about this place after reading the reviews but every dish was a disappointment. What was more frustrating was that for some reason, there were 2 servers to our table and they took turns every 5 minutes to come by and bother us about whether we were finished with our dishes. My conversation got interrupted literally every five minutes with 2 servers alternating and coming by the table and pointing at the dishes that still had food left in it asking "are you finished with that & may i take that out of your way?"......dude, if i still have half the food sitting on the plate, we are probably still working on it. The question of whether they can take a dish away was soooooooooooooooooo freakin often (literally every 5 minutes) that i was beginning to wonder if they were running out of dishes in the kitchen and perhaps they needed to get the dishes from the table back to the kitchen fast. I had no clue why they were being this way. It was super bothersome and after about 20th time of 2 servers coming by the table to take our plates away that still had food on them, I just gave up, mentally threw my hands in the air in disbelief and said "yes, we are finished with everything" when we still had 3 plates of food that we were still munching on occasionally while conversing. What the fuck was up with these servers? There is a fine line between good service and straight up annoyance with too many interruptions by servers. I've never had to be bothered so much by the servers before and this place just went way beyond over the top. Buy some more plates or stop having 2 servers man the table with just party of 2! It was beyond ridiculous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Overpriced, overhyped, no good food, creepy servers who try to take your plate away every 5 minutes, valet guys who don't even open the car door for a lady while taking hefty tips, men coming out of women's restroom with piss all over the seat and unflushed toilet. Are people crazy thinking that oversalted oversauced seafood is GREAT seafood?!?!?!?!?!!? Never again! I woke up the next morning and my eyelids were so puffy from salt or msg or whatever the hell they sprinkle on their food that i could not open my eyes. Food here is poison for your kidneys and liver. Even chinese food with msg hasn't made my eyelids this puffy the next morning. I looked like pufferfish the next morning and couldn't even put on eye makeup cuz my whole face was so swollen from this restaurant food. Ladies who don't wanna get bloated, DO NOT EAT HERE!
(1)Chuck Z.
Dannnnnnngggggg...... A bit pricey but the food was excellent. Service was impeccable, awesome interior, great desserts. Not sure if the salted Carmel ice cream is a staple on the menu but it was outstanding. I could rub that stuff on my abs and PRESTO! A six pack! Will dine again on their nom noms.
(4)JAN k.
Five stars is not enough for this exceptional seafood restaurant in a land locked town. The six star items we had were hushpuppies, halibut cheeks, swordfish, and the mushrooms. The five star items we had were mussels, steak dinner, squid salad,octupus,, scallops, gumbo and peel and eat shrimp. This was a seafood only gumbo. The mere 4 star items were the rest....collard greens, porgy , fried potatoes, and yeast rolls. The two icecreams we had ..salted caramel and burnt sugar were simply out of this world. We had a gluten free cake that we brought with us from a bakery on collier rd. Doesn't matter about the cake when the icing is chocolate fudge. Service was outstanding. So glad someone else was paying as this place is too expensive for a little old lady on a fixed income. My husband said it was the best seafood dinner he has had since he was born...71years ago. This man knows his seafood. Our reservation was 6;30 on a Friday night so we sat down and ate for at least 2 hours. Loved it.
(5)A B.
My girlfriend and I went to the Optimist about a week ago for early dinner and oysters. We read all the great reviews, the Esquire Magazine praise, we wanted oysters real bad, so it was a no-brainer. The place wasn't busy, yet the service was lacking, The servers seemed scattered and absent minded, and it took a while to get anything. Also, they kept repeatedly bringing us dishes we never ordered, after we had already eaten...obviously meant for other tables. Ok, now the food and drinks... We ordered two cocktails and a beer...they were truly amazing (although it took forever to get them)....compliments to the bartender. We had a dozen oysters, 6 east coast and 6 west coast...they were really good and tasted fresh. However, they weren't properly shucked since we kept biting into pieces of shell. We had 3 small plates; bok choy, beets, and salad with anchovy. Bok choy was okay, beets were disappointing, salad tasted good but it would be nice to have more than one tiny piece of anchovy. They also served a couple of salted bread rolls, which were fine. And now for dessert....4-5 hours after eating at the Optimist, my girlfriend and I were both shitting our guts out. We spent the entire night on the toilet, taking turns. Since we didn't eat the same things at the same place for breakfast or lunch, it had to be from the Optimist. Sorry Esquire, Yelp, and Atlanta, but this place isn't very good. I'd give it ONE STAR, but the cocktails were great. Besides the food poisoning, nothing tasted great or unique, and the oysters, although tasty, were probably the culprit of our murdering of the toilet.
(2)Katie C.
I came here in November and everything was superb. I would recommend anything on the menu. If you can't get a reservation that night or if you just want to come by yourself, bellying up to the oyster bar where you'll still be able to get the best The Optimist has to offer.
(5)Roxanne C.
The Optimist was a huge disappointment. In summary: * Overpriced everything. The oysters are each approx. $1 more expensive than they should be... seriously folks? $3.50 and $3.75 a pop? At that price, I'm looking for pearls in each and every one. Also, the most affordable fish entree (aside from the fish & chips entree which is a steep $20) is $24 and not only is it a tiny portion, it comes with absolutely nothing save for some lemon juice and olive oil... i.e. nothing. * Service was extremely slow. It took forever for our drinks to arrive and our server seemed to have totally forgotten about them. We had to remind her about them well after our appetizers arrived. Then it took, no joke, approx. 30 mins for our entree to arrive after she cleared our appetizers plates. * Extremely limited oyster selection for an oyster bar. If you're going to say that you're an oyster bar, I expect a decent selection. And, no, a decent selection does not equal one East Coast option and one West Coast option which if you close your eyes while eating taste pretty much the same. Where's the variety?! * Cramped seating. For such a large building, the tables were extremely close together. Forget having a romantic dinner here, at least if you're seated at a two-top, unless by romantic you mean that the folks at the tables on either side of you can easily hear everything you're saying and could easily join your conversation without remotely having to raise their voice. * For the price, the food isn't that great. The she-crab soup was extremely salty, as was the octopus, and the $24 fish was overcooked. The hush puppies - which are intended to accompany savory entrees - were drenched in powdered sugar... really? fish and sugar?! And the beignets, which our server assured us were light and fluffy, we anything but. They were incredibly dense and soaked in an overly sweet syrup. Also, two things that probably wouldn't have bothered me if everything else was spot on... * Our server highly recommended the shrimp small plate, but did not convey just how much of a pain in the arse it was, in fact she downplayed it. We specifically mentioned that we hate peel & eat shrimp because we never find that it's worth the effort plus it tends to be ridiculously messy. Well folks, this shrimp dish is that to the nth degree. Because of the sauce it is particularly messy and for some reason it was practically impossible to remove more than three-quarters of the meat from the shell. At the price they're charging, I think it's only fair that I get everything I'm paying for. * At the end of the evening, we asked whether they offered Irish or similar coffee drinks. Our server said yes, so we ordered two. Well, their version of such coffee drinks is to bring you coffee and then a shot of the alcohol separately. I know, this is a really small thing, but at this point I had had it. I have never been anywhere that offered such drinks where I had to mix my own beverage and it didn't come all nice and frothy from either the addition of whipped cream or steamed milk. So yeah, a huge disappointment and I would not return in the future nor would I recommend it. There are other restaurants in Atlanta that offer seafood on par with or better than the Optimist and that don't hurt your pocketbook nearly as much.
(2)Seyna B.
We've dined here 3 times in the last month. Yes we like it that much. First 2 occasions was for dinner and the last time was at lunch. I personally prefer the dinner menu and atmosphere. The food is great. The staff are lovely and the wine list (by the glass) is decent. Highly recommend.
(5)Shannon J.
The entrees we had (swordfish and scallops) were average. The sides (sweet potatoes and corn muffins) were divine. Desert, cheese cake with pomegranate seeds was wonderful. We took Marta, bus was on time and drops you off right in front. Great overall experience
(3)Lauren M.
Not at all what I expected to be writing in review the day after having dinner at the Optimist. The place itself has a cool vibe and the staff was friendly.... beyond that, the service/meal was awful. I was pretty much in shock and thought maybe someone in the kitchen was playing a joke on my date and myself.... I was expecting a fantastic meal. First of well we had a 7:30 reservation (tuesday night.) Arrived on time and sat at the bar to wait for our table to be ready. At 8:30, my date finally asked one of the hostesses what was going on-- to which she said, "oh, I thought since you were sitting at the bar that you didn't want your table any more..." Umm... what??? We ordered the octopus appetizer at the waitress' suggestion. It was salty and spicy and basically tasted like a hot wing (in flavor.) Not good. Then I had the grouper-- terrible and basically all salt-- and my date had the skate wing (which was highly recommended) and he didn't like it at all either-- was basically a fried mess with way too much sauce. The only good thing I ate was the a piece of bread before the meal.... once I realized I wasn't going to eat more than 2 bites of my dinner I asked the waitress for another piece of bread, and lo and behold they had run out. The seating situation was abysmal. the food was virtually inedible, and it took forever. waitress/bar tender were nice but I don't think that alone justifies any more stars! Would come back here to the bar just because the place has a cool vibe, but I wouldn't pay $40 to eat here for dinner let alone $200.
(1)Melanie S.
Very good food, especially the salmon, fish and chips and shrimp and grits. The service is great. The cocktails are excellent get a hurricane. I love the mini golf courses in the front. The east and west coast oysters are good, fresh, good home made oyster crackers and sauce. A bit overpriced, thus four instead of five stars. The yeast rolls are the best. The sides like mushrooms, fried rice, hush puppies and squash are well worth the $6. Kids meals are $7 and really great.
(4)Kiki J.
Cool atmosphere. First time eating there. We ate on the oyster side on the patio by the putting green. We were on our way to a concert at Terminal West and just wanted to get a small bite and some drinks before the show. The oysters did not disappoint! Good service. Friendly wait staff. Definitely going back to try the other side of the restaurant which is slightly more formal with an extensive menu, in which to our dismay, was not an option since we were sitting on the 'oyster side' of this eclectic joint. Did I mention there was a putting green?
(5)arlene d.
Went for an Anniversary lunch with my husband. We had a great lunch. The service was good. We had the she crab soup more like a bisque but I like the creamy smooth texture. Would have liked to seen a small garnish of crab on the top. Shrimp today was very good pretty heavy though. We had a mixed salad, the mussels which were delicious quiet spicy . We did get the lobster roll based on all the reviews but that was the one thing I was disappointed in the lobster was water logged and the flavor was lacked .Would pass on that . Fries were very good.
(4)Ilene Silverberg B.
My husband and I went to The Optimist last night for the first time to celebrate our anniversary. While there were some hiccups with the valet, we were immediately greeted by two smiling faces and super friendly hostesses who, upon giving my name for the reservation, cheerfully said, "Happy Anniversary!" We were seated at a nice corner booth by the kitchen by a very nice host, and were immediately greeted by one of the managers with two glasses of champagne for our anniversary. Our server, Ben, was absolutely fantastic! He knew everything there is to know about the restaurant and menu, and even made suggestions for each section with his favorite dishes. My husband had Ben let the raw bar chef choose 3 of his favorite oysters, which he said were all very good, and we also ordered the octopus for an app at Ben's recommendation. He did not fail us - it was absolutely delicious! For our meals, my husband got the scallops and I ordered the swordfish, at Ben's recommendation, and both were cooked perfectly. We also got four sides - hearts of palm, fried rice, hush puppies and bock choy, all of which complimented our meals perfectly. The hush puppies were lighter than other places, and I really enjoyed the hint of salt that meshed so well with the sweet flavor. We were so full at this point that when the dessert menu came, we graciously said no thank you, but Ben brought over a cup of the salted caramel ice cream for us anyway, which was just as good, if not better than Morelli's. As we exited the restaurant, we thanked the hostesses and told them how wonderful the service and food was. They flagged down the front-of-house manager, Scott, so we could give him our praises and we ended up having a really positive and memorable conversation with him for about 20 minutes. The experience, decor and food all made it worth celebrating our anniversary at The Optimist and we will definitely return very soon.
(5)Calvin H.
Great great restaurant! Had a wonderful time. The space is very cool, brick and high ceiling, like a warehouse. Terrific menu / lots of great fish options. I had the snapper and one of the fish opportunities of the day, both were delicious. Server was very friendly / pleasant, great experience overall, looking forward to going back.
(5)Jonathan M.
This is my favorite place in Atlanta to go for fresh fish. Even though it always seems to be too busy to get exceptional service, the food is always outstanding. Plus, as long as I get my food and drinks in a timely manner, I don't care if the server treats me like I'm part of the royal family.
(4)Aun' S.
I went here with a group of foodie friends a few weeks ago. I really liked the ambiance and how they have lots and lots of tables. We didn't have a reservation. It was Friday night around 8pm and we were seated promptly to my surprise. We didn't even have to go to the bar and have a drink until our table was ready like most Atl restaurants on the weekend. I had the scallops and they were cooked perfectly!! We each ordered a side dish and were able to share them between the four of us. I had the sweet potatoes and they were amazing!!! I also enjoyed the fried basmati rice and brussels spouts. My friend did order oysters and enjoyed the variety available there. She said she liked that the oyster selections were different than other oyster bars in the area. Service was great and valet was quick on a rainy night! The only thing that I didn't like was the chairs were a bit hard but who cares when you have great food.
(4)Jeff M.
Chef Ford Fry can do no wrong and it is always delicious. This place has nailed down the modern, trendy, southern, spacious, comfortable, and stylish look, inside and out. Not unlike Empire State South, Miller Union, or even JCT.Kitchen in its decor yet somehow better. You actually have the sensation when you're inside that this restaurant is located right on the water. For those you not native to this city, Atlanta is not on the water. I've been for lunch and dinner now. Ever since I spent a week in Portland, ME subsisting on a diet of lobster and more lobster, I'm always craving lobster yet become disappointed due to the high bar Maine has set. The lobster roll here is authentic and damn delicious. I will not tell a lie; I briefly considered ordering a second one on the spot. The freshness of the lobster is key. As is the roll. Fantastically simple and it shows. It is the best lobster roll in the city. The shoestring fries are the PERFECT side. The salads here are excellent as well. The little gem salad, with anchovy dressing, parmesan, and croutons had the people at the next people drooling. When I went for dinner, we had the garlicky tiny clams & pork belly with hand-torn croutons and chili, a dish so fantastically tasty and spicy, that the only thing comparable and the only thing that bests it is the angry mussels at Fry's other restaurant JCT.Kitchen. The Pacific wild cod with corn, corn puree, and shishito peppers is another example of beauty in simplicity. A wonderful dish. Most seafood places start to fall flat come dessert time. Not here. The buttermilk doughnuts with muscadine and lavendar and blueberry ice cream is the perfect sweet that is needed at the end of a meal like this. The lemon pound cake is something out of a grandmother's home recipe book. Ridiculously good. I want to thank The Optimist for coming along and addressing the anemic seafood scene in ATL. It is a transfusion the city desperately needs.
(4)Kevin K.
It's nice to find something so familiar in a different town. You know the place locally sourced fresh fish, knowledgeable staff, great atmosphere, and most importantly great food. We got to this place around 9pm on a Thursday and pulled up to the bar and ordered five apps a bottle of white and waited for our table. Every app here is good I would go for the whole roasted shrimp ala plancha(didn't order it but saw it and instantly got envy). When we sat down we order the entrees. Man we played musical plates, rotating every few minutes and again everything was phenom. I have to say that this was probably the best meal in ATL. Don't miss out on the hush puppies....I love these pillowy treats. I love coming to the south but sometimes you need something a little lighter to feel good about a meal. This was that meal. Desserts were to die for the chocolate cassoulet was my favorite definitely a chocolate lovers dream and the lavender and lime tart were highlights. Great place and not too pricey as well. If you were closer I would be here at least 2X a month. For now I will see you a couple times a year but can't wait to get back. Cheers and Happy eats!
(4)Claudia R.
LOBSTER ROLL. Mmmm-mmmm, lobster roll! Actually, the most amazing lobster roll I've had in a long time...so fresh I could have been in a seaside town instead of Atlanta's Westside. It's not the traditional, mayo-based recipe...I think it may just be the fresh lobster and butter, which really lets you taste the sweetness of the lobster meat. This yummy goodness is heaped onto a perfectly toasted buttered roll. Yeah, butter butter ALL over. Totally worth an extra 15 minutes on the treadmill the morning after, promise! Went with large group, so I got to sample a lot of the lunch menu...among the things I want to try in the future: fish and chips, blackened cod sandwich, butter burger (for the non-seafoodies), lobster cobb salad, shrimp loaf. The fries were good, too. I think we ended ordering one of each dessert, and all were very good. The decor is great, very bright and airy...very easy to forget you're on Howell Mil Rd. Need to come back to indulge at the oyster bar, or perhaps to sit outside for some cocktails - I'm curious as to whether anyone actually mini-golfs out there.
(5)Troy D.
Had an amazing meal. We had a ton of small plates. Damn it was delicious. The shrimp la pancha was crazy good. The fish chowder was incredible. Michael Dobbins our server was a rock star. His recommendations made the meal. Thanks!
(5)Karly G.
i love the bright and openness of this place. it's very rustic. i didn't care for the food so much. i didn't mind the price but everything i ordered today was really salty. i had the peal & eat shrimps, $12 for 6 large shrimps and the cajun seasoning was too generous. i didn't like the tartar sauce that came with it and opted to eat with the lemon wedges. it helped with the saltiness a little bit. the shrimps were considerably huge and very fresh though. i had the lobster roll and subbed for the Brussels sprouts. i was more than elated when i got it but was disappointed because it was just too salty. the flavor were extremely delicious if it wasn't overly seasoned with salt. my lobster roll was a little bit salty, but bearable because the roll sort of soaked in some of that. the lobster tail was fresh and yes, there were chunks of lobster topped on a grilled roll - i can't tell if it was brioche, but i don't think so. it tasted alright, it wasn't something i would come back for second. they forgot my sweet tea... luckily it wasn't on the check... it wasn't a big deal but i have to admit that the food came out really fast. which was a plus because we were short on time. all in all, it's a decent place for seafood but i can't say that i'll make my way out here again.
(3)Santo P.
Another hipster joint. Where are the mason jars? Three of us came here because they had a decent Zagat rating but we found the restaurant itself is overrated. For those who say this is the best restaurant they have ever been to I would recommend you get out more often! While the food did not suck it was not excellent either, the service was slow. I am from Los Angeles so forgive me if this is below my standards but it is and we will not be going back. At least I gave them two stars, it could be worse.
(2)LeRue C.
The optimist is definitely optimistic! Reasonably priced seafood in Atlanta, not so easy to find. The optimist is not the exception. The restaurant is really cute and summery and reminds you of a seaside restaurant on one side and a fine dining open air restaurant on the other side. Me and a foodie friend popped in without a reservation so we ended up eating outside and could only order off the bar menu. We ordered the crab, crab cakes, octopus, and the mussels. The crab was 12 bucks if I am correct and it was just two small crab legs. The crab cakes while really good were similarly priced and they were maybe a tad larger than a quarter. The octopus and mussels were well prepared. The opitmis also makes fresh watermelon and strawberry cocktail that was really refreshing and delicious. Total tab about 70 bucks after tip. We were both satisfied but not full. I really wanted to try the soft shelled crab I had heard about but we were told they were out when we arrived at 6:30pm. I hate when that happens. Soooo... I will have to go back one day with a reservation or at least earlier than 6:30p. The soft shelled crab has been calling my name. If you're on a budget, and are looking for large portions, the Optimist is not for you. I am basing my review on the bar menu but the portion sizes and the prices do not commensurate at all.
(3)Vanessa R.
4th time here but again another atlanta chef takes a perfectly good basic and tries to hipsterize it. Please leave my shoestring fries on my fish and chips alone!!!!! Why mess around with a standard FRENCH FRIES. Did a child make these fries. "Well the chef wanted to add texture to the dish so now we have hand torn potatoes" ...wtf.....what did you say. Did you say that with a French accent. Atlanta you do basics well...stop fighting it. It's fish and chips.. So these hand torn potatoes came ot with the crust the texture of oyster skins. Either have a basic and make it pwefecrly or just take it off the menu. Let me tell you no one wants to be served potatoes ripped to shreds by a child and then deep fried....no fair optimist.
(2)Lizzie L.
This is my new favorite restaurant in Atlanta. We went here for our anniversary dinner last weekend. We made reservations and were seated right away. We ordered a dozen oysters, she crab soup, fish chowder, shrimp a la plancha, and the scallop entree. Between the two of us, it was the perfect amount. There was a piece of fried shrimp toast that came with the she crab soup that I could probably eat 10 of if I was not in public. The oysters took a lot longer to come out than everything else. Not sure why. Even with that issue I'll still give this place 5 stars because I loved everything else. Decor, food, atmosphere. Perfect.
(5)Lisa N.
OMG... I have been here 3 times, ordered a ton of different dishes and I am always both surprised and delighted. My favorites .. The Mussels, the Mahi and this apple cake with cream sauce yum.
(5)Tim H.
Went for lunch and sat at the bar for faster service. The gumbo was so so. The lobster roll was also ok. Did not think it was anything amazing like previous reviewers.
(3)L S.
Visiting from Chicago and planned to visit the Optimist after clients of ours told us it was the "Only restaurant we need to go to while in Atlanta". With a recommendation like that- and limited time in town- it seemed to be our best bet. Since it was brunch time, we started with Bloody Marys- which were outstanding- just enough spice and perfectly balanced. Our waiter was extremely helpful in guiding us through the menu, so after discussing our tastes he recommended we try the grilled octopus (crispy potato salad, chorizo, herbs, creme fraiche) and the head on ga white shrimp a la plancha, ("sopping" toast, arbol chile, lime ), and the east coast oysters (fresh horseradish and mignonette). The octopus was very good and was an interesting play with the texture of the petite crispy chips and creamy creme fraiche. The oysters were fresh and tasted as oysters should. But wow-sweet Lord- the shrimp- That was an experience all on its own. I would honestly say that dish alone was the greatest thing I have tasted in at least 3 years. It was perfectly done and went so well with the deliciously made in-house crackers they had on the table (which btw they should sell in stores because we would eat them everyday they are so delicious!) Okay so all of that sounds great right? So, we decided to order more food as we were settling in. The next round began with a lobster cobb salad (dijon mustard dressing), 2 cups of seafood gumbo w/ potluck bread and rice, and another round of Bloody Marys. Okay-now I'm not sure what happened from our first set of dishes to the second- but honestly and quite surprisingly it wasn't even in the same realm as the first. The lobster cobb- even though the lobster was cooked perfectly- the butter lettuce was sopping wet from the amount of dijon- so much that no other flavors could be tasted. We actually just picked out the lobster and left both salads on the plates. The gumbo was attractively presented with individually wrapped bread servings, but the gumbo itself was lifeless and felt like the roux had been rushed therefore lacked any real depth of flavor. And finally, and most sadly- the second rounds of Bloody Marys had clearly been made by someone with less care and attention as the firsts, as they tasted bitter and overly spiced. One came with an olive and one didn't, and the lime wedges were both dried out. I know that can sound sounds overly picky- but as we discussed during the meal- the change in quality while dining, etc flavors would have been the difference between a Michelin star (or two) and nothing. We were poised for a shoo-in and left feeling slightly disappointed. Probably best they don't offer that rating system here. Anyway- overall it was a positive experience- simply because I was able to taste their shrimp dish. I really think my life might actually be better as a result of those flavors! The dining room, bar, and exterior seating area were beautifully designed, and the wait staff could not have been more pleasant. But the turn in taste half way through almost guaranteed we won't be dining again the next time we are in town.
(4)Kate M.
I was really excited to visit The Optimist for my birthday dinner after hearing all my friends talk about how great it was. Overall it was just OK - there were good and parts to the meal and experience but I don't know that I would necessarily come back here again to celebrate a special occasion. They had an awesome area outside with putt putt on the lawn. On the Saturday I went they had live music that was fun and folksy and a really nice touch. all the doors were open and the warm night air breezed into the bar easily. It was neat to see the oyster bar and wood fired hearth where they made all of those style plates. I think if I do return it would be to grab a few cocktails and some apps. Not only would it be more laid back, but the price point would certainly help my wallet. The staff was welcoming, and the restaurant was still very busy at 9:15 pm which was the earliest we could get our reservation. The valet was not complimentary which was surprising, but it was only $2. The hostess had great attention to detail and while seating us flipped out our napkins from white to black so we wouldn't get any fuzzies on what we were wearing. Definitely a good eye! The space itself is industrial chic with a cool beach atmosphere. They have a beautifully stocked bar and open concept kitchen where you'll see the chefs at work and flames shooting up every once in a while. Now, on to the food! I absolutely love seafood, but was a bit disappointed when our waiter told us they were already out of multiple dishes and if we wanted a dessert we better order it now since they were running out of most. We hadn't even looked at the menu yet! We got some drinks (They were delicious! I highly recommend the Jolly Roger.) and perused at our leisure. For apps we got the frothy she-crab soup and the salmon "opportunity." The soup wasn't made with actual crab meat - just crab roe. It was very frothy as the name implied but it had the viscosity of water. The flavor was good and I could have drank the whole thing in two minutes. That being said it was described as a bisque to me and I really prefer them to be thicker than the dish we got. The shrimp toast with it was very tasty but super greasy. You could see the oil spreading all over the napkin it was placed on top of. The salmon opportunity was four bites of raw salmon with peaches, oil, and marcona almonds on top. It was just an alright bite. I don't think it was worth the $10 price tag since the oil really overpowered the fish. For entrees we got the monkfish and the skirt steak. The steak was incredibly tasty with a lovely demi-glaze on top. It had roasted zucchini and squash underneath which really soaked up the flavor. The monkfish was in a creamy tomato broth that paired nicely with the dish. Both of these were solid and I would order them again. The plates were small but well presented. We didn't order dessert because almost all of the choices were already sold out. Our waiter was nice enough to at least attempt to cajole us, but we were ready to go since it was getting pretty late. The Optimist was a solid three stars. I'd love to go back at lunch to see what their offerings look like or for a happy hour where I could get a few cocktails and maybe some oysters to munch on. Fingers crossed they won't be out of much then!
(3)Ruben O.
Came here for a client lunch meeting. Mandatory valet for $2. Super cool modern nautical environment with an oyster bar and a great bar for alcohol. Could be loud at happy hour, but #turndownforwhat APPS Chowder Fries - Covered in creamy chowder goodness with great fixings like chives and bacon bits. LUNCH ENTREES Shrimp Cobb Salad - The best salad I've ever had and I'm an LA salad snob. Big pieces of shrimp with heirloom tomatoes, avocado, blue cheese and a smothering Dijon mustard dressing. Lobster Roll - Everything you'd ever want. Huge chunks of lobster prepared perfectly with tons of fries. DESSERT Chocolate Creme Brûlée - TOPPED WITH OREO WHIPPED CREAM. Oh. M. Gee. Ice Cream - Salted Carmel YES PLEASE. Maple not as good, but okay. Depends on your tastes.
(5)Amrita R.
I really, really, really love the lobster roll here. Granted it's the only one I've tried so far but based on photos, I really love the large chunks of meat here vs some other places that do smaller pieces. Also, the housemade potato chips in vinegar or lime (something acidic/citrusy) is the perfect complement to it. I ordered lobster rolls for my mom and I from here once and she loved it so much we went again with two of my friends. This time we tried some cocktails and apps and entrees. Everything was A-OK but I still thought the lobster roll was the best thing I had. My friend greatly enjoyed her oyster and both fish entrees (we had one poached in duck fat that I had been so excited about) but I ended up finding both of them lacking in flavor. I would have loved to take them home and add some more seasoning. The corn hushpuppy app was pretty good but nothing amazing. I will def be back for the lobsta roll!
(4)Christine W.
We went here last night to celebrate my birthday! We had a fabulous experience and meal. First of all the service, ambiance, and decor were perfect. The restaurant has an elegant and modern feel. My fiancé ordered the striped bass and shared a bite with me - it was perfect! It really didn't come with much else as far as sides go. Apparently sides are extra. So, if you have a hearty appetite, you should probably order some sides and plan on a rather expensive bill. I was dying to try the lobster roll. It was delicious. They don't skimp on the lobster! The roll is buttery and doesn't overwhelm the taste of the lobster. Our waiter described it as "reminiscent of dunking your lobster in butter". We also had the beignet style hush puppies - they are sprinkled with powdered sugar and come with cane butter. They were also good and worth trying. I really enjoyed my dinner. The portions are not big, but they were perfect for us since we had a late dinner. This place is really nice for a romantic dinner or to celebrate a special occasion.
(4)Shelly H.
Went for a birthday dinner. The place was cool. Drinks were creative and well made. We had the lobster soup and gumbo. Lobster was a 10. Gumbo was a 5. The gumbo was really soupy, which is not what I'm looking for in a gumbo. I had the Ciopinno for dinner and it was fantastic! Tres Leches cake was to die for. Overall great meal!!
(4)Shannan J.
This is my favorite restaurant in all of Atlanta. The service, food, atmosphere - everything - it just can't be beat. Try it once and you'll come again and again!
(5)Jenny H.
I am disappoint. A friend of mine and I decided to go out and enjoy some fine cuisine. Like most folks in Atlanta, we'd heard amazing things about this place, and were very excited to try it out. Firstly, I like my wine, and I was disappointed in the selection. Not that it was bad or subpar, but it wasn't great, and our server didn't really seem to have a ton of knowledge about the wines. I asked for his help pairing, and was underwhelmed by the results. We started the night with a hamachi sashimi dish and some oysters. While delicious, I felt like the sashimi was way overpriced for the portion. The oysters, as expected, were amazing. We then each ordered a soup. I didn't see sizes on the menu (cup vs bowl), and our waiter didn't mention any either, so when we received our soup, I was surprised by how large the portion was. There was so much soup that I was almost full by the end. It seems strange to complain about, and certainly I could have eaten less, but I've always been told to clean my plate. Anyway, I think I would have been happier with cup or something. My friend ordered a gumbo and I ordered a chowder. The flavors were okay, but nothing special. Our main dishes were the scallops and the halibut. I was surprised by how small the scallops were, but my friend seemed pleased. I think these were the highlight of the evening. Great, obviously fresh, perfect seafood. The halibut was...not what I expected. It was a whole fish - head and all - and it was fried. I asked the server to fillet it for me, as I didn't know where to start. It came with a tangy bell pepper side/sauce. Because it's a whole fish, there were obviously plenty of bones to be had. I wish I'd known, as I probably would have ordered something else. I felt like our experience was pretty mediocre. Nothing stand out, but nothing offensive - which to me, after hearing so many wonderful things about this place, made it a let down. So, not a great experience for us, but I hope to try again someday. At the very least, I'd love to visit the oyster bar.
(3)Leang C.
Seafood, seafood, seafood! If you don't, you should be ashamed. JK! The seafood here is done really well. Oysters are fresh and very tasty. Octopus, shrimp, fish, you name it. Larger than most list of custom cocktails for those with adventurous taste buds. Service was attentive and knowledgeable. Make a reservation if you can as it does it pretty busy.
(5)Tamara G.
Everything I had was amazing. The seafood was fresh and the cocktails were refreshing. I'd definitely return.
(5)Regina R.
Delicious!! My husband and I bellied up to the bar tonight after a day at the park and we were not disappointed. Michael took excellent care of us - recommending the classic punch which is akin to a top shelf long island ice tea and east and west coast oysters to enjoy. The wood roasted oysters were so plump and full of flavor. And what a surprise that they make their own saltines- waaay better than Nabisco! Great service, comfortable setting (The Optimist is fine dining, but the adjacent Oyster Bar is laid back, Miami Beach feel) and delicious food. Not a cheap evening, but certainly quality for the dollars spent. We will return!
(5)Trevor W.
Undeniably one of the best seafood houses in the United States. Ford Fry opened this magnificent Fish Camp in the Spring of 2012 to accolades that included Restaurant of the Year and 7th Best New Restaurant in America. After two years, The Optimist (a type of sailing dinghy used for teaching kids) is still sailing strong, impressing both new and return visitors alike. Your experience begins as you dock your car with the friendly and swift valets in front of the restaurant. Valet is now $2, but there is street parking a block away on Marietta and free lots in the Brickworks complex. From there, you walk past large putting greens designed to keep you busy in high traffic times and enter the the building. The restaurant is divided into two main sections: an Oyster Bar that also serves as the reception area and main dining room featuring a separate cocktail bar in the center. You may choose to relax at either of the bars and the friendly hostesses will fetch you when all is ready. The dining space is reclaimed wood Savannah chic with massive floor to ceiling windows, filament lighting, and coastal themed decor. The open kitchen sits in the rear of the dining room with individual bathrooms down the side of the kitchen space. (and incidentally I love their restrooms: individual doors, white hexagonal tile, pedestal sinks. Gorgeous!) Service here is on point and regal without the pretentious feel of fine dining snobbery (black linen also available upon request). When seated at the table, they offer an Oyster tasting menu paired with their lunch or dinner menu. If you are price conscious, I cannot recommend the lunch menu enough. Half the cost, all the goodness. We've done numerous lunches here and it is a great way to do The Optimist on a budget. Otherwise, it commands a price commiserate with the quality of the ingredients and preparation of the food. You'll easily spend $30-$50 a person on dinner, but they have a surprisingly affordable cocktail and wine list to match. The Oyster menu rotates out with the seasons and is split fairly evenly between Atlantic and Pacific options. I'm partial to the wonderful, large oysters of PEI, but you must try some of the Pacific fare as well. Oysters are ~$2-3 a piece and come with in-house saltines, cocktail, shaved horseradish, and vinegar ingredients so you can dress your oysters your way. The Dinner menu features starters that range from salads to shrimp and octopus, progresses to wood fired seafood mains, and has a separate section for sides that serve 2-3 per dish (We tend to order the sides and share them family style with the meal). I've yet to have anything here short of delectable. The presentation is as beautiful as the meal tastes with everything served in unique pans and ceramics to match the preparation. Standouts: * The Lobster Roll. For $15, you won't find anywhere better in Atlanta short of the late night menu at The Octopus Bar in EAV. Always available at the bar or your table (it is off the main dinner menu, but just ask), a generous amount of claw meat overflows a warm, buttery roll. * Sides: Beignet hush puppies, beets, brussel sprouts, succotash * Mains: the servers are very knowledgeable. The monkfish, octopus, and scallops are some of my go-to favorites The Optimist, redefining a gourmet seafood experience in landlocked Atlanta!
(5)Amanda W.
I have had the pleasure of eating at The Optimist several times, and each time my meal has been excellent - actually some of the more memorable foods I have ever had. Since I'm a raw oyster lover, I always have to sample a few off of their daily selection. My preference is for the cold water oysters. The oysters always taste fresh, and they even come with homemade saltine crackers. The cocktails are also always top notch. The cocktail menu is always different every time I have been, but the drinks would put some of the other fancy cocktail places around Atlanta to shame. As for the main course, everything I've had has been delicious. Though if you're not a seafood lover, there is usually a beef or chicken dish available. Since my husband isn't much of a fish person, he has gotten the beef and it was good. I got the Crispy Whole Flounder once and it was phenomenal. I got a whole fish to eat. It was a pain in the ass trying to work around the bones, but it was so good. However, the best part of every meal I've had at The Optimist has been the dessert. The 2 desserts that stand out most to me is Apple Pie covered with melted, sharp, cheddar cheese. This may sound gross, but the salty / sweet flavor was insanely good. Another dessert I had was an ice cream sandwich. What sold me on the ice cream sandwich is that the waiter described it as tasting like Captain Crunch Berry cereal. It had homemade cornmeal cookies filled with homemade berry ice cream. And yes it did taste like the cereal.
(5)Veronika D.
I tried their oysters from different states and some bass with grapefruit. Fish was ok, nothing special but the oysters were delicious!
(4)Loan N.
Must try the scallops and oysters!! Like taking a bite into the ocean with the fresh seafood.
(4)Nicole O.
Super cute place! The bar and the restaurant so full of character and charm, Prawns ala plancha! They are served with the head and tail, but worth every bit of work to eat. The bread, the sauce...altogether delicious.
(4)Victoria V.
My boyfriend and I were blown away. Food, service, drinks are all amazing. Ian was our server and his service was impeccable. I had the snapper which was fresh and full of flavor. We will most certainly be back again.
(5)Annie J.
Our amazing server Chris, combined with the phenomenal menu, made our family lunch absolutely wonderful. YOU MUST TRY the Grilled Octopus and the shrimp starters!
(5)Laurie A.
I have had a great experience the two times I have visited this restaurant. The staff has always been very attentive and friendly. The food has been amazing. I especially enjoyed the shrimp appetizer over toast.
(5)Gayle B.
Okay I have been wanting to try The Optimist for a while. We walked in and sat at the oyster bar, just thinking it was the only bar. We then switched to the bar inside the restaurant. The service at the bar was bad. The bartenders were right next to us. They never asked us if they could take our order. I ordered wine (3 times) that was at the "other bar" and they didn't offer to get it. Ordered the lobster roll (that too was at the other bar and we had to ask them to get it). It was delish! If I ever came back here, I would have a lobster roll and drinks. Dinner was meh. I had 3 scallops (thats's how many were on the plate - and they weren't huge). I've had better at lesser hyped restaurants. The bok choy (ala carte) was excellent. I honestly don't know what everyone else had, but the consensus was that it was another "trendy Atlanta restaurant." No dessert. I would try lunch here. Dinner wasn't bad, it just didn't live up to all the hype.
(3)Nush Y.
Considering all the great reviews I read for this restaurant, I was deeply disappointed by the quality of the food. Although the atmosphere was energetic and the staff knowledgeable, the food itself did not warrant the $100+ cost of the meal. The fried oysters we ordered for the appetizer were very over salted, and both of our entrees were just "okay." My boyfriend had the fish and chips, and I had the cornmeal crusted red fish. The fish and chips was heavily over breaded and over salted. My red fish meal, on the other hand, was incredibly bland. There was simply too much fish and too little red pepper jelly to flavor the meal. Dessert was good, we had the lemon tart with lavender meringue, but again it did not warrant the final costs of the bill. Perhaps we caught this place on an off night, but most likely I will not return anytime soon.
(2)Anne O.
Went to the Optimist a few days after their opening and was impressed! The staff was all very friendly and a great amount of teamwork was obvious. Kudos to the staff on that! As it is a new place, the service was a bit slow and wordy as they explained the concept, etc. It was also a bit difficult to tell who the servers were as there doesn't seem to be any uniform except an apron. Now, the food...It is so NICE to see a seafood house that truly has that as it's focus. Each entree is offered steak house style...protein on the plate and you order shareable sides. You can tell just how much love, time & attention went into concepting this menu. My faves were the duck confit swordfish. AMAZING!! The meatiness of the swordfish paired excellent with the confit, who knew?? The scallops with oxtail marmalade were another huge hit at the table. The oxtail was prepared perfectly and was not too heavy to cover the delicate flavor of the scallops. We ordered pretty much every side and the winners were the mushrooms and the gnocchi. The mushrooms were prepared K.I.S.S. and were perfect. You also can not go wrong with the lobster butter and corn the gnocchi was soaked in. Yum! I will be back again and again. Thank you, Ford!
(4)Brian B.
Wow is all I can say. It is expensive, but it was very very very good. The lobster roll was excellent. The beat salad was full of flavors and excellent. If I had to have a complaint it was the soup with whitefish had a salt sprinkled on the top that made it a little bit too salty, but still very delicious.
(5)Brian P.
Very good restaurant. Worth trying. I've now been twice and can recommend it. It is a little pricey, but the quality is excellent. The hush puppies and the Brussel sprouts alone are worth the trip. The octopus appetizer is spicy, but too small and not worth the $13 price tag. The mussels are very good, but the portion size is smaller than expected. The peel and eat shrimp were excellent. The seafood gumbo excellent. We had seven there for dinner this past Saturday night. The scallops were excellent, the trout excellent. The fish and seafood entrees were all terrific. Service though, was weird. Our waitress was really very nice, extremely articulate and friendly. We really liked her, but she made some garish errors. For example, my friend only ate a few bites of her fish, but the waitress didn't offer to box it up. Instead she put a dirty plate on top of it and took it away. When we pointed out her mistake, she got defensive, but did have a fresh one made to take home (only after some gentle prodding). Then, there were over $40 in desserts on the bill even though no one ordered desert. She said the prior party at the same table had ordered desert, but none of us understood this excuse. She took the deserts we didn't order off the bill. Overall we liked her a lot, and said nothing to the manager, but it was bizarre. Back to the food. Better than The Fish Market. Oceanaire has better portions, but I'd say the food was better at Optomist. Kyma is probably the closest comparator, but the Optimist is better because the room is more hip, not as stuffy, and the energy is significantly better. Overall, I'd say for a great place for a date, birthday celebration, or for business.
(4)Sara B.
amazing!!!
(5)Daniel T.
This place has two of my favorite things: a wood fired oven and seafood. I ate twice last week. They have only been open a few weeks. The service is very friendly and they are eager to answer my questions. My favorite items are the angels on horseback, fried oysters on little slabs of pork belly with mushrooms and a red wine fish bordelaise sauce: the garlicky clams are awesome with pork belly garlic broth, hot peppers: roasted carrot salad with a ginger vinaigrette: chilled roasted beets with horseradish and apple: beignet style hush puppies: and the soft shell crabs! All were really great. The duck fat poached swordfish was ok, but a little dry in spots. It was also a pretty small portion without sides so much as garnish and it was $24. Everything else was not only good, but a good value. There are two restaurants here, an oyster bar and a more elaborate restaurant. They have different menus. The oyster selection is better in the oyster bar section. The wine list is nice and varied. The bar selection is good with some interesting whiskies and tequilas. The one thing that raised an eyebrow was I was overcharged both visits. The angels on horseback were listed on the menu at $9 but rang up at $13 and the second time the bill had two bottles of wine and one glass when we had three glasses. Both times it was taken care of without incident or attitude. I am certain they were innocent mistakes but it is something to watch out for. I will certainly be back for more. With knowledgable selection, this place is a great value and can be a regular haunt.
(4)Tracy F.
Freshest oysters you can get in Atlanta!!! Great atmosphere. Attentive and knowledgable waitstaff. Def going back soon.
(5)Alan K.
It's not often that you have a perfect evening following a hectic few days but we had a terrific evening at The Optimist as much because of the terrific food as because of the unwavering customer service and attention to detail shown by each member of the staff. The experience with The Optimist actually started earlier in the day when I called from New York where I had been stuck because of airline delays for two days. I had dinner reservations to celebrate our anniversary and with the connections and returning home there was no way that we could make our reserved time. Without hesitation the staff member on the phone offered 7:00 or 7:30 or whatever else would work for us. We arrived and everyone from the person who first greeted us to our wonderful waitress, Katie, we were treated like VIPs (although to be honest it appears that this is what they did for everyone). I spotted not far from our table another table where a noted Atlanta chef and restaurant owner was sitting with his party and the attention paid to them by the staff was no different than what we were treated to. The cocktails were fabulous as was their beer and wine selection. One of our favorite cocktails was the MOTHER OF PEARL, a combination of Death's Door Gin, Fever Tree Tonic Water, Fee Brothers celery bitters, celery salt/black pepper, fennel frond and celery leaf. Our server did a wonderful job steering us not so much away from some dishes as to some truly outstanding ones. Going back to the staff again, as we have all experienced at one point or another - you have wonderful meal only to have the experience ruined by one or multiple staff members who are just bad or perhaps having a bad night. Dinner at The Optimist was like visiting the Apple Store if it were a restaurant ... stay as long as you like ... talk to the staff ... meet your neighbor ....even play a little golf or Disney where the staff is always on since it is always someone's first time. The design and atmosphere were awesome as you can easily transport yourself to the beach or anyplace near the water that you want to be. As I said before, the food was perfect. Each dish came out hot, beautifully presented and delicious. We had oysters, figs, halibut, striped bass, mushrooms, hush puppies and dessert. I can't really describe the food other than to say it was excellent -- you really need to experience it yourself. In this day and age, especially with little kids (and having to pay a babysitter) no evening is inexpensive and when it's all said and done you hope that with all the money you spend that you have a great time ... we most certainly did here. Not only would I recommend The Optimist without reservation I would tell you just come and chat with anyone on the staff ... it will make you feel better about your day. The Optimist is clearly in our top five all time. Congrats to the staff and thank you.
(5)David B.
Ford Fry of JCT kitchen, Optimist has been recently ranked #1 esquire magazine restaurant in US. The design of this place is A+ and I heard it was done by local design firm. There is a putting green outside, raw bar area near the entrance, long drink bar in main dining area. The atmosphere is light and airy. The fish options on the menu were impressive. I have never seen speckled trout before at a restaurant. For appetizers we ordered bacon wrapped figs which were excellent and shrimp la plancha which were overcooked, chewy, and difficult to peel. I had a skin on red snapper with a simple salad. A rating on the fish and salad. I went back last night for drinks. I will definitely be back to this place. It has more to offer in atmosphere and menu with similar concept to Miller Union.
(5)K S.
perfection in every way. service: bustling restaurant, crowded and all but our server james was wonderful... attentive, wonderful recommendations, on top of it all. f ood: perfection. seriously we were a large group and therefore were able to taste a bit of everything... the she-crab soup was spectacular, the spicy grilled octopus was spectacular, the oysters were good, the wedge salad as good as it gets but unless you are craving leafs get seafood... and for the entrees... every bite perfection! the fish and chips were the best we've ever tasted. no joke. the seared tuna cooked just right. and the desserts! omg you can't go wrong!!! i'm not a merenge fan but at the optimist i am, and the apple strudel - wholly molly. don't forget the banana pudding... ha seriously you can't go wrong with anything on the menu here. oh yeah and even the design of the restaurant is perfection. pricey but worth it
(5)Ashley R.
Great atmosphere, friendly service, and solid menu. While most offerings are seafood-related, pretty much everything is cooked in butter or fried. So...no heart-healthy plates here. Overall, we were pleased with the quality. The mussels were somewhat overcooked and came with only one small circle of toast for sopping the green curry broth (but the waitress happily brought us extra). Fried oysters were well-breaded and tasty served with pork belly and mushrooms. Skate wing "schnitzel" had excellent lemon-capery flavor, but was a tad on the greasy side (breaded and pan fried, then served with a butter sauce). Shoestring fries side were perfectly salted and crisp. Hushpuppy beignets with brown butter were a sweet surprise paired with the savory entries. Buttermilk cake donuts with sweet corn ice cream were so-so (pass on the bizarre hot pepper jelly accompaniment). Go for the key lime "push pop" instead!
(4)Richard G.
Took the Optimist out for a shake-down cruise Saturday evening (6/2/12). Although our reservation was for 7:30, our table was not ready until almost 8:00. The most remarkable feature of this new restaurant is that the kitchen can turn out excellently prepared and presented food in the midst of such utter chaos. One guest's appetizer arrived after all others had been served, eaten, and the plates cleared. Wine orders, after 1 or 2 follow-up requests, eventually showed up after the course they were to accompany was served and eaten (choice: warm food without wine, or cold food with wine?). Although the food product was uniformly interesting and delicious, the quantities of some dishes were skimpy: the tuna and octopus combo appeared with one morsel of octupus, and in response to our inquiry, a runner later appeared with a saucer bearing one embarrasingly smaller piece. The grouper appeared to be a scant 4 oz. for $28.00. Maybe worth another try in a few weeks, to see if they have worked out the kinks.
(3)Greg A.
We found the Optimist to be a creative seafood venue with great service and nicely prepared meals. The octopus was probably the best we've ever had and we regularly try it since it's so difficult to get right. Morimotos was number one but the Optimist's preparation and presentation took over with room to spare.
(4)Carrie B.
Finally went for my birthday earlier this month for more than just the bar and cocktails and I really am sorry I didn't give this place a shot sooner. I'm a huge seafood-lover and tend to be pretty disappointed with my overall experience at a particular Buckhead seafood establishment. Not only is The Optimist way closer to me, but the service and food were spot-on. The octopus appetizer was amazing as was the cobia and tuna. Don't waste your time on the fish & chips, anyone can do that, branch out and explore this amazing menu, I promise you won't be disappointed! Oh and the place is stunning and they must have great sound-baffling since even though it is a huge place, we didn't have to elevate our voices to hear each other.
(5)Doug L.
First the good. Our server was attentive and when we had an issue the manager came over and tried to make us feel better Not sure I have been more disappointed with a restaurant than here. I am a vegetarian and they acted like I was from Mars. I get it, I'm not Mainstream but most places here one choice. They did a vegetable plate. The sauce the beans were good, I love horseradish. They had little peppers that were flavorless and a pile of mushrooms that were, just mushrooms. My wife had a fish and she didn't like the sauce, it was supposed to be a ginger sauce and almost no ginger. They did bring her a rice side that she loved but Order a crab which was forgetful. The decor is nice but based on this I can think of 50 other restaurants I would send you to first
(2)Abhi K.
We went for lunch on a weekday. The space is large and since it was an off-time, there was no wait. Walking in, I was immediately impressed with their wall of liquor. Not only is it comprehensive, but it is aesthetically pleasing. The main dining room looked like a converted warehouse with exposed piping. I know that's super trendy and it's really un-hipster of me to say this, but that stuff still impresses me. There is also an oyster bar, which was closed during the day. I got the filet-of-fish sandwich, which was pretty good. It was a good chunk of fish between two buttery pieces of jalapeno texas toast. The jalapeno gave it a little kick, but was not overly intrusive as I only placed what the taste was halfway through the meal. I also had a side of hush puppies, which were amazing. They were little balls of cornmeal with whole corn niblets, deep fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar. They came with a brown butter, which was like crack for a foodie. Do not order the burger (the fact that its the only non-seafood entree on the menu should've been your first clue). It is greasy and nothing special. Parking is a $2 valet. I'm against places that charge for valet parking, especially when there is no option to self-park. Economically, people would probably be willing to pay more than $2 if it was a voluntary gratuity. This really hurts the drivers since I'm sure they keep less of the $2 than if they received the same amount as a gratuity.
(4)Lilly Y.
After a long wait, I finally stopped in with a work colleague for lunch. The Optimist has been on my list for some time now, and it was worth the wait, for the most part! First off, they have a really small parking lot. Like they can only fit maybe 10-15 cars in it, and have access to an overflow lot somewhere else. I didn't see where, but we waited for a bit to get our car back. Once inside, the atmosphere was really cool. Classy, clean, not overpopulated, and slightly nautical without being cheesy or gaudy. We sat in a corner booth and got to look at the whole restaurant. The chef was walking around and making sure all the food was prepared properly before going to a table, and the servers were quick and efficient, without being too quick or overbearing. It seems they found a happy medium and are sticking to it. I ordered the gumbo to start with, and it came with some bread wrapped in parchment paper held together with twine. The gumbo was fantastic! I could come back and eat it as a full meal. A little heat, but not too much, and the consistency of the roux and other flavors were spot on. For my entree, I had the red snapper over sauteed okra and bok choy. The snapper was good, and served with the skin on. I could tell it wasn't super fresh, but I have to admit I'm a little biased and rotten from spending time on the Gulf Coast. My boyfriend is from Mobile and his family always gets us the best, freshest seafood when we go down there. I knew I would take a gamble when I got snapper at The Optimist, but wanted to try it anyway. The flavors were good, and they did a good job with it. Bottom line is that it doesn't compare to how fresh the fish is when I order it in Mobile. Moving on, the bok choy was hard to eat. It was sauteed in oil, I think, and it was chewy and wouldn't break apart easily. The leaves were soggy and hard to tear with your teeth, so we ended up chewing on them for too long (my colleague got the same entree), and just it was not a pleasant experience. The okra was good, and I ended up eating around the bok choy just to get the okra that was cooked properly. For dessert, I had the chocolate creme brulee with Oreo whipped cream, and it was heavenly! Rich chocolate flavor, and the whipped cream was even better. I don't think I've had a chocolate creme brulee before, and I think the bar was set pretty high. My colleague had the banana bundt cake with ice cream and caramel sauce (can't remember the exact description, and the menu on their website isn't the same as the restaurant, at the time of writing). I had a small bite of the cake and it tasted like my mom's homemade, from scratch banana bread fresh out of the oven. In other words, good with a touch of nostalgia. My least favorite part of the experience was our server. He was too formal for our liking. We both prefer bubbly servers who take the time to get to know you, whereas this guy was all business. He was stiff, and didn't have much personality, but did everything technically right: kept our water glasses full, checked on us when our food hit the table, etc. So, I can't say he was a bad server, but it would have been nice to see more of his personality while we were there. I'm definitely coming back, but probably for a drink with boyfriend and to split some gumbo and dessert if we're hungry.
(4)Tanna L.
This review is technically for the oyster bar, not the main restaurant ... which kinda sucked because I wanted to try the regular menu. However, I was alone so I plopped into a seat at the bar and ordered. Just note that their bar is the oyster bar which has a limited menu. The gumbo was good. I'm not sure I would call it gumbo though--not a classic roux, definitely not dark (really a light brown color) and on the watery side as others have suggested. However, it was still tasty with a decent rice ratio, sausage, shrimp, etc. Warning, it is a bit on the spicy side (fine with me and my Korean taste buds) but if you're not accustomed to the heat, it might be a little too much for the standard palate. I also got the seared scallops. These are cut thin, seared and almost quasi-sashimi style. The scallops themselves were a little lacking in flavor (and I love me some sashimi scallops) but in combination with the vinaigrette it was fine. I was hungry. Wood roasted oysters were next. Very good. Definitely worth a try. Briny, woody, garlicky, yummy. If you are ever in New Orleans, go to Cochon and get their wood roasted oysters. They are freakin' ridiculous. These were very good but not at that level. Lastly (wife not a huge seafood fan so gotta maximize) I ended with the speckled trout. Served skin up which was nice and crispy. Good flavor, well-cooked, nice texture, another good dish. Worth a try. Drank some beer, Uber-ed it home. Service was not a problem as the bar is not too large and the bartender was easily accessible and assisted in making it a good night.
(4)Nelle C.
Classy, clean, and vibrant restaurant with good, fresh seafood. The first time I went, I went for lunch and had the lobster roll. My colleague recommended it and it was really tasty - even for a person like me who rarely enjoys lukewarm sandwiches. The lobster was expertly prepared with flavors that made for a good few bites. The shoestring fries and roasted brussel sprouts were excellent sides. The 2nd time, however, I went with friends for a snack and tried the wood roasted oysters with herbs and parmesan cheese. Not good at all. I had expected the oysters to have way more flavor, but it seemed like the herbs and parmesan were just resting atop each oyster, and the oysters weren't truly roasted. I like the vibe of the Optimist, though. It was transformed, it seems, from an old warehouse of sorts and that history makes for a uniquely charming and unexpectedly cozy place. I'm curious to try some other dishes, but I'm steering clear of the oyster bar.
(4)Jon U.
On a southern road trip, we decided to stop here as we passed through Atlanta. Despite the valet only parking and huge construction site behind the restaurant, this place is amazing. They have a selection of specialty cocktails as well as local and highly rated microbrews. The restaurant is laid out beautifully and vary spacious. Our waiter was extremely attentive and offered a ton of advice on the menu, as well as some good conversation. I ordered the butter poached swordfish. It was the best swordfish I've had. Get the hush puppies if you can, they are amazing with maple butter. Collard greens were great as well with chunks of ham. Had the guava sorbet for dessert as we had stuffed ourselves at dinner, it was a refreshing end to a great meal. I recommend this to anyone with a couple hours to kill and an appetite in Atlanta!
(5)Mahtab R.
Been here several times now, and I can't say that there's another place in Atlanta like it. I dubbed indoors a few times, but nothing beats sitting outside in the summer with the sun barely touching your face and eating kumamotos in a gentle breeze- okay, maybe that was too Thoreau-esque. The Optimist has a great selection of oysters and small bites available outside. I usually get several dozen oysters and pretty much everything on the menu stone they're all in the $10-20 range. The service is also fantastic: ask for more lemons? Here's a fuckton. Need some simple syrup for making crack sweet tea? Here's a gallon. The service is here to enhance your experience however they can. The beignets here are also great- one of the few places I'll get dessert, but that could also be attributed to the fact that being outside and warms makes me crave dessert more. My only issue with the place is how the inside and outside are technically different restaurants. I've been able to get food served at the "bar" section inside, but have yet to be able to get the mains available inside served outside. Either way, great place to just chill, drink, and destroy oysters.
(4)Robert B.
Finally, a place in Atlanta you can take your out of town foodie-friends to and not have to hear them complain about how the meal is better somewhere else. This place is awesome. A super cool ambiance at the bar, phenomenal, punctual and prompt service, and excellently yummy seafood. This place is a must. Go here now. Seriously. Stop what you are doing. Put the computer down. Grab a friend and go have a great time and better meal. You will not regret it. In fact, you are reading this on a smartphone at another restaurant, ask for the check and head there, now, mid-meal. Order the lobster roll when you arrive and it will all make sense. First, when you walk into to the West Midtown space, you're immediately impressed with the uber cool bar. It has this great vista from the windows and a California, 1970s, Brady Bunch gone surfing theme. (And music to match.) I may head back just to be in that space again. The main dining room has vaulted ceilings and blues and whites around the bar. Very nice space. The meal. Here's what sets it apart: The details. The hot sauce and saltines are homemade. And excellent. The hot sauce, yes that same stuff most seafood places replace with Crystal's or Texas Pete's, is homemade and refined. It's sweet, fresh and hot. The saltines are made with care. That's the difference between this and where ever else you've eaten the same food. Someone took time to think about all of the little details. We ordered the East Coast Oysters -- good and fresh with a homemade vinagrette that makes all of the difference, Fish and Chips and the Lobster Roll. GET THE LOBSTER ROLL NOW. Honestly, its the most awesome one you've ever had. Slightly sweet toasted bread, fresh lobster claw, a slight bit of acidity. It's the best small nearly $20 sandwich you'll have. The fish and chips is a beautifully fried piece of Cod? Great taste as well. But the Lobster Roll is exceptionally good. The service was impeccable. The Apple Cake with Cinnamon Ice Cream could have used with some more ice cream, but that literally is the only complaint. The only other complaint is that this place is about 20% pricier than you'll expect. But listen, it's the A, and that kind of meal is going to come at a premium. So you are looking for a good seafood almost bar food restaurant, go here. You have friends you want to impress, but don't want them to know you tried to impress, go here. You are hungry, then go here. After the you have the lobster roll, you'll feel great the rest of the day.
(5)Chad D.
Love to sit in the bar and eat oysters. Always the highest of quality. Dinners are nice, but a bit over priced... still a pleasure
(4)Jacky M.
Absolutely wonderful experience from when we walked in and throughout the meal. We were greeted right away and show to a booth overlooking the restaurant. Our waitress was highly knowledgable on everything on the menu; fish to oysters to pairing the perfect cocktail or wine. Every dish we got was outstanding in taste and presentation. I would highly suggest the octopus appetizer and the scallops entree, both will knock your socks off. Happy eating!
(5)Elaine L.
Love this restaurant. Definitely recommend it, the seafood is cooked perfectly and they are delicious. I came here for lunch and ordered: grilled calamari, she Crab soup, fish and chips, lobster roll and beets on the side plus hush puppies. The grilled calamari is cooked perfect lubut it's not my favorite (on well). The she Crab soup is thin and have nothing inside, but we were warned about it, so it's all good. Just wish it's a bit thicker, but still really delicious. I love it. For the main entree, I got lobster roll, omg, so good!lobster is not rubbery or undercooked, the seasoning is delicious. The only thing I have to say about this is that it's not the healthiest of entree. The bread is super buttery (like time to work out), but so good! Fish and chips are really good as well. All in all, it's a really good place to go and it's delicious. Want more of the beets! (Btw, hush puppies is pretty interesting dinner it's dusted with powdered sugar and with a sweet butter, still pretty good).
(5)Kristen G.
Great meal! First time I came here was a year and half ago with a big work group and I thought it was mediocre. Tonight my meal changed everything. We had oysters to start, then the lobster roll that the bartender (Michael or Matthew?) ordered special for us from other restaurant, shrimp Louisiana appetizer which was really good but messy, the she crab soup (a little salty and a bit fishy, but crouton that came with it was great), then we shared the truffle halibut which was flakey and delicious! The we had our bartender pick a dessert for us. He surprised us with 2 (one of which was on him). The chocolate creme brûlée which was like chocolate smooth fudge and the banana cake with ice cream. For drinks I had a great Chopin dirty martini. Great time! I suggest sitting at the bar for a fun, social time!!
(4)Rachel B.
Tonight I went to the Optimist for the second time. The first time was subpar, but I thought it was because of my high expectations as a result of the hype surrounding the restaurant. I was wrong, this experience was worse than the last. We were seated and served drinks and oysters promptly (both good) but then it took an hour to receive our food. I got the blackened mahi, a $26 dish which in my opinion was decent but not worth the steep price tag for a relatively plain piece of fish with minimal accompaniments - no sides come with this, you'll have to pay $6.50 per side. Not to mention, our service was not good. The manager acknowledged our poor service and provided comped apps as a result, but our server never said a word. Overall, the second subpar experience at a restaurant that's deemed one of the best in Atlanta. Save the time and money - there are several better to try.
(2)Jang C.
The Optimist looks like a trendy place. Not only that, it has been voted 2012's Best New Restaurant of the Year in Esquire Magazine. It's also a seafood restaurant. I love seafood. So would this be my new favorite restaurant? Not really. Don't get me wrong, the food tastes good here. I tried their hush puppies, oyster loaf, fish and chips, brussels sprouts, basmati fried rice, and beets. Their Hush Puppies was the bomb. They do it beignet style with powdered sugar all over the place. If you're not careful, you might get a bunch of powdered sugar on your clothes and look like a cocaine addict. I liked how they fried the hush puppies and loved the sweetness. The Oyster Loaf tasted good. The oysters seemed fresh. I loved how they stuffed the tiny loaf bread with oysters. They breaded and fried the Oysters well. It's a great sandwich for lunch. It is a messy sandwich because the oysters were spilling out of the bun. I tried their Fish and Chips. It tasted okay. It seemed bland to me. Their vinegar aioli didn't give much flavor. I liked the tempura batter at least. I liked the "Chips" it came with. It was hand pulled potatoes. They seemed to have grilled it somewhere since I could tasted the grilled flavor. For the sides, I tried the basmati fried rice. I wasn't a fan. I didn't like the flavors, and it didn't seem fried. I guess I was expecting a more Asian styled fried rice. The brussels sprouts tasted good. It was one of my favorite sides. It had a nice flavor and cooked well. The Beets tasted okay. I couldn't get much of the beet-y taste. Also, it had cream. The cream added a nice layer of flavor, but I couldn't enjoy it much because of my lactose intolerance. As for the service, I got annoyed at my server. She assumed too much. First, she made it a point to serve the women first. Okay, that's fine. But it was annoying when she skipped over me multiple times just to serve the women first. I think she should just go in order of seating instead of having to do the whole, chivalrous, "ladies-first" act. In fact, when we came in, she served all the women water and left my glass empty. Then she asked the women if they want anything else besides water to drink while my glass was still empty. Also, it took her a long time to get our order. I didn't know she was waiting for our last party member, who never arrived, to show up. What was she waiting for? She could've at least come and ask if we wanted to order first. If we didn't say anything, she would have never served us because our last table companion never showed up. Then at the end, she assumed me and Angela M. were together even though we specified separate checks. If we were together, I would've told her were were together. I'm laid back when it comes to service, but for some reason, this woman irked me. Besides the crappy service, the food didn't seem bad. I wasn't blown away, but I enjoyed my meal.
(4)Tran N.
This review is solely for lunch time. I never came here for dinner, but probably will one day. I've been here for lunch twice and had the famous lobster roll both times. The lobster roll is the best I have ever had here for it to be in Georgia. The huge chunks of lobster meat is satisfying, and half of the roll leaves me full but I will always finish the whole roll. I got mines with a side of the standard fries which were nicely seasoned as well. The hushpuppies I've had my first time here were yummy also. I believe one lobster roll entree is at $18, not bad at all considering the portion is pretty generous. The ratio for the sauce mixed in makes it better to. The service is wonderful, and nothing to complain about. There is a $2 valet fee out front, pretty reasonable as you should always tip your valet regardless.
(5)Conrad M.
It's tucked away, so you have to look for it. And don't be deceived about the outside. It's huge inside and feels brand spanking new. Great atmosphere and service. YOU MUST HAVE THE OCTOPUS. I mean, really. YOU. MUST! Great wine selection, beers, a seafood. Good for groups and would work if you're looking for a great date spot.
(4)Jackie R.
I have been here twice in the last three months. Each time I have had something different (never a bad choice). First time we had the spicy shrimp app (whole GA shrimp a la plancha, "sopping' toast, arbol chile butter, lime) which was amazing! We were fighting over the bread and sauce! The roasted brussell sprouts were so yummy. My friend and I tried several of the cocktails (with names like Highway to Hell and Stairway to Heaven how could you not) She had flounder and I had Mahi mahi....we rolled/stumbled out of there!! I thought at the time it was the best meal I have ever eaten!! About two weeks later my husband and I went back for our anniversary We tried mussel for appetizer that was suggested by our waiter Topher. He was awesome by the way!! The mussels had a curry sauce that was delicious. We had the snapper and halibut for our main and sides were the confit fingerling potatoes, pork belly, chile oil, scallions and basmati "fried rice", smoked fish, curry, peanuts, cilantro, egg. The manager brought us asparagus to try. I swear this restaurants apps and sides is what make it!! The snapper had a jalapeno sauce that was just the right amount of spicy and with the fried rice side it was soooo yummo!!! I love the atmosphere her and we talked about next time sitting at the oyster bar and just doing oysters!
(5)Beth P.
Some places live up to the hype - the Optimist is one of them! I love the putting green and live music they have outside and the huge windows and airy feel when inside the restaurant. I've sat on the patio, at the raw bar, main bar, and in the dining room. Eaten during both lunch and dinner hours. The service is consistently great. The food is fantastic and ingredients are high quality, especially the seafood which can be hit or miss in Atlanta. Also, the burger here is amazing -- in my opinion it beats a lot of the ones that were in Creative Loafing's burger smackdown!
(5)Miranda G.
I've had friends telling me for quite some time now to check this spot out. I love King + Duke so it didn't take much convincing on their part. First off the mussels were absolutely amazing. Whatever broth that is served with them is to die for, definitely ask for an extra side of bread with, you won't want to waste a drop. If you've never dined here order the hush puppies, not typically my thing but they are fantastic. The snapper was perfectly cooked, drinks are tasty. I definitely keep this on my list of restaurants that I frequent often.
(5)Terry M.
The decor and atmosphere really help The Optimist reach 3 Stars. The portions are small, the prices are on the high side. Atmosphere....great. Restaurant/food....average at best. Bar.....solid. If there is a restaurant graph out there where "trendy" and "kind of shitty" cross, you will find "The Optimist."
(3)Crazy E.
The Optimist- What a great name for a business especially dealing with food. I decided to see what the hype is about at this restaurant. I didn't have reservations so I sat at the oyster bar for starters. I started with a variety of oysters, which were good but not any more special than the local oyster bar. Surprisingly I ordered around 9 oysters and recieved 4 crackers. (really) The peel and eat shrimp were very sweet and juicy but unfortunately, it seemed like they dropped the shrimp in an Old Bay seasoning bucket. I love spice but that was over the top. I then had the lobster roll which was good but definately not worth the $21 price tag. I have had better or comparable lobster rolls in Atlanta for less. The star or the night for me was the grilled octopus. This had flavors bursting throughout my mouth. The drinks were very good especially the shots with the oyster.I tried the pickle juice shot and it was surprisingly very smooth. The biggest issue of the night was the staff. The bartender had the personality of a saltine cracker. She was not rude but not engaging or having a personality. I tried to engage her in conversation and all the time thinking- how did you get this job? I had to ask for water 3 or 4 times and she was right in front of me. She actually filled her own water glass a couple of times before filling mine. Go figure. The guy who was cooking was creepy and all the time staring making the stay quite uncomfortable. maybe I was looking for a different vibe based on all the reports of this place being the "IT" place to be. Maybe I will check it out on the weekends and it may be different. I might suggest giving the bartender a shot or two to loosen up a bit.
(3)Jessica B.
Really cool place in the west side area! Everything was really good, we had the west coast oysters, mussels and shared the monkfish. Service was also on point. We had a reservation (that I made 2 weeks in advance) and they seated us right away. If my table wasn't 4 1/2 inches away from the strange couple next to me, this would've been 5 stars. Definitely worth a try!!
(4)Ashley S.
I went with my husband and best friend last night and left not as impressed as I had expected to be! I ordered the Tuna (which is a staple on their menu) and the sauce it is with just doesn't go well with it. I wouldn't order it there again. My husband ordered the Scallops (it comes with 4 of them) and again wasn't all that great. Now my friend did get a good one, she got the Short Ribs with bone marrow. And the hush puppies side was amazing. We also ordered the Octopus appetizer, and was cooked just wonderfully but the sauce was a bit overkill, although still very good. PROS: Very cute ambiance, great Octopus appetizer, AMAZING HUSH PUPPIES, and good Short Ribs CONS: Tuna entree was not great at all (so many other places that do this better) & Scallops entree was again not anything worth going back for.
(3)Emily B.
Great overall experience and would definitely go back. The decor and ambiance is warm and inviting, a little loud, but I prefer that over stuffy fine dining. Our group had one of just about every appetizer and were specifically fond of the she crab soup and grilled octopus with bone marrow aioli. The menu was fresh and creative, and the wine selection was great. They are a little pricy, but I think worth it. I will definitely go back.
(5)Yane Y.
(I usually review after at least 2 visits, but I reviewed after the 1st visit so I can recall what I ordered and what my thoughts were.) Due to the rave reviews, I ordered the lobster roll. Call me asian, but when I read lobster roll review after review after review, I was thinking it was a lobster (sushi) roll! I didn't have time to look at any pics, so just went by the reviews. I was surprised to find that the lobster roll was a texas toast bun (in 1/2) with a lobster salad. The chunks of lobster were fresh - props! (By the way, did I mention that I told me entire table that the lobster rolls got rave reviews, so everyone ordered it? It was our first visit.) Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it! Personally, I just do not like "cold" dishes. Even when it comes to subs/sandwiches, I always prefer a hot sandwich over a cold ... because this was a cold sandwich, I didn't like it as much as I thought it was. However, I can recognize quality, and I tell you... it was real, quality lobster meat. It wasn't too salty nor sweet, it was fine - just cold ... (but normal!). Also ordered the she crab soup. It was delicious as others mentioned. I read in a couple people's reviews that they were disappointed that the soup did not have chunks of crab meat. It was a puree. Regardless, the soup was delicious. Very thin puree, so don't expect anything too thick. Our server told us up front that the soup did not have chunks of crab. She did good! Service was excellent ... she was at our table refilling our waters every few minutes. While she was over every few minutes to refill our waters, she didn't interrupt conversations too frequently. She just came, refilled waters, and left. Our server was excellent. The amibiance of this place is way cool. I mean, they have putt putt while you're waiting. Can it get any better? (okay, so I'm sure it can. But putt putt is pretty darn cool.....) For any seafood lovers, everything tasted real fresh, so I'd definitely bring you here!!
(3)Jillian V.
I can't say enough about my experience at The Optimist tonight. I was meeting for a casual business related happy hour with two others. Automatically I could gauge that the venue itself is great for business dinner or a nicer date night out. We had the pleasure of sitting in AJ's section. Long story short we were there longer than expected and didn't order entrees. We stuck with two beers, glass of wine and three appetizers - octopus, halibut cheeks and the shrimp (all AJ's suggestions). I'm a huge seafood person and the quality is beyond compare to the majority of seafood places in Atlanta. AJ was spot on with knowing when to stop by and when to just let us be. The entrees were definitely something to be desired. The fact they had cobia and tilefish on the menu was a pleasant surprise to me, but all and all I'm already planning my next visit. Not only will I enjoy their amazing venue, but I will definitely be asking to sit with AJ again.
(5)Jennifer L.
Another fun spot on the Westside. I've eaten/drank at the bar a number of times now. Cans of beer in koozies and boozy punches are fun. The crowd here seems a bit too "Real Housewives" (OC version, NOT Atlanta version) for me, but it makes for good people-watching. Have yet to dine in the real dining room- but the oysters, lobster roll and mussels at the bar are top notch. Right when the city is inundated with fancy burger joints, the Optimist provides some much needed variety. If only they could bring us a beach to go with that seaside vibe!
(3)Devon O.
My new favorite restaurant in Atlanta. Deeeelish. I've only been for lunch, but posting up at the bar for a long late afternoon boozy lunch on a cold day is sublime. Get a glass of the Albarino and start with the shrimp a la plancha. They do have hot lemon-scented hand towels to clean your hands from the delicious messy sauce, ask for them if you get too greasy/gross. I also love the lobster roll, easily comparable to what you'd find in New England. Served with the crunchiest ungreasy matchstick fries in existence. Seasonal sides also never disappoint. The fried green beans, though? Yuck. Not feeling the cold dill sour cream sauce that goes with it. I love that they have for real oysters from both coasts, not the gloppy cold tongue gulf oysters that you have to chew in several bites. Ew. Service is laid-back, competent and knowledgable. Bathrooms are plentiful and stall-free, which is always nice. Looking forward to springtime when I can play putt putt on the lawn.
(5)Liesa G.
I was here last night with some friends. None of us had ever been here but had heard great things about The Optimist. We tried two different kinds of oysters (of course with the homemade crackers and the hot sauce) - yum! They were delicious! All four of us had different entrees: the halibut (good), the salmon (good), the snapper (really good) and the fish & chips (eh .. just ok). There were a few highlights to the meal. The "scurvy scoundrel" is an awesome cocktail - refreshing but not overwhelming. The hushpuppies are probably the best we'd ever had, and the chocolate creme brulee was amazing! It is very expensive (about $350 for the 4 of us) so this isn't a place I'd go regularly, but for a special night out, it's a good place.
(4)The Food Abides W.
If you didn't catch wind of it, Esquire Magazine named Ford Fry's latest, The Optimist, the "Best New Restaurant in America." If this is America's best, well then Amurica is facing more problematic times than the presidential debates would let on. I'm no longer standing on my chair screaming, "USA! USA!" Needless to say, my meal last night at The Optimist left me an enormous pessimist. In fact, it was the worst meal I've ever shelled out one hundred bones for. Putting my credit card down, I felt duped and knew that I could get much better meals in Atlanta for much less money. If you're reading this review, well then you have certainly heard about The Optimist. You've heard about its gorgeous dining room and inviting bar(s). You've heard about the masterfully appointed lighting and stylishly tasteful touches. And all of these things are absolutely, in the fullest sense, true - the design team for this restaurant knocked it out of the park. And perhaps you've heard about the food. And that's where I'm taking a stand - if you heard wonderful things about the food at The Optimist, you heard wrong. If I had to sum my meal up at The Optimist in one, brief phrase, if would be, "Nothing tasted like anything." The dishes overall were devoid of any flavor with the exception of a salty Monkfish entree. I adore the scope of the menu and had a hard time deciding on anything because everything sounded so interesting, refreshing or delicious. The service, I should mention, was flat - not particularly friendly and nobody ever came to check on us after we got our food. The Optimist has fresh oysters on the regular and I feel like oysters are omissible from any review. The truth is, if you have a fresh product and a good shucker, oysters are going to be good. And they were. We also ordered the $9 cup of gumbo. With ample amounts of seafood (including a crab claw), I suppose they can get away with the price. The broth was nothing special, however, and lacked thickness and depth of flavor. The accompanying "Potluck" garlic bread was absolutely unnecessary and didn't even deserve to be called garlic bread. The mains were the real let down of the evening. My monkfish entree, with a tomato broth, pickled fennel and hen of the woods mushrooms was simply not good. The monkfish was cooked appropriately but the accompanying broth tasting like nothing but salt with no tomato flavor. In fact, after a few bites, I couldn't eat any more of it. The pickled fennel kept to itself and didn't compliment the dish in any way while the the hen of the woods mushrooms were kept to a minimum - there was only one in the dish. Kins ordered the yellowtail tuna dish which was supposed to feature a charred octopus & potato salad. The yellowtail was cooked properly with a nice sear to the outside. The potato salad was even interesting - fried rather than boiled (think well cooked home fries). However, the charred octopus was much like the mushrooms in my dish - non existent except for one, measly piece. I'm sorry, but when you shell out $26 for a dish, there needs to be more than one bite of the ingredients mentioned on the menu. And like the monkfish entree, this dish didn't really have any flavor. The corn milk hushpuppies fell into the same category of everything else - no flavor. They were also entirely too dense - hushpuppies from a modest fish shack are worlds better. Nothing at the Optimist was revolting or inedible. The problem was that nothing tasted great or even good. While a modest home cook may not be able to prepare a piece of monkfish to perfection, they could surely impart more memorable (or in this case, existing) flavors. The best bite I had all evening was the complimentary bread - fluffy, buttery and topped with some quality salt, it was a nice bite to kick off what I (at the time) suspected would be a great meal. But alas, it was the only bite I fully enjoyed for the rest of the evening. I began wondering if I had burned my tongue severely on the gumbo because after that, I didn't taste much of anything. P.S. The valet parking here sucks - they have a huge lot, with tons of empty spaces, yet it took us about 10 minutes to retrieve our car. When will restaurants stop using valet?
(2)Joanne B.
Love the atmosphere of this place..it brings the city more alive with Intown excellent places like this one! Took clients for lunch and everyone enjoyed the food. The only item I wasn't crazy about is my fish sandwich..it needed to be cooked more. I ate around it as the slaw and salad delicious but it is a seafood place after all. Regardless, I will be back as the service, scene and overall experience great.
(4)Alan R.
Nothing specail. Really dont understand all the hype and how this palce is considered a top 50 in USA. Esquire, you are slipping. Just nothing at all to remark about. Wine list ok, service slow and not friendly. Went at lunch and not crowded and very slow service. Hard to get the wine ordered, even harder for that second glass. Menu very limited and just not the wow factor. I prefer Lure.
(2)Sharon B.
The Optimist is owned by the same company that owns JCT Kitchen, which is also in Atlanta. The food at the Optimist was great! I had the fish and chips and the size of the fish that was served was huge. Great ambiance and a good location. I would definitely suggest you give this restaurant a try if you like seafood.
(4)nancy m.
This was not our first dinner with The Optimist, however, with each dining experience my opinion goes down a notch. We had reservations with friends on Friday night, and agreed to go early to meet at the bar and have a drink. The bar service was very slow. When my friend's glass was empty, her glass was taken away instead of asking if she would like another one or something else to drink. My glass sat empty on the bar until we were seated at our table more than 15 minutes later. We reviewed the menu with our server and asked him what he recommended. He stated the swordfish was his fav, so 2 people ordered it. He came to the table a few minutes later, and informed us they were out of swordfish. My husband asked for the next best, and he recommended the snapper. A few minutes later he returned to the table and informed him they were out of snapper too. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN AT A RESTAURANT OF THIS CALIBER-AND NEVER TWICE! Our meal was "meh". Then our server asked if we would like some dessert. We all declined and he responded "your loss". Not appropriate. In the past, we have raved about this place. But not now. We expect better service and food, especially at this price point. I'm not sure we will give The Optimist another chance.
(2)Oliver B.
Esquire magazine doesn't get it wrong. Best new restaurant in the country. This place is phenomenal. Been there several times including lunch and have been overwhelmed with the food. The service is good but highly recommend the bar for dinner. The mixologist is amazing. The food is bullet proof. Everything I've ordered has been off the charts. Having lived in many other major city's it's nice to feel like I'm in one. Prices are on par if not less than expected.
(5)Jerry R.
We absolutely love their lobster rolls and fries! Unfortunately you can only get that combination at lunch until 2:30. If you want it at night you have to order it from the cocktail menu and sit in the bar area BUT you are unable to get the fries that are so delicious. It is only served with chips which are no where near as good as the fries. Now if you want the fries you can order them in the main dining area. What a convoluted mess that is! Just be customer-friendly and don't make your customers jump through hoops that you have created to make your kitchen staff happy. Is it the staff who are paying to keep you open? I would have given them a very high rating for food alone; however they have a long way to go in being customer-centered! When discussing this particular issue with a manager in a very cordial conversation she was not willing to budge for the convenience of the kitchen staff. "They just get so busy," she said. Hmmm. Providing fries to the bar area? Sounds like a restaurant that doesn't have priorities in order. Pleasing kitchen staff OR customers. Go figure.
(1)Gregory D.
Some of the best scallops I've ever had. Bread was like crack cocaine I couldn't stop eating it. Even the veggie sides were incredible, try the Bok Choi. One of the best restaurants I've been to in Atlanta.
(5)J B.
Hard review to write. Some parts of our meal were stunning others less so. On the bright side, the service was great. The young lady who waited on us was attentive and helpful and still not overbearing. Continuing on with the positive, dessert of chocolate mousse was great. Rich and flavorful but still light. Cocktails were very very good. My wife loved hers so much I had to go to the liquor store to get ingredients to replicate at home. With respect to side dishes, the hush puppy beignites with honey butter were very, very good. Jerusalem artichokes 3 ways was interesting, not sure we would order again but was interesting enogh that we are glad to have ordered them. Our entrees were very good with respect to flavor but very small. So while the flavor was definitely worth the price the small portions gave us pause. Neither of us were too impressed with our apps. Based on other reviews I should have gone with my gut instinct and ordered the she crab soup. So to sum up, I'm looking forward to my next visit.
(4)E B.
Another try at the request of friends. Same server who was excellent once again. Everything this visit was perfect and went off without a hitch.
(5)M T.
Was really excited to try this place based on all the media attention. Not sure if my expectations were too high, but it did not blow me away. I'm going to chalk this up to a lunch meal vs. dinner. The service is professional, the oysters were some of the best that I've had in memory and I'll be back to try the dinner menu once the crowds settle down a bit.
(4)Lolo H.
Having been on a bit of a restaurant tour of Atlanta for the past few months, I can say that the Optimist is the best of the bunch. Decor is pretty standard for Atlanta - that sort of hip industrial look. Service was excellent and not overly attentive. Drinks were fun and delicious. The food well prepared and extremely fresh, which is so important for seafood. NO ONE SHOULD SKIP THE SHRIMP A LA PLANCHA. It is amazing. Lobster roll was so good. I was not a big fan of the fried rice, but it is probably just a palate preference. We were stuffed but had desserts, which were also fabulous. Left the restaurant happy and full.
(5)Jane S.
My sister and I went for dinner on Wednesday. The oysters were great, but I would suggest the oyster happy hours. The entrees were also great, we got the scallops and swordfish in duck fat. The portions were pretty small so we got the basati fried rice as a side which seemed to be a little too salty. The dessert, smores cookie sandwich was good, but not great. I was expecting something to blow my mind. Our waiter Christian was so nice and hospitable. Enjoyed my experience here.
(3)Shauvik R.
This is a Nice and fancy seafood restaurant!
(5)Chapman S.
The Optimist.. It's a rather appropriate name for the place because you have to be optimistic that you will be ordering a dish that this place happens to make correctly. Oh where to begin. I was coming to The Optimist on the invitation of a friend, my boyfriend, and several other friends for a party of 6. Apparently a friend said that they called ahead and were told that the earliest seating they could get us in on would be around 9:30; but we walked in around 7 and were told we could sit in either the 'tapas' styled menu bar area or the main menu dining room. We chose the dining room. The menu is small and gives you the option of the major seafood options. You will however find when you sit down, the menu is well ... rather pricy. Oysters well run you about $$2.50$$ A PIECE. Shrimp is 12 dollars for a half a pound. My boyfriend elected on getting the fish and chips (18$). The fish was very rich and if you like fish as such, you will enjoy it. The fries were made in a shoe string fashion and could be described as rather crunchy (to the determent of the dish). I had tried some myself and thought I have had much better; the bf also felt he has had much better as well. Fish and Chips should be served with steak fries anyway. More on this in a bit. I had elected to order the Seafood Gumbo with something called "pot luck" garlic bread. It was needless wrap in a busy piece of paper and string. The garlic bread was rather substandard. The bread was good but the garlic flavoring just came across as lazy. The gumbo... OHHH THE GUMBO. The gumbo was not gumbo. Some people might have reviewed this dish on here and liked it. More power to you but it was not gumbo. The moment I took a bite i could tell something was rather off. As a fan of Creole/Cajun, I believe they were going for the more Cajun variety in which the roux is almost burnt. A few bites in and the imposter 'gumbo' was giving itself away. It was flat and bland; I believe the chef (whom I can say for certain has NEVER been to Louisiana kitchen) tried to compensated for imposter gumbo by over spicing it. The issue the spice only kicks in the after bite and it fell flat on its face. I explained, along with two companions in my party our opinion of the imposter. They fessed up the roux was made with OLIVE OIL..... AH HA mystery solved. Roux is made with butter... and only butter. If this chef cannot make a good roux, he has no business putting this on the menu as gumbo. It was needless to say a major disappointment. Ok on to my next course. Shrimp. I got the half pound for 12 dollars. Sigh.. Ok well lets see here. The shrimp was very tender but sadly WAY over spiced. So much over spiced that I did not finish. Shrimp do not need to be this spicy.. they have quite enough flavor to stand up on their own. I would have complained but frankly I thought I might be pushing karma if I sent a second dish back. The highlight of the evening was some very delicious hush puppies with a very yummy sweet butter dipping sauce. They were the least expensive thing we ordered and because the wait staffed seem rather slow, we got them when we were pretty much finished with our food and they elected wisely (saving their tip) to not charge us for them. IF you get the chance be sure to order the push-pop key-lime pie, its rather yummy. A member of our party knew the pastry chef and we were given the range of their desserts on the house. They were all excellent. ALL and ALL, this place (other than the pastry chef) is run by a guy whom would rather serve you something complicated like over spiced shrimp or shoestring fries over the more correct steak fries and charge you something crazy for it than give you good down home seafood, made the way seafood should be. Skip it guys!
(2)Mary-Nevin H.
First off, I'm giving the atmosphere\service a 4.5 and the meal I chose a 3 so i'm being nice and bumping this review up to a 4. I'm not a huge Ford Fry junkie but I generally like what he comes up with so I recently hopped up the westside and checked the place out. The building itself is beautiful. High ceilings, putt putt if you're so inclined, a raw bar and a regular bar and my all time favorite part of any restaurant *an open kitchen* People like to tease me about that one but I've worked in one too many restaurants and it just works out better for everyone if you can see what's going on. Our server was attentive without being overbearing and was knowledgeable, nice and a few other good adjectives. The noise level is a bit loud but not to the point where it's distracting. Our food was out much faster than I thought it would be. I ordered the peel and eat shrimp and it was WAY overseasoned, as was the sauce. I had to ask for cocktail sauce just to balance the suckers out. I thought I was being dramatic but my husband tried it and he loves all thinks salt, and said it was a bit much for him. So i felt justified. Everything else I had was good, hush puppies, mushrooms and bites of everyone else's dishes(Scallops, Grouper and Lamb). I'm hoping I just ordered wrong but for what you pay here, you want it to be good. I'll make my way back eventually, but this definitely isn't a place that was so amazing I want to go back next week. However new restaurants have to find their footing so I'm definitely looking forward to giving this place a second chance.
(4)Maria T.
What's that you say?.. the ATL is bringing it on the foodie tip? That's right ladies & gentleman its not just all about fried okra & baby back ribs down here in Georgia. (some of my favorite things on the planet by the way, but I digress) Now, for those of you who know me, you know I'm a sucker for a lobster roll, french fries? Yes please. So the best place to go is definitely #TheOptimist. Start with the gumbo then sit back and adjust your belt. The buttery brioche is toasted to perfection. The freshness of the maine lobster is poached to perfection, thus making this sandwich.. perfection. Certainly reminiscent of your summer's spent on the Cape.. that's Cape Cod if I've lost you. * "Maria's Don't Miss" The Lobster Roll
(5)William K.
Had a chance to eat here finally and I am going to go out on a limb and say this may very well be my new favorite place. We split a dozen cold fresh raw briny yummy oysters mignonette, then split the sear sea scalloped over the candied braised short rib, and also split the completely delicious ahi. This is a short review because I do not know what to add. The food, the service the interior... all of it. Top notch. Sensational.
(5)Billy T.
Atmosphere and food were great! Waiter was not very attentive. We were trying to have a few drinks with dinner but never even got the chance to order another one after the first one at the beginning of the meal. Back to the food, we ordered a dozen oysters, scallops and the halibut and everything was wonderful!
(4)Wendy G.
We may be land-locked, but The Optimist by famed Atlanta chef and restauranteur Ford Fry (JCT Kitchen and No. 246) will make you think you're sitting beach side. I'm just going to say it - I love everything about this restaurant. First, I love the easy parking. That may seem odd, but I've gotten a bit tired lately of valets in tiny, packed lots, or worse, hard to find street parking. Nice sized lot off Howell Mill (big sign so you don't miss it) and lots of parking off 8th Street. Oyster Bar at The Optimist is the casual bar that I can see myself spending many a post-work early evening at sipping a cold beer or glass of white wine (highly recommend the Beach Ball) and indulging in some briny oysters or peel and eat shrimp. Step into The Optimist proper and you will be amazed at the attention to detail, the great service, the fun little touches that don't hit you over the head with a nautical theme and better still - the amazing food. They start you with delicious house made rolls topped with maldon salt. Some of the dishes cry out for these rolls to sop up the savory broths, including the garlicky tiny clams & pork belly with hand-torn croutons dish - so save some for that or just order more. The fried clam roll with kimchi vinegar and house pickles was also a winner on a Holeman & Finch bun. They also feature of course, oysters on the half shell. East and West Coast oysters made you feel like you were seaside with various accompaniments including crackers, hot sauce, cocktail sauce and real horseradish. While the restaurant features skirt steak, wood roasted half amish chicken, roasted heritage pork and lamb belly, the focus is definitely on seafood. We enjoyed the alaskan halibut, wood grilled hen of the wood with red wine fish bordelaise and the skate wing "schnitzel" with brown butter, charred lemon, and capers. So delicious The sides are also amazing - I wanted to try them all! Ended up with the potato gnocchi with lobster butter and corn and the sliced local heirloom tomatoes with louie dressing.I'll be back to try the buttered spring onion potato puree and corn milk hushpuppies. One of the cooler things I stumbled upon on the way to the restroom were two racks of old school hotel style keys. Puzzled, I thought maybe I needed one to open the restroom door, but the doors had no key locks. Chef Ford Fry happens by as I'm looking very confused about these bright orange keys and explains that they printed 1,000 of these keys and they are for the patrons to take. Score! I promptly scooped up #177. What I'm hoping is that eventually when all 1,000 keys are taken that those keyholders will be able to bring them back to 'unlock' a special plate on the menu. Appetizer, entree, dessert, doesn't matter. I cannot forget dessert. I was leaning towards the fried pound cake with ice cream, fudge and fried peanuts, but went with the ice box cake of the day - lemon. Cool and refreshing! My boyfriend (a chef!) was a bit more adventurous and got the buttermilk doughnuts with sweet corn ice cream and hot pepper jam. I mentioned earlier in this post that I loved everything about this restaurant and it's true. An amazing experience from start to finish and a huge addition to the already great Westside food and bar scene. Look on the bright side and go visit The Optimist.
(5)guido s.
This place doesn't need another positive review, but it so deserves one! Excellent food all around, perfect everything. Portion sizes were larger than expected. Nothing bad to say! It's one of those few Atlanta restaurants where I pine to come back again and again.
(5)Amanda G.
Warning BIG, HEARTY EATERS: This place is 'a la carte' -- so portion size is refined (small), so you don't feel like a busted can of biscuits after your meal....lol:P Food Quality: Excellent I ordered the: American red snapper, Lime broth, Herbs Light dish. The snapper was very lightly seasoned and thankfully had no fishy taste. The flavor combos in the broth (lemon, mint, grapefruit) made the dish superb. There are no sides with this dish, so it's recommended that you order side dishes....you need at least 2. Side Orders: corn milk hushpuppies, "beignet style," cane sugar butter ---------- the hushpuppies were excellent! I wasn't really feeling the sweetness of the powdered sugar or the cane sugar butter. The cane sugar butter was great, but in my opinion, its best suited for plain bread instead of hushpuppies. spanish roasted fingerling potatoes ---------- good. the end! Service: Excellent! The waitress was extremely friendly and knew how to interact with us without overdoing it :) Ambience: Love it!! It was so great! I adored the industrial, lofty feel. Great for groups or a cute date night! Location is off the beaten track on Howell Mill. I would go back to this restaurant again to be wowed by the amazingness of the flavors of the unique dishes!! Thank you Optimist!
(5)David W.
Tremendous place...I was blown away. The food was as close to perfect as it gets, and the service was incredible. I had lunch: 3 raw oysters, she-crab soup, and the fresh fish sandwich. Every single thing I ate was exceptional. My server was fantastic, friendly, and attentive from start to finish. This was one of the beast meals I've had in Atlanta in recent memory.
(5)Oscar R.
I saw this on Unique Eats on the Food Network last week and I had business at Georgia Tech so, being an optimist, I took the chance to take a professor out for dinner. We were both amazed by the food! Between the two of us we had the oysters, octopus, fat seared swordfish, codfish, beet salad, watermelon salad, cheesecake ice cream, blueberry-chambord sorbet, and a few local beer. The food was amazing, the decor was great, and they have a putting green for when you are waiting for you car. The server was a little slow but not annoyingly so.
(4)Danielle F.
I have been here 3 times now and I have yet to be disappointed! I am a single mom with a 2 year old toddler!!! I really didn't see many children on any occasion that I visited but I will say they were happy to welcome us with a coloring childrens menu.. crayons included! Every dish I have tried as well as the dishes of the people who accompanied me were delicious!! I have tried the muzzles, Kale salad, fish and chips, Cod filet of fish sandwich, & fried oysters. All satisfying and delicious and reasonably priced! Great service. The valet was greatly appreciated! I will say the drink availability is a little limiting, but it did make me try something new..so no worries!
(5)Roy L.
I usually don't write reviews based on just 1 visit, but for this place I'll make an exception. The services was excellent. Our server was fantastic. The interior is nice and open. These are the only 2 good things about the place. They charge $3 and $3.50 for oysters now when oysters are in season. That's a total rip off. They also over sauce all of their dishes which is a clear indicator that the quality of the food isn't as great as they try to make it appear. You can tell because this is an semi-upscale joint that serves Tilapia, probably one of the most cheapest fishes you can buy wholesale. My friend ordered the Tilapia and I ordered the Short Ribs, better rephrase that to short rib since it was only 1 pathetic piece of meat that was over sauced and looked very familiar to the Korean Short Rib dish that I eat all the time. They charge $25 for this dish. At a Korean restaurant you can order a whole pan full of this for $25 and it'll come with about 3 or 4 pieces, not just one, and it won't be over sauced. We did have the Beignet style hush puppies, which were awesome. Being form New Orleans I always respect a New Orleans style or flavored dish. Now everything above was not that big a deal since my friend decided to pay for us. We had a group of 5 friends and she was in town for the holidays and decided to treat us because of her new job and new digs in Chicago. No the real complaint comes when I buy my friends a round of drinks. Only 4 since 1 guy is a moron and can't drink BC he has 2 dui's. So I order 4 Patrons. The bartender says they don't have Patron. So I ask, what do you have similar to Patron, he replies with Don Julio. So I order 4 shots of Don Julio. Very smooth until I got my check. $53 for 4 shots of Don Julio. I'm sorry, but is this a restaurant or a club? I know most of my complaints about this place is about the price, but I'm a dude trying to ball on a budget, not live like a spendthrift like most of The Optimist's customers. Also when you compensate quality with sauces, then that tells me the quality of food is not that great, unless of course the dish warrants such saucing. If you don't mind paying $3 or $3.5 for an oyster that tells me you're a spendthrift. So I checked in on my Yelp App which is connected to my Twitter feed. They tweeted me a few days later thanking me for checking in. Everything above was mentioned. So they tweeted back with this generic response: @roylee1 Sorry to hear you weren't pleased with your experience - please call a manager at 404-477-6260 if you would like to discuss further Actually I really don't want to discuss any further. I was planning on giving them another shot, but when you respond with less personality then a mannequin then I'm assuming you really don't care. I also don't like to be treated better after the fact, but if you look at my whole post you won't see a complaint about the service, because it was great. The food however, not justified for the prices they charge.
(2)Pam C.
Ok, I've given another star...because my meal was so much better this time. We arrived early and had a cocktail in the Oyster Bar...the Cilantro Crush....AWESOME! For starters this time we had the fried oysters again...OMG they were so much better this time...and plumper! We had the mussels and they were delicous. For my entree this time, I had the Confit duck leg, poached egg frisee and duck ham...OMG it was so good!!! Hubby had the swordfish and liked it but thought it was a little dry...but swordfish tends to do that...but great flavor. I was much happier with our sides this time. Had the roasted beets w/ pine nuts and blue cheese. The carrots with a herbed ricotta. And the roasted vidalia onions with sherry a jus...they were what you would expect.
(4)Staci W.
Will go here for lunch anytime because the chopped salad was AMAZING perfection. When I took my husband back for our anniversary dinner, that's all I wanted, but alas, they do not serve it for dinner. I had fish which was excellent, but listen, they listed artichoke as the side. OK, not artichoke hearts, so to be fair, I got what I ordered. But really? Half an artichoke broiled or grilled or whatever it was? It looked good; however, it was impossible to eat, and I hope they remove it from the menu. My husband's fish and side was excellent. The atmosphere is superb -- a mix of artsy industrial with coziness (the bar? the putting green outside?), somehow. The staff at the door couldn't have cared less whether we came or went. But hey, go for lunch, definitely!
(3)Sara E.
Service: Patient, attentive, helpful. When our cab was late, they gave us free drinks and real Southern hospitality! Atmosphere: Beautiful and open. White tile, steel, wood a nice fire to keep it from feeling too sterile. Food: Delicious. The oysters (5 East Coast, 5 West Coast) were lovely and fresh. The octopus was well seasoned and fried to perfection. The aioli was great. Green curry mussels - the most succulent mussels ever and extremely well flavored. The basil, garlic and onions were plentiful. Scallops: Extremely well cooked. Cornbread hushpuppies: the perfect mix of savory and sweet - fried like a donut with powdered sugar. Brussels sprouts: How can I cook mine like this?! Eat here often!
(5)Rachel M.
Fantastic meal! We came here for our 3rd anniversary. We assumed we didn't need a reservation because it was a Tuesday, but were surprised how busy they were. The hostess told us it would be an hour for a table, which worked out since we were in no hurry and wanted to go to the bar. There were no seats at the bar, but we ended up with a table within 30 minutes. So, get a reservation! Our server recommended the octopus and shrimp. Both were incredible, but the octopus was pretty spicy if that's an issue for you. The shrimp were deliciously sweet and the spicy tomato sauce a great compliment to that. We had the cod for our entree and the jasmine fried rice as a side. We'd actually ordered the raw scallops but tag server forgot them. Since we were stuffed with what we ordered, we were not upset that the scallops never made it to the table or our bill. In sum, the meal and ambiance were fantastic. We will definitely be back.
(5)Azim D.
Went with a big group for my brother's birthday(13 or so) and the service, all things considered, was fantastic. My grouper was great and they were nice enough to bring out fried rice(which I swore tasted exactly like biryani) and brussel sprouts for the table. The food received mixed reactions from the group, ranging from good to great, which is why I didn't give them 5 stars but I think it's a 4.5 star establishment. The only competition for seafood in the city is Atlanta Fish Market and you can't go wrong either way.
(4)Keisha B.
I loved everything about this place. Their food was so good that I thought and talked about my meals for days after. Crazy huh?! Yeah I know! I finally decided one day to recreate their devil eggs. Not quite the same but nevertheless delicious! Great after shopping spot with the girls, date night, to take your parents or for food lovers like myself.
(4)Allie L.
I had a beautiful experience here. The boyfriend and I ordered Oysters, Seared Octopus, and fish. Everything was superb. I love that they have a rotating menu-meaning, the menu changes every day. And that bread. To die. I will definitely be coming back!
(5)Will P.
What do hog trading, meat processing, a late-night club, real estate office and a spiffy Atlanta fish restaurant have in common? They all used to operate in this historic building now occupied by The Optimist, one of the city's best new(ish) eateries. Our server, Christopher, was well versed in the history of the building - which is probably on the minds of a lot of the diners there since the interior is so stunning. See my pics for more. Todd P's point that this is a "gem" is spot-on the money. The setting is upscale but it strikes a really cool balance with a casual flare in its servers and overall vibe. I could show up in cargo shorts and a polo shirt and not feel out of place. Pretentious places, unless you *intend to have that experience, are just that - full of pretense. I had the frothy She Crab soup, and while not as good as South City's, it's a totally different take: light, run through a sieve (yes, I'm a nerd and asked our server how it was made) and more brothy. I missed the chunks of yumminess that SCK's version has. Still, it was good. For dinner I had the duck-fat poached swordfish. It was good, but the cut was small and the duck fat colored the flesh of the fish to a brown point that didn't seem right in my opinion. This dish could have been better, but I loved how tender it was. I cook swordfish all the time and would have made some adjustments to it. but hey - I ain't slavin' away in the kitchen there. My dining co-conspirator, Jason, had the relished cornmeal-crusted redfish and this, by a mile, was the dish of the night. Highly recommended. There is a savory complexity to this dish that you'll remember for a long time - and, in this case, the portion was large. If you don't get the hush puppies as a side I will hunt you down and slap you. So good, as were the multicolor beets. SO fresh and perfectly complemented by the dressing. Run, don't walk, to this joint. It's a high bar for me to rate at four stars right off the bat, but if I go back and it's just as good, I'll up to 5. enjoy.
(4)Kristen D.
Wow, wow, wow. Great food, wonderful vibe and friendly service. Sometimes a restaurant with so much hype can be disappointing, but The Optimist is literally one of the best restaurants I've ever been to. It's in this neighborhood that you know used to be shady... then you learn, the building itself is an old pig processing plant. But it's been revived into this wonderfully open, majestic space where you feel like you're outside even while you're inside. We sat at the bar, and our bartender was really friendly. I ordered a gin martini and she suggested Farmers Gin, which is organic. It was so different and unique - I can't wait to find it locally to have at home. We started with the mussels, which were divine. Green curry and with a nice little piece of toast to enjoy the curry sauce. Then, we had our entrees... the most perfect fish preparations. Pan roasted snapper that was incredible. We never ever eat dessert, but could not resist and had the fried fig and peach pie with white pepper gelato. Truly amazing. Every bite. I highly recommend this awesome establishment.
(5)Jon P.
First of all, I love JCT kitchen, and last year when I heard Chef Ford was opening a Seafood restaurant, I couldn't wait for it to open. I was able to try the Optimist for the first time and it was one of the best dining experiences I've had in Atlanta. The wait staff is very knowledgeable and our waiters suggestions were spot on - we were able to have a short business meeting before dinner and we never felt rushed - the manager came out and insisted we take our time because they want everyone who comes in to feel relaxed. The dining room is impressive, lots of space that is modern and open. Outside is an oyster bar that I didn't get a chance to spend any time in, but the massive bar inside is impressive. I had the fried oyster appetizer and Caesar salad to start - and the oysters were cooked perfectly. The salad was a true Caesar with traditional Anchovies. The Cornmeal Crusted Redfish melted in your mouth with each bite - this is the best seafood I've ever had - I highly recommend. If you make reservations on their website if can sometimes say no tables are available, be sure to call and double check.
(5)David H.
Saturday dinner before Los Lobos concert at nearby Realto...research all looked good, so we decided to try The Optimist. The rolls with the salt on top starrted things off great - my bread loving wife gave high marks. 1st, dozen oysters, malpeque. Navy reds, and Rocky Reef were all really fresh tasting and impeccably shucked. Very high grade for them on the oysters. I also tried the Baked Oyster" and it was fantastic, albeit a small one for the price. The homemade saltine crackers are worth ordering the oysters for if you're on the fence at all perhaps because of price. They are addictive. Apps... Mussels-curry broth was great, wish I had a spoon it was so good, the one piece of sopping toast wasn't quite enough to get it all... The mussels themselves were very small and perhaps a little over. Clam Roll-maybe the best thing I had in the meal. Perfectly, and I mean perfectly, cooked fried clams in great brioche roll with nice lemon aioli..a must repeat App for any return visit for me. My wife had a salad she was pleased with. Sides- Brussel Sprouts-not executed well. They were charred, as opposed to caramelized, on the outside, and under on the inside. Black, not brown, on the outside but still very crunchy on the inside. I guess cooked too hot and too fast. The candied bacon in it was nearly enough to make up for that, though. Succotash-very good. Nicely prepared and peas were particularly good. Hush Puppies-very good-wife (the bread expert and beignet lover), liked them and the butter quite a bit. I would have ordered the mushrooms but they were not on the menu, I even asked our waiter to confirm they weren't available. Entre- I had whole founder. Very good. Very satisfied. Wife had halibut-fresh but slightly over. Center of fillet was nice. Dessert-Salted caramel ice cream. Thumbs up. The line of couples tables parallel with the kitchen are pretty shoulder-to-shoulder...Like some Manhattan restaurants, but their dining room is pretty big and this ain't Manhattan, so I wish the table layout was different, to give couples a bit more comfort. The waiter must have had to say "excuse my reach" a dozen times to me. All things considered, a solid 4 star restaurant. I will say the oyster bar itself deserves a 5 star rating for the quality of the oysters and their preparation.
(4)Daniel S.
This is the only place I know where they give you an oyster bar menu with oyster names. The fish was fresh, the food was fantastic. One of the best seafood places to chow down in Atlanta. The only complaint I have is regretting to order more oysters.
(5)Crystal Aura W.
I have to give a shout out to 'Unique Eats' on the Cooking Channel, because they gave some amazing dining suggestions for Atlanta! From the second we walked in the door, we were super welcome. I briefly mentioned we came in from Chicago, and we got extra hellos at our table from management! Our server was super amazing too! As we were leaving, I wanted to buy a souvenir shirt, everyone jumped in to help me out! Host helped me dig for my size and bartender came in to help ring me up on my way out. Service for sure is 10 stars.....if I could give that! My amigo who has traveled more often than I, swears this was one of his top meals of all time! Super fresh, well seasoned, perfectly cooked......just perfect. Smoked White Fish Chowder, it's just so savory and rich, I could have just sat there and ate this all night! Positively THE best peel and eat shrimp I have ever had. You will measure other shrimp according to those served here. Now I look at other shrimp with sad disappoint.....Optimist, how you have spoiled me. The seasoning really sticks to the shrimp and gets so deep, but will also do the same for your fingers! Not that I mind, but for those more fastidious, watch for that. Basmati "fried rice", I had never heard of this. Was an awesome idea, not nearly as salty or oily as other varieties of 'fried' rice. Was really a nice touch to add some Indian flare to the meal! Duck fat poached swordfish.....how can you read that and not be excited??? Was everything I hoped for! My only regret was that that I had to leave.....but I have a shirt to remember you by!
(5)John H.
Went for dinner. Sat at the bar. Never left the bar because we kept eating their amazing apps and sipping delicious cocktails! Wow! What a treat! The octopus was fork tender and the fresh oysters were excellent. Also recommend the fritters. Check it out if you are in Atlanta. Can't go wrong. May even see a celebrity while you're there. Enjoy! PS Valet only. $$$$ but worth it!
(5)David L.
I would pass on this place for a premier seafood restaurant in Atlanta. The dish that I had was dry and not flavorful. The ambiance was like an upscale cafeteria feel. For fresh seafood, I would still stick with the ATL Fish market, or just go get some fresh fish from wholefoods and make it your self. Def beats the prices here for sure.
(2)Andrée P.
We went to The Optimist our first night in Atlanta and loved it! That atmosphere is trendy but cozy and welcoming, and the staff are professional but fun. We ordered a couple of their seafood dishes along with hush puppies and the fried rice to split and everything was delicious. Before our meal arrived we were brought bread to the table and it was amazing. I could've eaten it all night! For dessert we shared the key lime trifle - and ordering dessert was definitely the right choice. If I lived in Atlanta I would have definitely already been back by now!
(5)Pourina R.
I'm not going to go off on a rant and rave about how magnificent the food was. Truth be told, I'm really not much of a fish guy. But I came in with an open mind and attempted it - again. I've tried almost everything; Sea bass, grouper, salmon, trout, crappie, tuna and many other fish that escape my memory. Most recently I tried the monkfish and swordfish. Another $240 meal later and I think it's about time I stop living in denial. I must admit defeat. The fish was great (I think)...don't get me wrong...I'm just the wrong person to ask. YOLO! If it isn't fried or raw - just say NO. The decor is somewhat of a reclaimed industrial farm warehouse in what appears to be some kinda gentrified neighborhood. The waiters are extremely nice. Our waitress was funny, personable and a little flirty (bomchickybombom). Oysters were fab, just fab. I'm not going to claim to be a connoisseur, but I've had my fill of these mouthwatering mollusks. Enough to formulate my own perception. Briney, salty with lots of umami. Say it with me, "ooooooooooooooooooh-maaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhmeeeeeeeeÂe". Semi-pro tip: skip the champagne mignonette thingy. It covers up too much natural flavor. Eat them straight up or with just a drip of lemon & homemade hot sauce. My favorite thing on the menu? The cocktails and octopus. That octopus was OMFG amazing. Seriously. What I really gained out of this dinner was an experience. And hopefully a money saving life-lesson. Sometimes it's the little things that accompany the dish. Sometimes it's the prep, man hours and love that's instilled into the food. I might not have enjoyed my entree which is no fault of The Optimist, but I did enjoy the experience and epiphany I left with.
(4)Nancy N.
Food was pretty awesome. Service. .. not so much. Bday celebration. Would have been nice gesture for a candle and dessert with almost $250 check for 3. Waitress never introduced herself. Many great restaurants in Atlanta and love to try when in town on business but may try others before coming back.
(4)Lauren P.
Way to go, Ford Fry! I loved JCT so much I got married there. and when my dad heard there's a putting green at The Optimist, he was ready to play! On a Saturday night, it was my parents + the hubby. Although we had a reservation for 7 p.m., we had to wait at the bar for a few minutes. So we started with a round of cocktails. The Fish House Punch does indeed pack a punch. It was a great way to kickstart the night. As soon as we sat down at our table we ordered a round of oysters (6 East Coast & 6 West Coast) and these are the only reason I can't give The Optimist five stars because the oysters were a bit of a letdown. I've never paid $3.50 an oyster before coming to The Optimist, and I wanted them to be great. But they were teeny little things, and albeit the housemade cocktail sauce was the quintessential topping, the oysters weren't worth the $40 a dozen. Granted they're outta season...so I'll have to give 'em another try when it's a month ending in "r". So onto the rest of the meal! Appetizers: Octopus - Mama raved! Mussels - we all loved the green curry She Crab Soup - it was amazing but I would have liked just a tiny topping of crab meat Entrees Fish N Chips - the biggest piece of fish I've ever seen, and perfectly fried Grouper - Dad cleaned his plate Scallops - perhaps only the Rocket Farm would've thought to served these with braised oxtail as a new take on surf 'n turf. I loved 'em. Dessert Way to go, Tiara, the chocolate mousse is outta this world Make a reservation, whether its for lunch or dinner. I'll be back again when oysters are in season.
(4)Art V.
Just left the restaurant. Hosted 1 business guest. We had a really chatty Asian waiter (english accent). He disappeared after each course was served (by a food runner). Never followed up to check if all was ok. We shared an order of fries with clam chowder served atop. The chowder made the fries instantly soggy. I had a piece of fish. It was served with, honestly, 2 tablespoons of sliced garlic perched on top. It reeked of garlic. It so overpowered the fish. Despite shoving that rank pile of garlic to the side of the plate, it's all I taste now, an hour later. Small wonder. Had Chatty Kathy materialized I would have sent the dish away. My guest ordered an espresso for dessert. 10 minutes later, no espresso. We flagged down a hostess to find Kathy. A minute later a manager served a cold cup of espresso. Kathy finally appeared to deliver the check and also asked "How was everything?". We told him about the cold coffee which he replaced. I also told him about the noxious garlic served atop my fish. He replied that that entree is new and that they are still "tweaking" it. Great. Happy to be your Guinea pig. I'll be sure to bring a bottle of mouthwash should I visit the Optimist again.
(1)Sarah S.
My absolute favorite restaurant in Atlanta. Every time I return to Atlanta this is where I want to visit. The service is flawless, without feeling stuffy or uncomfortable if you get honey butter on the table. I personally find it hard to find good seafood in Atlanta, but the optimist makes if feel like you're at an ocean side restaurant with the freshest fish around. It has been awhile since I've visited now, but last time I had homemade poptarts for dessert that were absolutely amazing. Being in the Westside also puts The Optimist is a great location to explore a unique area of Atlanta as well.
(5)Lindsay J.
Hands down- the best restaurant in Atlanta. I've been here a few times and sat outside near the putt-putt lawn (get the lobster roll) and inside at a table and at the bar (get the scallops). Each time the service/food has been impeccable. One time our waiter was a few minutes late greeting us (literally- maybe 3 minutes after we sat down), and quickly apologized and brought us Chocolate Sea Salt ice cream for desert. Little shows of appreciation always make me want to go back. MUST try when in Atlanta.
(5)Henrik C.
Went here for date night. We have talk about for a while going to the Optimist. The ambiance is open, inviting. The acoustics is also excellent. We have a great waiter that gave us just the right level of attention Had the apple & arugula salad for appetizers. It was really tasty. Had the redfish with brussels sprouts and bacon as the main dish. Finally had chocolate mousse for desert. My better half had maine lobster roll, the george's bay scallops, oxtail marmalade, brown butter-chicken jus for main course and the apple buckle for desert. All dishes were very well prepared, great presentation and very tasty. Had the vouvray (chenin blanc), chateau moncontour, loire valley 2010 with the meal. Overall a very nice dinner experience we are certainly going back.
(4)Paige N.
I have an awesome boyfriend. And yes, his awesomeness does relate to this review (although I would say it even if it didn't apply). Last night was the 11 month anniversary of our first date (roll your eyes all you want, you're just jealous), and we'd been talking about trying The Optimist sometime soon, so this seemed like a perfect opportunity. Except we had no reservation. This is where he becomes my knight in shining armor: he called the restaurant after they reopened for dinner after 5 PM, after ascertaining there were no reservations available at 7:30, launched into a story about how "it was our anniversary" (the actual number was unimportant), we both wanted to try it so much, could they possibly squeeze us in? And lo and behold a reservation at 7:30 PM for that very evening materialized! How great is he? Super great!! So this was going to be a 5 star meal no matter what just because of him. We arrived right on time and as promised, the table was ready. The restaurant is very cool - the main dining room is one large, airy room with an upscale 'warehouse feel' due to the exposed industrial ceiling (it's trendy and the kind of thing you'd expect in the Fourth Ward or West Midtown, for sure). A giant bar occupies one end of the room, and the semi-open kitchen takes up the other end with tables, booths and banquettes scattered throughout the middle. As soon as you enter (next to the putting green outside - where I've heard putters are available by request), there is another bar near the hostess stand for people waiting for a table, or those who are looking for a quick drink or appetizer. We were seated and quickly our waitress came over to wish us a happy anniversary, and give us a little history about The Optimist. The deal is that all the fish is fresh daily, wild caught and what happens to be in season, consequently, the menu changes on an almost daily basis. Good deal. Service was excellent all night, from the moment we sat down until we got back into the car handed over by the valet. Everyone was friendly, warm and attentive. After we'd had a chance to look at the menu, I had a Sparkly Motion cocktail (a mix of Cava, pomegranate grenadine and pomegranate seeds - bubbly and yum!), and my boyfriend had the Winter on Cape Cod (vodka, cranberry juice, cranberries and spices - also yum!). Then, we got down to business: I knew we had to order the shrimp a la plancha with sopping toast (even though it was messy, so many reviews said to get it), and for main dishes: the duck fat poached swordfish and glazed short rib (we shared these two), with a side of bok choy. Before the shrimp arrived, we also were treated to some of the best yeast rolls I've had in recent memory - I don't know what kind of crack cocaine was in these, but boy, were they good! And the shrimp were indeed messy, spicy and absolutely worth it. The 'sopping' toast was covered in all of the sauce and spices the shrimp were sauteed in and it was delicious too. Apparently, everyone gets equally messy attempting to eat this because our waitress brought around a plate of hot towels with lemon for us to wipe our hands off with afterwards (I, naturally, nearly gave my fingers third degree burns trying to unfurl the steaming hot towel too soon, but it worked very well once it had cooled to a handle-able temperature). Our entrees were equally fantastic - the swordfish (which is a very firm fish) was artfully presented on a bed of celery root puree and a garlic chili relish - it was great. The chili sauce was a perfect touch of spice to the mildness of the fish and celery root. And the glazed short rib was tender, juicy and rich with perfectly roasted pearl onions accenting it. Even the bok choy, which both of us are a fan of already, was uniquely prepared. Only tiny baby bok choy were employed and prepared in such a way that they were flavored with chilis and ginger. So tasty. We were both quite full by the time we were done but then the dessert menu was revealed. Damn. You only have an 11 month anniversary once, right? The apple buckle won out, and when it was presented to us it came complete with a candle. So sweet! And the dessert was top of the line: a little dish of apples, cinammon and cake was layered and covered with a streusel crust that included a hint of sharp cheddar cheese (great combination of sweet and tart) and baked until piping hot, then a scoop of sweet cream ice cream was added to finish it off. Fan-freaking-tastic!! Everything last night could not have been better. It really was perfect. Great job The Optimist, and a big thank-you to my boyfriend for making it happen.
(5)Kimberly J.
I came here to accompany my friends on a city wide burger tour. While the burger was tempting, I opted for the lobster roll. IT WAS DELICIOUS!!! Best lobster roll I've had! It's very hearty with nice fattening buttered bread. I did get a chance to taste the burger and it was tasty. It tasted very fresh. I must admit that when I return, the burger will probably be the last thing on my mind. Every dish that passed us looked delicious. The service was great too. My only issue was the uncomfortable chairs. They just weren't suited for me. Thankfully our wonderful served exchanged the type of chair for me. The decor of the place is really nice. Prior to my party arriving, I sat outside in the blue chairs and enjoyed some sun. I could definitely see myself eating outside here.
(4)James T.
Food = 4 Price = 3 Experience = 5 Very cool setup... not cheap. Get ready! I thought it was worth the money. The hushpuppies were great... the watermelon ahi was very minimal for 9.00... the lobster roll is good, but expensive.
(4)HyeWon K.
We ordered lobster roll, clam for the starter, Grouper, tomato as a side dish. I felt eating the salt except Lobster roll. This is the 5th visit and I realized I expected better food every time because I loved the interior but no more....
(1)Dani L.
Every time I come to this place I find it why I really love seafood Absolutely incredible cooking skills! Cheers to Chef Adam and Tonny for their absolutely great menu options. The octopus is absolutely to die for and the whole GA shrimp a la plancha is probably the closest thing to perfect you can find out there. Very New Orleans style dish, spicy, creamy, Yummy! If you have a chance to drive to that area in Atlanta please do yourself a favor and visit this place. They also have some oyster specials
(5)Yai V.
Octopus is amazing and the pork shoulder fell right off the bone!
(5)Jeff V.
Bon Apetit! Food and Wine!! How could I not love this place. Ok, seriously, this place is on a huge roll. And it is somewhat deserved, but I think it's gotten out of control. The food is good but it's not great. The haddock was impressive - an entire fish on the plate, nicely seasoned and perfectly cooked. But I can't say the same for the red grouper, which was underseasoned. The hush puppies are winners, the fingerling potatoes delish, but the carrots were meh. I've been twice now and both times, I've come away thinking "good, but not great." The interior is fantastic, the service is friendly, and the drinks are inventive and tasty. It's a can't miss place to bring mom and dad (especially if they are paying) or impress a date. But if you're expecting the best seafood you've tasted, you are probably going to leave disappointed.
(4)Allison K.
So after hearing so many people rave about the Optimist, I had to experience it myself. First, I have to admit that I'm not much of a seafood eater - if it's not tuna, salmon or crab I'm not a fan so the menu was a little limited to me. We started with drinks at the bar - which they have a great drink list! I started with a Carboy - it was so good! My date just went for a beer, boring! Anyways when we got to the table they immediately brought us bread - which like everyone else said was delish! Big fluffy rolls with some butter with sea salt on them already. Moving on, we shared a she-crab soup and each got an oyster since it is an oyster bar after all. The soup was really good - and they even split it for us! I wish I could have had more of the shrimp toast though - that was amazing! For dinner I got the tuna which came with a small side of crispy potatoes and charred octopus - everything was really good! My date got the duck fat swordfish and he said his was really good -- he ate the entire thing! We got a side of the hushpuppies to share. Definitely get them! It's like dessert with dinner! Everything we had was great and service was spectacular - I'll definitely return!
(4)Belle E.
Best Seafood in ATL.
(5)Stricky T.
The Optimist left a number of question marks after all the...............I went for the lobster roll but we decided to try a number of dishes and I wasn't impressed..........well lets say it didn't have the same impact JCT had...............the service was little sloppy, the lobster roll lacked flav, the basmati fried rice was ok......and the grouper was just ok.......????.......maybe it needs another try...........
(3)Dan K.
The space is fab - I love the warehouse look and feel- the wine is good- the arugula salad was mediocre- worth $3, not $12. The heralded lobster rolls are mediocre at best- scallops are served with parsley and blackberries- strange! Scallops have little flavor- hush puppies are tasty- with powdered sugar and butter - but what isn't tasty with powdered sugar and butter? Oh well- another atlanta night- another wasted $100- you yelpers may never hear from me again- I don't think I am going to dinner anywhere in Atlanta ever again - except to my beloved bacchanalia- the optimist was a huge disappointment
(3)Joe C.
Octopus appetizer, OMG grilled to perfection and the sauce... Wow. Fried oysters and mussels with green curry sauce will have having sopping up every drop of sauce with the amazing fresh baked rolls. Entrees were equally amazing and they change almost daily. I confidently can recommend that you will enjoy whatever you order as this place does not disappoint.
(5)William H.
Excellent. We had a group of 4 to dine on a Monday night. If you would rather eat and share a bunch of small plates, I would suggest eating at the bar or tables outside. It a different menu than the main restaurant with smaller portions and price for more variety. The wood fired oysters were excellent. I would also suggest the mussels. The broth was outstanding in flavor. The lobster roll, while pricey, was popular at our table. I would definitely recommend.
(5)Bailey B.
Customer service was TERRIBLE!! Had a table of 3 girls and we ordered 2 bottles of wine all together, when we wanted to order one more the waiter told us he would not serve us anymore alcohol, this was after waiting about 45 min. to even get his attention! I would have understood if we were being obnoxious, but honestly we were just having a causal conversation on the patio. I think he was just tired of us and was ready to close out his table since it was a Sunday and business was slow. I was so humiliated that they told us they wouldn't serve us any more drinks, and not to mention we ordered about $100 worth of food that day! That has NEVER happened to me before, not even in my college years!!! My concentration in college was hospitality management and I must say this was one of the worst customer service situations I have ever experienced. Will not return.
(1)Ken D.
Having just arrived to my hotel in Atlanta, I quickly turned to yelp to find a good place to eat. Given the good rating for the optimist and my desire to have good seafood and oysters, I decided to give it a try. We ordered the simple salad and fried oysters for starters which were both really good. I had the swordfish with mushrooms and beets as sides. The food was super fresh and flavorful. The optimist is doing something unique and different, and doing it well.
(4)Eva H.
Truly the best dining experience I have had in Atlanta upon moving here last Summer. Every single part of the meal hit the mark. The East Coast oysters had such a clean flavor and the clams with pork belly are addictive. For my main entree, I had the tuna and charred octopus and I ate every single morsel on my plate The atmosphere is quite enjoyable and had a refined easiness to it. Service was right on par. Cocktails were everything I hoped for and more. Easily my new favorite!
(5)Victor R.
How do you spell delicious? "Speck wrapped mahi mahi, braised escarole, calabrese peppers, preserved lemon" with side of roasted Brussels sprouts in fish sauce vinaigrette. Yummy
(4)Jessica G.
I had heard that this restaurant was the best in Atlanta for some time and I finally had the occasion to visit when my foodie best friend was in town. It was delicious! I order the cornmeal crusted fish, smoky bacon and pepper jelly dish. It was hands-down the best meal at the table (others ordered the tuna (which was ok (the grilled octopus tasted more fried) & the triple tail). My two favorite, ok, three favorite sides were the mushrooms, hushpuppies and heirloom tomatoes. YUM yum yum the service was also very friendly and helpful. i would absolutely recommend this for a date or a fun night out with friends. Enjoy!
(4)Johnnie S.
Out of all the fancy restaurants I've been to in Atlanta, this is my favorite. And the hush puppies beignets style: get them.
(5)Gabriel B.
Cool location for the trendy downtown foodies. Grouper is definitely the winner, superbly cooked. Wine seemed a bit over priced though.
(3)Jordan R.
I was disappointed with this place especially after seeing that it got a 4 on yelp. The Shea Crab soup was more of a broth and for $9 I was extremely disappointed with my $9 craby steamed milk. Maybe this was just an interesting style they were going for but I would much rather have had at least some crab in the soup. The bread at the beginning was amazing, sweet rolls buttered with sea salt on top was probably the best part of the dinner for me. The clams were also good but nothing to rave about. I hear that if you sit at the lunch bar or that area of the restaurant they have a mean lobster roll but we sat in the normal dining hall instead of the bar and were disappointed that they would not serve us he lobster rolls anyways.
(3)Nancy R.
We came here again and this time I was pleasantly full from all the tasty foods. Our server was well informed of the menu and gave great suggestions. FOOD: We started with the Whole GA white shrimp a la plancha, with "sopping" toast for the arbol chile and lime sauce / 11. ...(messy, but worth it). It's definitely a messy, eat-with-your-fingers kind of app. that they give you wet towels to clean up after wards. We even asked for extra bread to sop up all the sauce. Also, we got the Crispy long beans, sea salt, buttermilk-dill mignonette / 7. Another finger app. that's crispy battered covered beans enough to share. For dinner I got the Monkfish, tomato broth, hen of the woods mushrooms, pickled fennel / 23. I wasn't sure I'd like monkfish, but our server sold me on it and I loved the dish. The tomato broth really accompanied the mild monkfish taste. I didn't know that monkfish had a thick bone in the middle of it. We had 2 sides Assorted mushrooms w/shallot confit and Fingerling potatoes w/blue cheese & garlic cream sauce. The mushrooms are tasty goes with any dish. Potatoes were ok - nothing too fancy. It was a great dinner that we all finished our foods with everyone complimenting their dishes!
(5)Ben D.
When I took a bite of the fried oysters, I felt as if I had gotten laid and drunk at the same time. The server asked, "How is your grouper, sir?" All I could manage was, "Fuckin A!" Go here. Eat the fishes.
(5)Tom C.
Yessir. This place is really, really good. Here's what's so awesome. 1. The service is top-notch. The servers, hosts/hostesses are all professional, thorough, and really effective. There is absolutely nothing to complain about on this front. 2. The food is very, very good. Really, it's good. No, I mean it - it's good. This is a seafood place, and what they do with a piece of fish is remarkable. As an appetizer I had fried oysters, which were outstanding. Not overcooked, well fried, HUGE, and with a smoky mayo that was just wonderful. This appetizer comes with house pickles, which went perfectly with the meal. As a main course, I had halibut with garlic cream and celery. This was truly wonderful. The fish was cooked so perfectly, I'm still thinking about it days later. I also had dessert, against my beter judgment. I went with the beignets, which were so freaking good I ate the whole thing. Here lies the only problem - I wanted to shoot myself after. I ate way too much. But, I'd do it all over again. 3. When you arrive, there's complimentary valet (which is oddly much further away from the entrance than it needs to be). As you walk in, the place is just beautiful. It's got a great, spacious layout, with a killer raw bar area, a huge dining room, a nice bar in the center of the fining room, good lighting and a comfortable feel. It's expensive, but it's worth it. Really, this is a tremendous addition to the already great set of places over there on Houston Mill. I'm going to go back, hopefully soon.
(5)Taylor A.
The Optimist is a worthy addition to the westside dining scene, but I wasn't as enamored with it as many others seem to be. Starting off, the space is beautiful. While it's large and lofty, the space doesn't feel empty or cold, but modern and comfortable. Maybe along the lines of Two Urban Licks... We sat at the bar for a drink before dinner. I wish they had dedicated bar-service bartenders as those behind the bar were too focused on filling table orders to be friendly and efficient with those sitting at the bar. Based on Katie W's review I had the Port Antonio and it was truly wonderful. The first drink I've had where cinnamon was a welcome addition. They certainly know how to make a drink. For dinner we started with the crab soup ($9) and gumbo ($9). The crab soup was light and creamy and I could eat it all day. The gumbo was spicy and filled with goodies like mussels and crab claws. Too spicy for me to get again though. About 30 seconds after the soup arrived entrees came out, but thankfully there was a kitchen miscommunication and they weren't our entrees, but they looked great! I had the swordfish ($24) with some pickeled peppers that I would say should be considered garnish. I would say you should always order some sides, because many of the entrees don't come with real sides. I had two pieces of swordfish. One was raw in the center, which I still can't tell was an error or not. I've never had seared swordfish, but maybe it's a thing. The second piece was cooked through and I wasn't as concerned about eating. Flavor was good though. My date had the striped bass ($25) which she only ate about half of. The crust was chewy and not crunchy, which was a little weird. I had a crispy peanut sundae which was excellent. A nice finish to the meal. Overall, I loved the decor, and drinks, but the food was hit or miss for us. Entrees and overall cost is relatively high. JCT Kitchen nearby is a much better value (lower cost, higher quality).
(3)Vicki N.
I've heard a few people raving about this place, so we went ahead and made reservations here. Parking can be difficult if you don't want to valet. We found a spot a street or two over. They seated us right away and in front of the kitchen, so we can watch them bustling around. For the food, we ordered the spicy charred octopus appetizer, hush puppies and the crispy haddock. Each dish was very good! While we were ordering, they placed a plate of bread on our table. It was basically a toasted Hawaiian roll, basted with butter and sprinkled with coarse salt. My favorite dish would be the octopus appetizer. Usually octopus is very chewy, but this dish was soft and easy to eat while being very flavorful. The hush puppies are fried using a beignet batter then topped with powdered sugar and served with a honey butter side. It was extremely good! The crispy haddock comes out as a whole fish, so it's slightly difficult cutting the fish apart, but you'll get the hang of it eventually. The haddock was perfectly crispy while tasting of ginger and cilantro. The fish also contained a lot of meat, so it is fulfilling and worth the price! Service was a little slow that night. Our appetizers took awhile to come out. Other than that everything was great! I would definitely venture here again to try other items.
(5)Tom G.
Outstanding! Has a really cool vibe. Was in Atlanta for a business trip and we went as a small group. The place has a lot of character. Putting green outside then when you go into the restaurant he see a large oyster bar that is quiet impressive. Has a warehouse feel in the dinning area an a large bar area. We had the octopus app, baked oysters and hush puppy's all great. I had scallops and others had the whole fish dish (little strange looking but they can remove meat if you don't want to look at a fish looking at you while you eat it!! Would highly recommend this spot. Enjoy.
(5)Fefe P.
I realize there are hundreds of great reviews of The Optimist, but I promise you--they are well deserved!!! This is one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta. As a heads up, there is construction happening in the parking lot of the restaurant. You have to make a pretty sharp turn into the lot, which can be hard to see at night. Please don't let that deter you, as there is valet parking which is $2. Once you get past the construction, the restaurant itself is unassuming on the outside. When the weather heats up, there is patio style seating in the courtyard. Once inside, the atmosphere is always very cool. There is an oyster bar as you walk in and a large, open dining room. Service has always been outstanding and our last waiter (Chris from NY) was phenomenal in making our dinner experience amazing! Here are some tips: 1) Come Hungry--I guarantee you that there is not 1 bad thing on the menu...you just might be tempted to overeat, maybe :-). Also, they provide buttered, salted dinner rolls that have to be the best in the history of the world, possibly (hope you're not low carb). 2) Try the Starters--there are numerous Starters that will knock your socks off e.g. Mussels in green curry coconut broth, she-crab soup, charred octopus...to name a few. These will give you a nice variety to taste and share. Plus, portions are appropriately sized. 3) Corn Milk Hushpuppies--enough said 4) Leave Happy--the Fish & Chips and the Duck Fat Poached Swordfish were total standouts. If you leave room for dessert, it will be difficult to go wrong with anything on the menu (these usually change anyway). Happy Eating!!!
(5)Tricia N.
My husband and I were visiting from NYC and we decided to have our anniversary dinner at The Optimist. I am so glad that we did. It was an amazing meal that we still talk about to this day. Our waiter was super friendly and knowledgable. He knew the menu and the ingredients very well and was able to make recommendations to us. The atmosphere is very modern and hip. They have a great, yet pricey drink and wine list. We started with some oysters, which were super-fresh, served with homemade saltines and horseradish. We shared the she-crab soup, which was amazing, as well as the shrimp a la plancha, served with an outrageous chile butter. I had the trigger fish entree and my husband had swordfish, both of which we really enjoyed. All of the food is presented very tastefully. They really know what they are doing with local ingredients. We sat near the open kitchen and liked watching the hustle and bustle. It was a great dining experience. This place is a little on the pricey side, but it was really worth every penny. I would absolutely come back on my next trip to Atlanta.
(5)John G.
Definitely one of the best restaurants I've been too in years. 5 stars in every sense. Service, Atmosphere, Delicious Food, Amazing Drinks, and 100 % Clean. They've been open just shy of 2 years. I will be back.
(5)caroline r.
Debating 2 or 3 stars on this one because the food was outstanding but the service was not good--spotty and terribly timed. We were at a table in the back corner and it sort of felt like they just forgot about us. It was 10min before our server came over and then our first round of drinks took nearly 25 minutes to appear. The waitress came to take our order before the cocktails had arrived, and one of us received soup about 10-15 minutes before the rest of the first course plates arrived. All said and done, we were there over 2.5 hours...a much longer meal than I had anticipated On a positive note, the food was so delicious. Between the 4 of us, we ate oysters, angels on horseback, scallops, halibut, sea bass, hush puppies, and beets. No complaints whatsoever about the food. On the whole, this restaurant has been open long enough to have worked out their service kinks by now. Had they opened a week or two ago I could be more understanding. If the bar and kitchen can't support service of a large restaurant at capacity then there are too many tables and the place shouldn't be so big.
(2)Kira M.
I've dined here twice since they've opened and both meals have been excellent. The quality of the fish and seafood is excellent and the wine list has great selections for all budgets. While I didn't find any of the items tried mind blowing, surprising or overly imaginative, they were all very, very good. So far, we've tried the fresh oysters, bread, green beans, octopus, mussels, gumbo, tuna, whole sea bream (rare find!), and scallops. All dishes were a hit. The service is very good as is the atmosphere.
(4)Roberta L.
We had dinner here for the second time - a Sunday night at 6:30p. I'm sorry to say it was quite disappointing in terms of the less than average service and the food was good but not special. I gave them a lower rating because of the service not the food. At a dining cost of about $75 per person I expect the service to be professional and finessed. * We were at the table a while before we even got water and then it was almost 10 minutes later before we were greeted by a wait person. The woman that poured the water did not acknowledge/greet us at all and she was a waitress. I expect to be greeted at the table sooner than 10+ minutes, acknowledge our presence. Those first few minutes set the service tone for the evening. * Server was pleasant albeit 'phoning it in.' We received salads and then had to flag him down for black pepper. A few of us had their version of a Caesar, the dressing was excessively salty from too many anchovies and not enough lemon....everyone thought it was bad. * Had to ask for bread and did not receive it until after our salad arrived. This is so basic. * Waiter never stopped by to check on our meal or if we had any other needs. But he cleared our plates far too soon during both the salad and the entrée course; it felt rushed and not relaxing. I also find it impolite to bus plates while others are still eating. * Please teach your servers how to properly serve wine and not let it drip all over the table. Carry a napkin to catch it... Everyone enjoyed their fish and the side dishes were very good but nothing was over the top delicious. And it's loud. Conde Nast Traveler - one of 'Top 70 best new restaurants in the world' - Really?
(3)Micheal C.
Very unimpressed with the food. Too much garlic on the fish. Sent it back for a new entree without the garlic and received the same piece of fish back. Will not return.
(1)j s.
We must have been there on an "off" night, as there were several staff issues. Food was excellent with the exception of something that felt like a stone in my Brussels sprouts! I bit down on it and almost came out of my chair. Three people at my table loved their food and two people thought it was ok but not great. The space is beautiful and surprisingly quiet for a house 3/4 full. A sixth person got lost and when they called the restaurant there was only a voice-mail and no one called them back to help with directions. Earlier in the day I called twice to change the number in my party from 8 to 6 and got just a voice mail. When I arrived the reception group was in a snit because our table was set for 8. I could see their phone at reception had a red blinking light on it. Do you think it would be possible to answer the phone or check that blinking light to see if there are message there? Maybe reservation changes or lost patrons? The Optimist is supposed to be the best restaurant in Atlanta these days but I didn't see it on this trip.
(3)Jason L.
Wow - had an outstanding meal here. Nice drink menu, tried some kind of twist on gin and tonic, and later some wonderful draught beer. Started with east and west coast oysters, then onto the (duck fat cooked) swordfish. The sides were good, and I especially recommend the fried rice and the mushrooms. It's possible there was crack in the mashed potatoes they were so go, but not certain. Our server was knowledgeable and always there when she needed her. And on a Sunday evening the place was hopping at 8:30pm. Great place, highly, highly recommended.
(5)Betty R.
Took my folks here on Friday night in honor of Father's Day - but my super hip dad had already been twice (he loves the place)! The space is fabulous - really beachy and laid back but still upscale. Biggest non-food/drink complaint - the chairs are so very uncomfortable - I had a sore back for the rest of the weekend. Service was a little spotty, but generally available and helpful. Cocktails were good (I had a strawberry basil punch and the Old Salty Dog), and the wine list was surprisingly accessible. For apps, we had oysters (yum), the fried crab roll (really tasty), and the "angels on horseback" (parents loved, but for me, at a seafood place, you can keep the pork belly). We had four different kinds of fish for entrees - tile fish, skate, grouper, and halibut - and everything was delicious and cooked perfectly. The pickled ramps with the tile fish and the sauce with the halibut were particularly notable. We got shoestring fries, gnocchi, and carrots for sides, and they were all very good - the fries come in a HUGE portion, but somehow they disappeared (along with the tasty malt vinegar aioli they came with). Desserts were a disappointment all around - the only thing keeping The Optimist from a 5-star review. We tried the chocolate "pop tart," the blueberry pie, the grilled pound cake, and the grapefruit tart. I didn't try the pound cake, but everything else left me cold - they were technically perfect (for example, the crusts/pastries on everything had wonderful texture), and they were presented beautifully, but there wasn't a whole lot of flavor to speak of. The grapefruit tart, for instance, didn't taste like grapefruit unless you actually landed on a piece of the candied grapefruit garnish. Next time, I will skip the sweet stuff and order another round of cocktails and oysters!
(4)Dillon O.
It's NOT all that. First of all the physical space is open, very loud and warehouse-like. I get it -- it's trendy; however, I just don't care for it. Service was excellent but the food was OK at best. I ordered the fish & chips expecting a couple pieces of fish and thick traditional chips. Instead there was one big piece of fish and the "chips" were shoestring potatoes. Both the fish & so-called chips didn't taste of anything much except grease. I'm sure I could have gotten better at any pub and probably much cheaper than the Optimist's $20 price tag. On to dessert -- I ordered the lemon meringue tart. It is a mound of overly sweet very heavy meringue with a very thin layer of lemon curd and a thick crust -- simply hideous. And I love just about any kind of dessert but this was by far the worst I've ever had -- at $8.00, no less. I would never go back to the Optimist -- it's your typical over-hyped, over-priced, trendy BS Atlanta restaurant.
(2)Travis R.
The food was good, but the service was abysmal. 8:30 reservation, sat at 9:10, didnt get out till 11:45! It was brutal waiting 20-30 mins between courses and the server's attitude almost felt like we were the problem. Won't go back.
(1)Kelly W.
My boyfriend took me to The Optimist for my birthday dinner, which I was very excited about since I couldn't wait to try this new hot spot. I have to say I was intrigued from the minute we walked up, spotting the small putt putt golf area for while you wait for a table- cool. Love the atmosphere here, feels intimate when you walk in, but when you turn the corner to head to your table the space opens up dramatically to the super tall ceilings, awesome bar, and open kitchen concept. It was packed on a Wednesday night so I was glad we had a reservation. We had probably the best table in the house, a large booth for the two of us, positioned in the back which was perfect to watch everything that was going on. Service was excellent, and I enjoyed looking over the fun cocktail list. I stuck with a classic, the salty dog while my boyfriend sampled a few beers. Everything we ate was fabulous. Started with oysters, of course, and they were fresh and came with all the fixings. Then we had the octopus with watermelon- I was hesitant about this but it was AMAZING. I also tried the she crab soup that came with these yummy shrimp toasts. For our entrees, I had the duck fat poached swordfish that I pretty much devoured, while my boyfriend tried the lamb belly. Also a winner! Overall we loved this place and had a great time. We will definitely be going back.
(5)Richard R.
I was in the area for some research and development. As a chef from Louisiana, I have to say that the gumbo was incredible and authentic Cajun gumbo not New orleans gumbo. Oysters were so fresh and delishes. The price for the oysters seem to reflect that they are not gulf oysters but flown in from east and west coast. Ambience was great as well as the service.
(5)Chris S.
I know they are a new hot spot, but i was really disappointed with the service here. We started out in the Oyster bar for a few cocktails before dinner and apparently they are not a full bar, if you want a cocktail they have to go to the other side, and they inform you this will add 5-10 minutes to you order. We started out with some oysters which were very fresh, Angels on Horseback which were a fried oyster with Pork belly and some Gumbo which were all very good. We ordered swordfish, grouper and fish and chips between the table that were all good, but a bit pricey. It all went downhill when we started to talk to our waitress, she made is seem like she just did not even want to be bothered with us, and she really had an attitude - this really set the mood for our entire meal. Very disappointed... at one point she mad mention that someone at our table was annoying. I also did overhear one of the other servers say they pool all the tips, so maybe that is why our server couldn't be bothered - she would still make good money for the night no matter how we tipped - which we still tipped 20%, but it really left a bad taste for me for the restaurant - all in all i think the food is 3-4 stars and the service for us was a 1. I will wait a while to go back and hopefully they will weed out the bad employees??
(2)Christopher H.
I am not that big on seafood, so I wasn't looking forward to coming to this new restaurant in Atlanta's Westside (the best side). I was extremely pleased in every facet upon dining here though. First, the restaurant itself is beautiful on the inside. The ceilings are extremely high which gives the place a very open feeling. I can't think of another more appealing dining setting in Atlanta, perhaps Canoe outside by the river in the evening. Their soup selection, part of the reason I went in the first place, is good. I ended up getting the seafood gumbo. It's a starter, but I wasn't that hungry. The gumbo itself was delicious, my only complaint was that it could have used more seafood....but most seafood gumbos regardless of where you get it seems to be void of this key ingredient. Regardless, it was good. It was rather spicy as well. I like spicy, but the soup caught me off guard. It definitely tested my manhood in front of my date. LOL. I also had their beignet style hushpuppies. I thought the concept was intriguing, but the hushpuppies were excellent! Anyway, great place to dine.
(5)Donald L.
I finally returned to The Optimist and it was great. This time, I sat at the bar and ordered oysters and a lobster roll. The lobster roll is amazing. If you haven't been, you should visit just to get it. It is still loud but doesn't seem to matter very much if you are on the bar side. I'll try the restaurant side again soon.
(4)Mqew W.
OMG! I tried it once and got the Lobster Roll. Swung and missed. I've definitely had better. Ok. Fine. Not a problem. So I try it for lunch yesterday. STRIKE TWO!!!! How can you mess up a simple shrimp cobb salad? I know, a hair! I had no words. Mgmt asks if I want something else. I was hesitant but hungry, so I ask for it again. How about no shrimp on it.... REALLY???!!! WTF! I'm good. BYE!
(1)Scott M.
To be fair, I've only eaten here once, but my wife and I were NOT blown away. Service was very good but the food ... unmemorable. After all the hype we were very excited to dine there, but at the end of the meal we were puzzled. Some of the food was ok and some, I would never order again. To critique every dish we ordered would be to give each one more of my time than it deserved.
(2)Jon L.
We recently relocated to Atlanta and The Optimist has been our go to spot for incredibly fresh and delicious food!! Everything we have tried has been excellent and has us coming back weekly for our fix. The staff is very well versed in the food and cocktail/wine programs. Thank's for making us feel so welcome!
(5)Suzanne W.
I had the most amazing experience here! It would have been plain old ordinary but thanks to out most fab server and the delicious food coming out ... The experience was extraordinary. :) I wish I remembered her name... But if I ever do... I will def update this. I ordered so many appetizers. I love this place more for a tapas kind of experience. I ordered the mussles, shrimp a la plancha (yes, def messy and def worth it), hush puppies (eh), gumbo (eh... But the bread that came with it was sooo yummy...or was it the spread?... Whatever it was... It was sooo delicious! I feel like I ordered more appetizers but I can't quite remember. As for the entrees... We had the scallops (quite small in size and not what was expected), swordfish (wanted to try something new... Never again, & a fish I can't remember (I just remember it being 30 something bucks! Lol... But well worth it). I still need to go back for lunch and the oyster bar. Can't wait!
(4)Tomoy L.
The lobster roll is amazeballs. Fucking yum! It's light and refreshing, but filling. Not to mention the service. Staff had great eye contact and customer service. The ambience is great. New favorite. So worth the $24.
(5)Lottie A.
Had dinner at the bar. We tried the octopus, flounder, snapper and oysters. Everything was perfectly prepared and expertly plated. The service at the bar was efficient if not overly friendly. Expensive, but worth it for a night out. May be the best "fish house" in Atlanta.
(4)Vicky J.
Just love this place! My 'goto' restaurant for lunch meetings. Great parking is a big plus.
(5)Marcel S.
I thought the food was ok. The rolls were yummy. Oysters were bad. And scallops so so. Last night must have been an off night. At least my company was entertaining.
(1)Paul M.
Always a great time here. They know what makes people love a restaurant: responsive, friendly service that never feels pushy, a great wine/beer/cocktails list and original, REALLY well executed food that changes with the seasons. Thanks for another excellent night.
(5)Philip G.
Just had a great meal with two appetizers and a side, not to mention glasses of two good rums. I had the octopus con chorizo y pepe, the gambas à la plancha (with sopping bread), and the bok choy with ginger and pickled peppers. Then a light blueberry with lemongrass sorbet. Went back for a second round a week later. Still just as good with pleasant service from the bar staff (as a single diner visiting from out of town, this is essential). Although they had run out of the blueberry sorbet to my greater sorrow.
(5)Carlos O.
Quite nice... Great atmosphere and patio seems like it would be the jam during spring/summer... Good oyster selection and food is somewhat spicy... Not too shabby
(4)Lydia L.
Thought I would give this new Ford Fry restaurant a try, and we were not disappointed. The restaurant is situated just south of 10th and Howell, easy valet parking, some outdoor seating, a bar area separate from the main dining area near the hostess stand, and ample seating in the main restaurant. I would describe the decor as contemporary meets beach bungalow. Large space, not too loud like JCT Kitchen, and an open kitchen. Our waitress Sara really knew her stuff. She went over all aspects of the menu quickly and highlighted favorites. Bread is brought to the table- appears to be a wheat roll with coarse salt on top. not bad. Appetizer: Clams and Pork belly. I mean, it's impossible to be disappointed when there's pork belly and good broth, right? Good portion for two to share. Entrees: Halibut- "the chef's favorite" and waitress's recommendation. The halibut was cooked perfectly, nice crispy sear. It's weird for me to say this, but the star of the dish was the mushroom accompaniment. The hen of the wood mushrooms were divine. I need to find them... Approx 5oz portion for the fish. Grouper- Ah, the grouper. The waitress seemed a bit hesitant to recommend this, probably the because the portion is also approx 5oz, but it comes simply with some vidalia onion and a horseradish broth. It felt skimpy. The fish was actually undercooked in the center, but when the waitress was notified of this, she and management staff very quickly offered to replace it, which wasn't necessary. The well-cooked portion of the fish was much enjoyed. Side: Gnocchi with lobster butter- This side literally melts in your mouth. Good portion for sharing, and honestly filling enough to be an entree. If you are ordering either of the fish listed above, you'll probably want to share a side to make it feel like a complete meal. Dessert: Key Lime PUSH-POP. Oh, such nostalgia. These were delicious. We kind of wished the graham cracker crust was layered instead of trapped at the bottom of the push-pop, but it was a very good dessert. I think this restaurant will be quite successful. Obviously this is the first week that it has been open, and I always expect some hiccups along the way. The wait staff seemed well organized, things appeared to move smoothly in the restaurant. The prices of some of the dishes could stand to come down a little bit, or a side of vegetables/grain could be added to the fish to make the price seem more reasonable. Good meal, would return!
(4)Franki J.
Started our vacation with lunch at the Optimist - talk about setting the bar high! Our waitress was extremely informative on the menu and the drinks. She kept watch on our table to ensure we always had enough napkins, water, etc. As for the food - amazing! The shrimp appetizer was delicious and the sauce on it is life changing. The hush puppies are unique but tasty. The shrimp salad was light yet made you full. Finally, the atmosphere is open and light hearted. I would recommend anyone try this restaurant.
(5)Latoya W.
I loved this place. My good friend took me here for my birthday and everything was yummy from the peel and eat shrimp to the down to the blackened grouper. Yummy! I will definitely be returning. My only negative point is I found the bartenders to be very standoffish and kind of snooty. For what I don't know, but whatever. I actually find it hilariuos. If the lion share of your income is based on tips, I would think you would actually want to provide customer service. Go figure.
(4)Chandler J.
Great experience and loved our bartender. We actually had a regular dining room reservation but spent the whole night at the bar for dinner instead of getting a table. The main room seating wasn't exactly plush-looking anyway, so the bar was likely more comfortable. Every suggestion the bartender made was spot on... from the spicy jalapeño scotch drink with pineapple - which sounded God awful on paper, but was actually tasty as all hell - to the amazing malbec, to the hush puppy appetizer. I actually had her surprise e with me dinner and wound up with swordfish on my plate. The swordfish was so tender it ate like a sea bass. Incredible. And the raw bar was impressive as well. Just stay away from anything XL... you shouldn't have to spend 30 seconds chewing an oyster because it was so big. The only complaint was that some oysters were poorly paired by size. We ordered two of each oyster from every region they offered (3-4 dollars each). Often times one would be regular sized and one would be dwarfed. Almost insultingly so. We were told this is because they are "living creatures" and vary by size. Well, so is a cow. And if I'm paying for a 20 oz porterhouse and am served a petit filet, there's gonna be an issue. We were a bit perturbed they made no offer to rectify this, especially considering the bill was 150, but alas, what are you gonna do... But other than that everything was great. Take the servers suggestions and you'll be fine!
(4)Kate F.
This is more of a 3.5 star review and I'm grading a bit harshly because The Optimist is pricey and hard to get a reservation so I expect more. We came here to celebrate a birthday and made a reservation for two at the first available time on a Sunday, which ended up being something like 9pm. We did get a nice table for two and there was a decent amount of space in the restaurant at that time (so if you lack reservations, try for a late seating). It's a nice space, one of more sophisticated (but not fussy) restaurants I've seen in Atlanta. Added bonus: spotted Aaron Paul dining here. The food was really good, if not quite as incredible as some of the 5-star reviews suggest. Still, very, very solid. The reason why this is a 3 star review is that they were OUT of almost everything we wanted to order and it really limited our main course options. Since this was a special occasion for us, it just put a bit of a damper on the meal. I'd definitely come again, but I'd probably sit in the bar area, have some cocktails, and keep it a bit more casual.
(3)Stacey B.
I'm from out of town and came here based on Yelp's recommendation. All of our food was excellent! We started with some salads, including the kale salad. OMG soooo good! I had the Lane Snapper and it was my favorite of all our dishes. The beets and mushroom sides were also great. The ambience of this place was very hip. I definitely recommend The Optimist!
(5)Art R.
This place is amazing! Had the lobster roll, seafood chowder and fried Oysters. All were great!! Best to make a reservation, place is packed even during the week. A must if you in the mid town area
(5)Kelsey F.
It was love at first sight. The Optimist is one of the most charming places I have been in Atlanta. We were greeted by two little boys in matching plaid playing putt putt on there front greens. The outside courtyard is so intriguing that I almost wish we had to wait so we could have enjoyed it. You walk in at the oyster bar where punch is flowing, the fire is burning, and people are enjoying lots of small plates. If you order a beer, you get an Optimist koozie! So wonderful. We were quickly seated though as we had called ahead to make a reservation. The large dining room is exactly what I want out of restaurants. It was large, crisply clean, cozy, comfortable, elegant, and slightly nautical. On our table we found two black napkins and two white ones. It turns out they give guests wearing black the black napkins so the white ones don't shed on their clothes- Such a simple and clever way to make guests happy. They also quickly brought us water, drinks, and manna from heaven. Actually they were buttered rolls, but I'm fairly sure they were what manna from heaven would taste like. After being overwhelmed and wanting literally everything on the menu, I decided on a cup of she crab soup, oysters, and a side of beets. I'm pretty sure the frothy and rich she crab soup was made by the hands of Poseidon himself. It came with something called "shrimp toast". I really wanted like three shrimp toasts to dip in my soup. It was scrumdiddlyumpscious. Entrees come a la carte and it is recommended that you order a side, appetizer, or oysters to go with them. I prefer small plates because you get to try more different things. I had a mix of sweet East coast and deep set, briny West coast oysters. They came over ice with herb mignonette, lemon, and fresh horseradish. Typically I prefer the salty more mineral oysters, but these sweet East coast oysters were amazing. I strongly recommend getting some oysters to share with your table. My beets were just the icing on my cake. They came in a large portion with cheese, herbs, and peppers. Their spiciness was a great compliment to my sweet and rich oysters and soup. The service was spot on. Our lovable waiter made sure we had everything we needed. He kept our waters full, poured our wine, laughed with us, and didn't miss a beat. I can not wait to get back to The Optimist. I'm dying to give the actual oyster bar and the house fish punch a try. Super great wonderful delightful meal.
(5)Nichole K.
Out of the bar bites the Octopus is my least favorite. Lobster roll, GA shrimp, and oysters are always the way to go.
(5)Allison S.
Unlike others, my experience at The Optimist was a little disappointing. I didn't enjoy my food, but I am planning to go back for another try. Maybe it was just me. The reviews from everyone else seem pretty consistent. I will give it another try.
(2)Laura R.
Great ambiance. Good food. Amazing drinks. The hush puppies were delicious and everything was really fresh. I thought it was kinda overpriced and that the entrees should have come with at least a tiny side. Only other complaint was we were at a two top shoved between two other couples. For a space that large I wouldn't mind some more room to talk!
(4)Adrienne F.
We had an early dinner here last night. I'm not from Atlanta so this place was recommended for light and innovative seafood. They did deliver!!! I'm from New Orleans so I've enjoyed seafood in hundreds of different ways but the optimist still surprised me. We started with Charred Spanish Octopus, Lemony Mayo, Chorizo, Calabrese Peppers - there was a flavor explosion and a few bites were extra spicy but a very good appetizer if you like spicy - and the texture of the octopus was not chewy at all. Next I had a seasonal entrée with monkfish and heirloom tomatoes - very moist and the tomatoes added a good amount of sweetness. The ambiance of this place was wonderful. With such a large main dining area I was surprised at the relaxing feeling. Staff was very attentive but not intrusive in our dinner or conversation.
(5)Strunk F.
I really liked it. Took a date here; we ordered varied oysters and I had the Octopus. Everything was prepared very well; I will be coming back
(4)Craig M.
I'm from out of town and got the opportunity to eat at this place last night. The food was excellent but what really stood out was after waiting a little too long for our entries the manage brought out our food saying the wait was unacceptable to their standards and did not charge us for the main course. Very classy and not expected.
(4)Amy O.
Was "squeezed in" for a table of 10 but the restaurant ended up being pretty empty when we got there. The oysters were amazing. I ended up getting the whole fish which was delivered then violently but open in front of me. Made me loose my appetite, wish they would have done that in the back as I had suggested. However food and atmosphere was great. I would go back for the oysters.
(3)Charles C.
This was my 3rd time to go but my first time I ate in the dinning room. We started at the oyster bar and had excellent service. The oysters were fantastic. Next we moved to the bar in the dining room where Don took great care of us. The gumbo was very tasty And the Cobia was outstanding. It is a bit loud but not overbearing. If you are looking for a great dining experience give them a try
(5)S. W.
This is about as good as it gets. The room is huge, yet beautifully lit and welcoming and not too loud. The food will simply knock your socks off. Perfect oysters, stupendous mussels served with a broth I wanted to drink like a soup. The mussels also come with a thick piece of toasted bread that, when dunked into the broth had me singing "halleuiah!" The sides of Brussels sprouts are worth a trip (what?? yes). The lemon tart is exquisite as are the beignets. The service is attentive without being overbearing or precious. I can't wait to go back. In fact, in the time it took me to confirm this review, I've been back three times and feel just as enthusiastic.
(5)Es D.
Went for a friend's birthday with a group and we all loved this place and can't wait to go back! Very cool ambiance and outside bar area. Our server was fantastic and the food was some of the best we've had. You must try the kale salad! All our apps, sides and main dishes were wonderful.
(5)Daniel L.
Oh, hello there! Came here for a wedding last saturday and my expectations were blown away. I blame the alcohol and great company. 4.5/5 To start, this restaurant is hidden behind Octane, near 5 Seasons and M St apts. Tall ceiling and wide spaces, I really enjoyed that there was space to host a wedding and dance as well. After the ceremony, they walked around with a couple notable hors d'oeuvres. Chicken tenders - I was going to pass on this, but after the look of amazement on a few faces, I gave in (and I'm glad I did!) They were lightly breaded and just enough flavor to want more, but what was the kicker was the sauce it came with! thebomb 5/5 Spicy octopus bites - I had a few of these, and although they weren't spicy, I could tell after more than 3 or 4, you'd sweat a little. This says more about my tolerance though, since I stick to Mild. 4/5 After a few beers, we were seated and the main dishes came out. The appetizer was a little gem lettuce salad, with lemon anchovy dressing, croutons and parm cheese. Pretty average. The dressing made it worth finishing, would not want another. Reminded me of standard caesar. 3.5/5 Main entree: Skirt Steak on a bed of pinto beans garnished with jalapeño peppers. Very very very good. The steak was (seared?) or grilled medium-rare and sliced. Paired with red wine and a bite of grilled(whole) jalapeño pepper made this an exceptional experience for me! 5/5 Dessert: Banana bread cupcake. You HAVE to take a bite of this properly (unwrap, and devour an entire 1/4 of the cupcake from the top cream to bottom) to truly appreciate this. I absolutely loved the fluffy bread paired with the banana whipped cream washed down with a hefeweizen beer. 5/5 easily. All in all, wonderful food from this place. Can't wait to try more seafood next time (what they're known for, I know... what am I eating steak here for?!) 4.5/5
(4)Cheryl T.
This restaurant lives up to all the hype. Seriously one of the best seafood restaurants I've ever experienced, and definitely the best inland restaurant. Worth the wait to get a table, and while not cheap, the food is fresh and deftly prepared. We ate here for my birthday, six of us, and no one was dissatisfied. Not even my 83 year old dad, who thinks a plate of food should cost the same as it did in 1950. Doesn't matter what you get, it's all good, but if you love oysters, definitely try a few with their homemade cocktail or minionette sauces.
(5)Kevin M.
Had a great time eating here with my brother at the bar. Good drink selection, good atmosphere/decor, and good food. I had the scallops w short rib and it didn't disappoint. Would recommend to anyone in Atlanta looking for seafood.
(4)Fatina B.
Finally we made it there for dinner this saturday. Great restaurant. We had a 5 o'clock reservation so we did not have to wait to be seated. The place got filled very quickly . I ordered their west bay oysters and blackened octopus for appetizers. Both were great. I still prefer though the octopus salad that I had in barcelona, that was more ceviche style. For entree we chose the blackened amberjack and fish & chips. Both were excellent. For the blackened fish I had to order a side of vegetables separately as it Does not come with any.I chose the bokchoy which was excellent. Will definitely come back maybe during the week for lunch
(4)Bruce L.
Dinner Review: I came here for lunch before and seated my self in the casual section of the restaurant. "Take my money!" - should explain my experience. For this review, I am fixated on my dining room experience. This venue is divided into two sections (Dining area and casual area). Menu for both area are different which adds to their diversity of selections. I recommend a minimum of two visits to experience both. An establishment like the Optimist thrives on providing extraordinary service to multiply the adventure of dining that you already get from their wide selections of seafood preferences (Great for seafood lovers). OYSTERS - To have a generous range of selections of oysters is stimulating to my relish appetite and this privilege is not easy to come by within Atlanta combined with fine quality (I'm referring to seafood - It's FRESH). I recommend any deep-sea oysters (Lucky Limes and Kumamoto are two of my favorites). Any time I see arugula salad on the menu, it's a no brainer. I am surprised that I do run into people who had never had arugula O_o (Arugula consist of many variation of flavors between sweet and spicy - for those who might be curious). If you are one of those who never had it, get it! The arugula salad is a fine selection to begin your meal. Selecting my main entre, I was leaning towards the snapper but when I saw GRUNT on the menu, I was intrigued by the name. I had to inquire about this fish labeled GRUNT! I understand describing a type of fish is a difficult task for anyone. My server had proficiently explained the type of texture, made comparisons and described the preparation of the grunt fish. Of course, I made my selection to the grunt fish and let me simplify it.... It was meaty (Like a tuna steak). Yumm The Optimist is a place you may take your significant other or a prospecting significant other ;) I do not see why your date wouldn't think you're a great "catch" after being nourished and delighted with what this establishment indulges you with.
(5)Velvet B.
#11 out of top 50 restaurants on Atlanta according to Atlanta magazine. The lobster roll was divine for $21. Oysters are expensive and they were out of there homemade crackers. :( The decor is fabulous but our waiter was fumbling all night. Cannot wait to come back for a full dinner not just a snack. But be prepared to spend$100 for 2 sans alcohol.
(4)David G.
I went to lunch here with my parents. I am not an oyster eater, but they are. They claim they are the best they have ever had. I ordered fish and chips. It was a good choice. My parents ordered the fish sandwich and the shrimp burger. Both were excellent. This is a good lunch spot downtown.
(4)Hambri Enta M.
After enjoying dinner with my first date contestant, we walked across to get a second round of drinks. I had something sweet and berry tasting that was finished with a basil leaf. We ordered some oysters, which were absolutely amazing and fresh! The female barkeep and the male behind the bar, possibly a manager, were both personable and engaging. This place is HUGE! and has a real nice side porch which is uncovered and will be great for just shooting the shit drinks in hand. Looking forward to having a meal here in the very future
(4)Brad S.
Oysters were fantastic and the lobstah roll made me feel like I was sitting at a table in Boston overlooking the Charles River..
(5)Lynn E.
Run don't walk. Delish. This new seafood restaurant is a welcome addition to the ATL dining scene and a breath of fresh air. The space is open, high ceilings, lots of big windows - the night we were there the weather is ideal and the front of the house of open - you could 'almost' imagine your were in San Diego. The set up is a nice change of pace in a city where we are both land-locked but often cooped-up. The is bar area with outdoor seating, a separate menu (tapas style seafood offerings) and a raw bar with a variety of oysters. The dining room includes another bar (you can opt to have dinner there or drinks) and space for large parties. It was ladies-foodie night out so we opted to order individual entrees, several sides and a couple of desserts: florida grouper, smoked vidalia onion, horseradish broth - this was divine and understated. It's a light yet filling dish. I needed/wanted a roll to soop up the delicious broth. wood roasted soft shell crab, pickled ramps, garlic broth - another winner. perfectly cooked and adorned with young spring onions. alaskan halibut, wood grilled hen of the wood, red wine fish bordelaise - nicely prepared halibut - the mushrooms were outstanding - so good we thought about asking if we could order a side of the 'shrooms. seared rare tuna, charred octopus & potato salad, harissa - another perfectly prepared fish. kudos to the kitchen for a harissa with layers of flavors; you could taste the roasted red peppers and then the subtle heat from the spicy peppers. Yum. shoestring fries, malt vinegar aioli - we inhaled this side. The aioli is beautifully prepared - I wanted to slather it on everything but restrained myself. my only suggestion is to convert the fries from shoestring to something easier to eat. sliced local tomatoes, louie dressing - again fresh, fresh, fresh. lovely fresh tomatoes sitting on top of housemade louie dressing (the added drizzle of EVOO is n't needed). chilled wood roasted beets, smoked egg, horseradish, apple - a yummy presentation of young beets in different colors with tiny minced apples and a delicious vinaigrette. GRAPEFRUIT TART -- candied honeysuckle, venezuelan white chocolate - i had read about this dessert and could imagine what it might taste like - ORDER IT - it's a lightly sweet tart with a hint of citrus tang. A lovely taste to end a delicious meal. Sundae: grilled pound cake with caramel, ice cream and hot fudge. Pound cake needs to be grilled - my new mantra!!! Fun dessert to share with friends. Can't wait to return. Thank you Chef Fry.
(4)Terry F.
A very unique and fun restaurant near my old stomping grounds in the Collier Road/Howell Mill area above Georgia Tech. Just don't go here when it is packed. The noise level would be very high due to no sound dampening built into this old refurbished shop/warehouse/gym. We started with a rum cocktail (with Goslings), a nice glass of house red wine (Picpoul) and six James oysters. The oysters were fresh, fantastic tasting and served properly with homemade crackers, horseradish and cocktail sauce. The standouts on the rest of the menu were the gumbo and the melon salad. The tuna and the mushrooms were also good, but a bit chewy. Not too bad for two people--we paid around $100 total.
(4)Gale E.
OK, fourth time I've been to The Optimist. Although I generally like the food and atmosphere, now it's time to break from the crowd and register some negatives of my experience on May 11, in order of importance: - Beware of the middle tables in the main dining room. The air vents blow directly, and strongly on them - to the point I had to put my glass on my menu to keep it from blowing away. One member of our party had to step outside to warm up. This really detracted from our dining experience. - The charred octopus - I have had it all 4 visits and normally love it. But this time it was prepared with too much spice and seemed a bit overcooked. Frankly like the octopus at Baraonda more than this version. - Not sure why they think they need piped-in loud music to complement the dining experience. It does not enhance the experience. - Frankly, the servers and bartenders at Lure are more professional and personable. So The Optimist is certainly good, and the location is very hip. Love the inventive drinks, although you can get just as good if not better at Lure. But I think I will move on to other restaurants for a while.
(3)Toni W.
I have only eaten at the Oyster Bar and I am a fan!! As a lover of seafood, they did not disappoint. We came shortly after they opened the Oyster Bar for the afternoon so it was quiet and intimate. The food was great- I cant pick out a fave but tried some east coast oysters (the mignonette was so good), huge peel and eat shrimp, salt n vinegar chips, lobster knuckles and snow crab, charred octopus and butter yeast rolls. I drool as I type this. Just the thought of the food makes me want some right now. The cocktails were also yummy and reasonably priced. I really liked the overall atmosphere and space. The small putt putt area out front is a fun plus. Made friends with the table next to us and went out to putt around some golf balls (if you have kids this would be a good way to keep them entertained if you are waiting for a table). Our server was delightful as well. She was friendly, helpful, accommodating and made sure we didnt have empty glasses. I definitely recommend The Optimist and can't wait to go back for more.
(5)Silvia G.
The food is amazing and I usually have a good experience at this restaurant but on 11/24/13 we had an awful experience with our server... I guess it being a Sunday night he was tired and anxious to go home. He never approached our table to ask if we needed anything, not friendly at all, not a smile, not a smirk... Anyways the worst part was that at the end he made a mistake with our check and charged my friend (who was kind enough to pay the full bill) 2 times 2 different amounts... It got messier afterwards... The restaurant was not helpful and they gave her a hard time with that issue. Unbelievable.
(3)Mindy M.
Scallops with oxtail marmalade...Yummy! The clams were outstanding. The lobster cobb & Lobster Roll are to die for. The old salty dog is my new favorite cocktail. The space is beautiful. It is an absolute favorite!
(5)Angela M.
Thanks to Jang for planning the UYE lunch that finally got me here! We waited until the majority of the group arrived, and then were seated at one of the 6 seat tables with a flipped high chair for the baby bucket. We started with the beignet-style corn milk hushpuppies for the table. I'd never had hushpuppies with powdered sugar, and while I don't think I'll make it a regular thing, I do think it was tasty, especially with the subtle sweetness of the cane sugar butter. While I debated several things, I chose the lobster roll, with beet salad. The beet salad didn't seem like much at first, but I liked it more with each bite. Red and candy cane beets with buttermilk cheese and pistachios, nicely seasoned with salt and a bit of oil. The lobster roll was fresh and tasty, simply prepared with large chunks of lobster meat, celery greens, and some lemon on a fluffy bun. I'd inhaled half of it by the time the others had finished prepping their plates to be eaten... so I made myself stop for a few minutes and look around at what they had. When I saw the oyster loaf that others got, I decided to come back again to try it - an oyster poboy with large oysters piled high atop a crusty baguette... When Heidi offered up the rest of her fish and chips, I heartily dug in. I'd meant to only taste it, but then polished it off. This fish was nicely fried, and the potatoes weren't chips or fries, but nicely crisped chunks of potato. I ended up using quite a bit of the white sauce (malt vinegar aioli?) that came on the side. It's not the least expensive lunch in the area, but the quality of the seafood and the atmosphere made it worth it. I'll be back to try that oyster loaf! There's also a putting green out front, and they've got putters and golf balls at the hostess stand, I'm assuming for when there's quite a wait.
(4)Amanda F.
We came here for my partner's birthday and were thrilled from start to finish. I made the reservation online and shared that it was his birthday when asked if it was a special occasion. When we got there, we noticed that the menus were customized with a happy birthday message for him! The food was amazing, the service was impeccable. The building itself is really interesting, open, and just nice to sit in. Would highly recommend it for anyone looking to have an amazing meal.
(5)Sophia Y.
Wayyyyy over priced for mediocre food. The gumbo was bitter bc they over cooked the roux. I understand deep flavors bc I graduated from AIA in culinary arts but this was just gross. We had a party of 8 and ordered 2 gumbos and everyone e disliked it. I got the snapper, it was good but it looked like a pan fried piece of fish on an empty plate. There was nothing with it literally. Hush puppies were salty. Octopus was tender but salty. Server was very slow. Overrated.
(2)Jennifer M.
Definitely a fan of their raw oysters. We ordered a dozen to start off with, half east and half west. Super fresh and tasted of the sea. I could eat those for days. The four stars go to the oysters. As for the entree, we had the swordfish and the halibut with hushpuppies as a side. Sadly, they were just mediocre. Too much lemon on the halibut so it tasted like nothing but lemons. It was cooked perfectly though. Swordfish seemed to be tough and not that tasty. The hushpuppies were fried for too long. Had too much of a burnt taste to them. Would certainly go back for oysters, but not sure about the rest of their menu.
(4)gabriel m.
While I am a fan of the place (read 4 stars) and have been sending people their way for years, this last trip wasn't the best ever. Let me qualify that of course. My dish, whole Haddock, was one of the best whole fish dishes I have had anywhere and the drinks were solid as usual that we got with our usual solid west coast oysters. Sounds like 4 or 5 stars no? Here's the thing. I got something new and suggested the core dishes to my out of town friends. The Halibut and the duck fat seared swordfish. To me, no-brainer dishes. When they came out, they were disappointments at best. Overcooked, over seasoned, and they even burned the garlic on the Halibut. Who does that at $26/plate? We also ordered some of the fried rice for the table and, while the seasoning and flavor was fresh and awesome, the core of the dish, the rice, was disgusting. No one ate it. Finally, the my desert, the Key Lime pie was neither key nor lime. It was mostly condensed milk and the crust seemed to be stale. This is why they get 3 of my 5 stars. I look forward to going back again and getting one of the "no-brainer" dishes to see if they took the criticisms to heart.
(3)Dorothy P.
Came here for a b-day dinner and it was the first time I've dined in here. I've eaten at the bar before and loved it (lobster roll was amazing!). Our reservation went smoothly. I hate it when you make a reservation and you still have to wait. I love the ambience, it does feel like the inside of a ship. We started out with the mussels (this is a must!)-delicious. Then for our main course we had the tuna and red snapper-both yummy. and for sides we chose the roasted beets (waitresses suggestion) and beignet hushpuppies. Can't say I liked the beets, mainly b/c I'm not a beet fan in the first place, but the hushpuppies were to die for! It's like combining my 2 fave starches in the world: hushpuppies and beignets. must get this. and for dessert we rounded it out w/ the chocolate cake and espresso ice cream. it was ok, a bit too rich for my taste. I think a lighter ice cream would've paired better with the heavy chocolate cake. For drinks I had the scurvy something and mermaid something, both were spot on. Overall a solid and delicious experience. Would definitely come back. The only reason I couldn't give it 5 starts was b/c I didn't like the beets and the dessert was too heavy. Nonetheless I love Ford Fry's creations!
(4)Eric L.
An absolutely amazing experience from start to finish. Perfect Anniversary dinner. The oyster appetizers are not just any fried oyster. Delicate softness and full flavor. Main courses were out of this world, but difficult for us to share because of the unique flavors in each. The wine recommendation from our server was spot on. We even went for dessert. Home run. Love this place for special occasions (only because of our budget). So many things to try, we could go back and score again.
(5)Annie B.
I really liked this place. The decor was awesome. Very relaxing and staff was great. I tried the lobster roll and though iit was tasty, it was very small for the $18.00. The app. was the hush puppies that are really treated as beignets. Dusted with powedered sugar and served with honey butter that is out of this world. Desserts were also a big hit at our table. Overall, it was a very nice dining experience and we will make the 35 mile trek again.
(4)Kim F.
My trip to The Optimist was nothing short of grand. We were quickly seated (had reservations, but that doesn't always mean you won't wait). My date is a frequent diner there but I had never been. He insisted we start with the shrimp a la plancha. I cannot begin to tell you how divine this incredibly messy dish was (you just have to dig in and pull the heads off, which was a little dicey for a woman who won't even buy chicken with the skin on it). For the next week I wanted to move to Atlanta just so I could have these more frequently. I chose the scallops for my entree, which was three very large scallops in a sauce that tasted to me like a cross between teriyaki and soy (I know that's not how they describe it, but that's how it tasted to me). Very good, perhaps a bit overpriced since it was accompanies by nothing. My date had fish, can't remember what kind, but it was delicious, not that that helps you since I don't know what it was. For sides we shared the basmati fried rice, which I definitely recommend, and the multi-colored beets, which were also good - I just expected them to be warm and they were cold. Not that we were still hungry, but lastly we had the beignets with bourbon praline and fired pecans. There could not have been a better end. Unless you topped it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The service and the ambiance were also first-rate.
(5)Dustin H.
Went to The Optimist for the first time last night. Very nice atmosphere and service. The only reason I cannot give 5 stars is the food could use some improvement. I had the seafood gumbo for an appetizer, while my wife had the peel and eat shrimp. They were both delicious, other than the gumbo being overly salty and the shrimp being coated with about 3 inches of Old Bay seasoning. We did both really enjoy our side of rice. The hush puppies were good, although they tasted like they had sat around for awhile...more chewy than crunchy. Our main dishes were great, but could again be improved with a little less salt. Dessert (cheesecake) was delicious. We will definitely be making a return trip...and hopefully they'll be running low on salt that night!
(4)Molly G.
Excellent. The octopus and heirloom tomato salad was amazing. I got triple tail and it was light and cooked perfectly. The fried rice tasted like it came from Tin Drum. It was good, but not what I expected. The key lime push pop was a nice ending, but I wish it had been bigger. Would definitely return!
(4)Nicci R.
At lunch we ordered she crab soup, oyster loaf, fish and chips, hush puppies and basmati curry fried rice. The she-crab soup was served with a side of shrimp toast and was fantastic. I should have ordered a bowl instead of just a cup. The oyster loaf was a good po-boy style sandwich dressed with pickles, lettuce and remoulade sauce. The fish and chips entree was a disappointment considering it cost $17 for 2 pieces of fish on a pile of shoestring fries. The fish and coating tasted unseasoned and bland, unfortunately the mild flavored malt vinegar aoili dipping sauce did not help. Hush puppies were so good, especially with the cane butter. I could have eaten the butter straight with a spoon. Basmati curry fried rice was completely different flavor than our entire meal, but very tasty. Unfortunately, we were too full to try dessert.
(3)Deb H.
Hit and miss this time This was our second time here after an excellent first experience several months ago. This one was hit and miss. Promptly seated at a nice table by friendly staff. Server was very knowledgeable but not especially attentive. Delicious cocktail (Jolly Roger) Of the 4 types of oysters, he liked 3--said the fourth was fishy. Excellent gumbo. Very good tuna 'opportunity' though a bit pricey. Verrry long wait between appetizer and entree with zero updates from our server on the delay. Beware: The a la carte approach makes this a pretty expensive outing ($24-25 for a piece of fish alone on a plate). King salmon fine but not amazing. Monkfish very moist and flavorful. Odd and disappointing the only starch options were hushpuppies and a fried rice with smoked fish (sounds gross). My kingdom for a potato. Overall it was a fine meal, but for a $200+ dinner for two I want to be thrilled, and I wasn't. For the money, the Atlanta Fish Market is a much better experience.
(3)David N.
Man was that swordfish killer. Really great service. Loved the atmosphere. The bread they bring first is super good. Had the the hushpuppies as well, best part. So good. Gorgeous big room. Really fresh food. Very pleased. Great date night place.
(5)Frank B.
I heard how great this place was and how they pride themselves on customer service. While I will agree on the fact that the oysters were excellent I would say the price and the way we were treated made them less than desirable. I could not get a reservation but I called two times and was told don't worry we treat everyone as if they are important and the longest you will wait is 30-45 minutes. When I showed up I was told 2+hours but I could sit outside with a limited menu. Figuring that would still be okay I sat down and after looking at the menu and price I was disappointed. Regardless we ordered food and found that the service and the treatment were less than desirable, the two words that come to mind are RUDE and slow. Not sure I will go back just based on the way I was treated.
(1)Paul S.
Things are looking up in Atlanta! A resounding 5 star seafood restaurant has finally made it's way to Atlanta. Thank you Ford Fry for finding a voice and changing the face of this city. I'll be happy to return anytime to sip on a strong drink, throw back a delicious oyster from the oyster bar, or just enjoy a fantastic meal prepared with care. This place is gorgeous! Seriously. Take a second just to gaze at the attention to detail that went into everything in this space. The food is spectacular and service spot-on. I can't focus on one entrée, appetizer or side item that I've loved more than the rest fortunately (unfortunately for this review). Every plate is beautiful, but doesn't have that manufactured look to it. We've been three times now, and already excited about our next visit. If you're a fan of JCT, which I'm sure you are, you should check out The Optimist.
(5)Annie R.
I've been here 5 times. The food is always incredible and hits the just.right. spot. I've always been less than wowed by service. The service never quite matched the perfection of the food... (not that the service was bad, just not as incredible as the food is and the two should match--- at least) This past Saturday my party had the pleasure of being seated in Jonathan's session. His service matched, if not exceeded the perfection of the food. He takes service to another level. Personable, but not inappropriate. Attentive, seriously attentive, but not overbearing, deeply knowledgeable about the food and drink menu. Good Vibes. If you make it to The Optimist make sure to have the messy shrimp (that's my name for it), the kale salad (mmmm), any whole fish on the menu, of course oysters, and ask to sit at one of Jonathan's tables- he'll take extra good care of you! minus one star for the 15 minute valet wait outside. Instead of just two valets, they might need 3 or 4 on the really busyweekends.
(4)Rachel M.
Ford Fry's establishments are certainly impressive- unless St Cecilia blows me away in the coming weeks, ( it very well may!) , this will remain my favorite among his outposts. The servers here are FRIENDLY- something that can really make or break a restaurant. I've been here many times, and always had a phenomenal experience with the servers and bartenders- A + , Optimist staff!!! The selection of Oysters is fantastic- they're always super fresh, and the servers are quite knowledgeable about the different varieties. I tend to be a teensy bit picky about my oysters, too( read: very particular), so that's saying something. The seafood gumbo is perfect- flavorful, a bit of spice, exactly how you want your gumbo. The fish chowder is also wonderful- creamy, smokey from the fish, but not gluey at all ( chowder isn't supposed to be goopey and gelatinous- cheap chowders have improperly skewed people's expectations !!!) I'd skip the She crab soup- it's just not my favorite version. The salted buttery roll thingys are divine- and dangerous! The Charred Octopus is freaking phenomenal- I've had it prepared the " Bar" and " Dining room" ways- and both are equally as delicious! The octopus is tender and smokey. I've actually ordered two of these. The green curry mussels are divine- tons of flavor. For entrees, the whole fish with garlicky sauce is so, so good- I actually haven't seen anything like this entree in Atlanta. The sauce is sweet and savory- and the fish moist. Love the halibut with sea salt- so simple, but so, so well done- the fish is perfectly cooked and it's own flavor really shines. I could go on and on- cocktails here are wonderful as well, but just get there- you'll love it!!
(5)Harper C.
Amazing ... atmosphere, location, food and service. This is was the perfect place to choose for a weekday work dinner yet it will also be a weekend spot for me in the future. The menu was spectacular as was the service with the server bringing a lot of knowledge to help us make some decisions. No one at our table was displeased which is not an easy feat! Items ordered were diverse from chicken to steak to seafood, plus salads and some starters. All came in perfect timing and were absolutely delicious. Personally, I had the argula and duck salad to start with the swordfish as my main dish. The swordfish melted in my mouth. One of the sides we ordered to share at the table were fingerling potatoes. I could have eaten ALL of these myself. The cocktails were also yummy. Fortunately our server was able to work a deal so we could have one of the punches with dinner. Typically they only serve the punches at the bar (recommend you go to the bar just for the punch). Dessert was the finishing delight and the perfect way to end the meal. The price wasn't to bad either.
(5)Rayandra S.
I had been wanting to try this place for some time based on the buzz it had generated. Perhaps my expectations were too high. It was packed, which is usually an auspicious sign for what is to come. We arrived at 9:40 for a 9:45 reservation but were not seated until at least 30 minutes later. My friend had a question about a dish and it took our waiter close to 25 minutes to find the answer from the kitchen. Our waiter was very nice, but other servers who brought our good were downright surly. I ordered the octopus salad, which was a tiny piece of charred/tough octopus. I think it could have been a good dish, but the octopus was overcooked, which ruined it. It dampened my enthusiasm for the rest of the menu. My friend is vegetarian, so we ordered some vegetable appetizers, which were hit or miss, but the hush puppies were good, with powdered sugar and a honey-based dip. The bananas foster on a stick for dessert was quite tasty. I would come back here at some point for the bar scene and to people watch, or perhaps with a date. However, the food and most of the service would not compel me to rush back right away. Perhaps my rating would have improved if I was able to get a seating early enough to take advantage of better prepared food and a less stressed wait staff. Right now, I'm failing to see what the hype is about.
(3)Juan M.
Loved the ambiance, the vibe, the service, and specially the food. I tried the fried oysters and loved them. Probably the best ones I have ever had. I also tried and loved the seafood gumbo, the bluefin tuna, and the brioche bread that they serve along with the food. The waiter recommended the fried calamari and tried it as well, but it was disappointing. It probably does not have anything to do with the idea of fried calamari in your head. I had the salted caramel ice cream and loved it. Also tried the beignets and did not like them. The dough is too thick and doughy. Overall, great dining experience.
(4)William P.
I got the octopus as a main entry and it was d e l i c i o u s. A little long time to wait for our table, but it was worth it. Definitely a 5-star restaurant.
(5)Josh M.
We hit this place up at about 9:00 on a Friday night after a Yelp event. We walked from nearby and were really disappointed by the lack of a proper pedestrian entrance. We had to walk up the driveway, around a concrete wall and through the valet area just to get to a door that opens (you suburbanites get to bitch about parking, so I get to whine about pedestrian access). Not a great welcome, however as we found our way to the oyster bar our mood improved. We sat at the bar and were immediately impressed by the service. Our waiter was there off the bat and stuck around all night. We never wanted for a drink, menu, napkin, or utensil. Our order consisted of Georgia peel and eat shrimp, shoestring fries, grilled octopus and a Maine lobster roll. The shrimp and fries were out of this world. I don't know if I have ever had better cooked shrimp. The fries were millimeters thick and super-crispy (like freshly made French's potato sticks). Octopus dish was way too small and flavorless (I know how much a whole cephalopod costs and this was a rip-off). The lobster roll was okay. It is hard to impress a true New Englander with a lobster roll. I would recommend that they add a little bit of tail meat and adjust the price, as Maine lobster prices are at a near all-time low. They also had oysters for sale at $3.0-6.5 PER OYSTER! Having lived in NC where one can purchase an entire peck of oysters for $10.5, this did not compute for us. Granted, their selection included specimens from Washington, Nova Scotia and Maine, but would it kill them to have some southern selections at $0.5-1.0 per oyster? Overall, we were very impressed. The service was absolutely impeccable and the food far surpassed most wanna-be seafood joints in Atlanta. I just wish that properly cooked and prepared seafood in Atlanta was much more available and less costly.
(4)Cathleen M.
This place is great, I travel to Atlanta for work and usually I stay within the Midtown area but The Optimist was recommended to me by a few locals in the area. The seafood is extremely fresh, the oyster bar is amazing, the service is phenomenal and the ambiance is great! Really what more can you ask for. Sara was a great server and very knowledgeable about the food and drinks offered there. She provided excellent suggestions. I would say this place is a must try if you are in Atlanta and off the beaten path of the usual Midtown/Downtown area. I had oysters, the whole GA white shrimp in a chile sauce and the arugula salad, all of which were very good. I will definitely be going back to try their entrees next time I am in town!
(4)Jeff C.
Went for lunch. Venue and vibe of restaurant were great. Service was excellent. However, my wife and I each had sable fish as an entree. The dish was virtually inedible--floating in oil and vegetables were mushy; tasted like bad diner food. I don't understand the hype about this place--very poor execution from the kitchen. Manager comped the bill and was quite accommodating but I won't go back.
(1)Marlon F.
Great oysters, great service, nice environment. Overall I give The Optimist 4 Stars. Only one complaint is that as a Georgia native I eat saltines with my oysters. I brought my own and have no problem with that. Good job! Add saltines to the mix and I'm a customer every week.
(4)Jian L.
it was great,very lay back place to eat.
(5)Gina C.
I've found my new fave restaurant! This is a sister restaurant to JCT Kitchen. I love the space, which is industrial with a touch of modern. We came for a lovely summer lunch and were immediately greeted by the sweet hostess. It wasn't overly crowded during a Friday lunch, so it was great to catch up with my bestie! We were first going to be seated along the booth, but the tables are so close to one another, so we asked if we could sit at a separate table. I started off with the she crab soup, which was creamy and delicious. My friend ordered the gumbo which I liked better. It was probably one of the best I've ever had. We each ordered a salad. I ordered the Maine lobster cobb salad with the dijon mustard dressing. I loved everything about the salad! It was a great summer salad! However, I asked for the dressing on the side and they gave it to me with the dressing already on it. When I saw it, it look like it wasn't drenched in dressing, so I took it. Towards the bottom of the plate there was too much dressing for my taste, so I couldn't finish it. My friend ordered the fried snow crab salad. It looked good. We also ordered a side of the hush puppies, which is a must. There were like little beignets. The butter that came with it was so good that I could eat it alone, but I had to tell myself that we are in a public place. We ended the lunch with a chocolate push pop, which brought me back to my childhood. Def splurged for our lunch date, but it was all worth it! My anniversary is coming up, so this would be a great place to try for dinner!
(5)Mom F.
We dined here after finally being able to obtain reservations. The food was ok - the fish was fresh and the taste was interesting. However, the price was outrageous. 28 for 3 scallops! The waitress said the side dishes were good for sharing....not so. 8 carrots for a side dish...really?? Won't be coming here again.
(2)Mick M.
Everything is very good just small portions. Its a bit pricey, but still worth it. If you only get 2 things....Octopus and lobster roll both best ever!!!!!! Only thing to bitch about if sit in dining you cant order from the raw bar.....thats dumb
(5)Kai B.
This place has easily become my favorite restaurant in Atlanta! The food is AMAZING, especially the lobster roll in the oyster bar! The chowder is probably the best I've had EVER and I moved here from New England!! The servers are FANTASTIC, being in the restaurant industry myself (at another popular restaurant) I can tell the company put a lot of time and effort into the training because I've had almost every server and have always had a stellar experience. My overall favorite part has to be the atmosphere, I feel like I'm back on Cape Cod on the beach, it's so relaxing even when they're slam packed busy! I recommend this place to anyone who asks, it really is an experience!!!
(5)Carey M.
Great atmosphere, good location. Service is descent, servers are pretty attentive, but not overbearing or annoying. Scallops and lobster gnocchi are delish! Flavorful food. Fun, lively place to hang out with friends and enjoy good food.
(4)Beezantine B.
You have to take your lady friend here fellas Lol She'll love it! Nice bar, great food, good service. I haven't been disappointed with the food choices I've made. The scallop entree was good and their gumbo was really nice. My girl loves their Cosmos too.
(4)Tiff H.
This was a great little place tucked into the corner of Howell Mill and 8th. A lot of hype for this place... So we decided to venture in, despite the $$$. Parking is valet parking only, unless you'd like to attempt street parking and walk from there. A small putt putt golf course greets you outside before you walk in. We were just about to miss our reservation so we decided not to play. We were seated at an awkward booth that faced the aisle. Our server brought us some deliciously fragrant bread and we placed our wine orders, along with our food choices. My appetizer was slightly adventurous... I ordered the Florida frog legs, which were tender and flavorful. Really does taste like chicken... The garnishes were pretty yummy, too. My entree was a swordfish steak, which paired well with my Chenin Blanc. The fish was almost like a chicken breast in texture because of it's meatiness and density. At times it got a little dry, but the sauce always sopped it up. The short rib was random but a nice touch to the dish. The server came back periodically to check up on us, even brought us extra bread at some point at our request. My tab came out to be about $55 including wine, my appetizer, and entree, which isn't all that bad for what it was. I'll definitely have to make it out here again one day to try the oysters!
(4)Emily F.
Amazing. The server was very knowledgable on all the different types of oysters which was helpful. Their cocktails are definitely pricey, but SO GOOD. I was thoroughly impressed. Ambience was on point.
(5)Martina L.
The ambiance was very nice and they were pretty busy. I confess we expected more. We had oysters and octopus as appetizers, they were really good! The bread they serve was like a Hawaiian king brushed with olive oil and Seasalt - I prefer when restaurants as expensive as this, serve a freshly baked bun. Out of the entrees, mine was definitely the best of the 3 different our table ordered, none of the others were impressed with the fish they got or the sides.... Mine was monkfish and it was quiet exquisite. It's definitely a fine restaurant and service was pretty good. For the price I did have higher expectations though.
(4)Justin D.
Fantastic meal. Great food; great service. My wife and I split oysters, little gem salad, hush puppies, and fish and chips. All were great....especially the hush puppies (a la beignet style). Highly recommended.
(5)john w.
Went into the Optimist and came out a pessimist. I ordered halibut with the fried rice, my wife had the grouper and the asparagus. Both fish dishes were over cooked or sat at the pass too long under heat lamps. The asparagus looked like someone threw up on a plate and the fried rice was drier than the fish, which must have taken some doing. I was tempted to send everything back and I would have but the waitress was clueless and annoying, appearing at random, generally just as you had a bite of food, to yell something like "everything is delicious." I couldn't tell if it was a statement or a query, but she would run off before I had a chance to respond that no everything was not delicious, so it didn't matter anyway. There didn't appear to be a manager on duty, if there was they were completely ineffectual and blended in with the rest of the gormless staff. I made the mistake of ordering an espresso for myself and a coffee for my wife. The coffee arrived in a ridiculous giant mug and tasted like it was brewed in a gas station the day before, I watched as the guy made my espresso and it sat and sat for 12 minutes, (I timed it), while our waitress stood in the corner in full view of me, just chatting away with another staff member. The espresso was of course cold by the time I got it, but it would have been undrinkable anyway. Whoever owns this joint has a very expensive doorstop on his counter. That is the least of the problems though, avoid this place or go to witness the horror before it closes.
(1)Drew H.
service was fair, food was mediocre, atmosphere was obnoxious. The waiter should get more training or go back to Applebee's. I expect better service at this price point. The food was a mixed bag. We were unimpressed by the oysters. I thought the scallops were lousy, but someone else in my party liked the dish. Spicy octopus was good. The mussels were delicious and the mahi mahi was to die for. The noise was ridiculously loud. I would go back only when patrons are scarce (read: better service & quieter atmosphere), and only because I know what menu items to avoid and which to indulge in.
(2)Allison B.
I frequent The Optimist because I am lucky enough to work close by. If you like Louisiana gumbo you'll love the seafood gumbo appetizer here. The rue is dark and the flavors are all there with that hint of spice from the andouille sausage. For the entree I switch between the shrimp burger and the Maine lobster roll that both come with crispy shoestring fries. My boyfriend often gets the fish & chips that are cooked to a perfect golden brown. We like to think you can't go wrong with any choice on the menu. If you're willing to get messy definitely try the chowder fries. The bacon, clams & white cheddar make the fries melt in your mouth. And that's just for lunch!
(5)Max C.
We come here for the oysters and wine. They had a good Gruner wine that went great with the she-crab soup and monch fish. We come here once every few months and enjoy it each time. Would recommend.
(4)Wendi G.
Optimist - the tendency to expect the best and see the best in all things. When you arrive you are definitely going to be on a high note. The restaurant itself is beautiful and decor is top notch. They went all out on the theme and little touches around the restaurant - like the old bathhouse keys - are very cool. Our meal started with a wonderful little amuse bouche of a fresh oyster served with nothing but a celery leaf. It was so perfect I am still thinking about it today. For appetizers we had the little gem lettuce, lemon anchovy dressing, croutons, parmesan - if you like anchovies then this salad is for you! I had the halibut cheeks which were served en papillote with Jerusalem artichokes - completely divine. For entrees we had the tile fish and the mussels. To complement the meal we ordered sides, which are a la carte, roasted sweet potatoes and beets. The entrees were good but the potatoes had lots of rotten spots (see photo). The service started at a ten but ended somewhere around a two - poor - as the restaurant got busier we then became the least important table in the house. Somewhere around when the entrees were served is when the server totally forgot us. We could not get another piece of bread, more water, a drink or another utensil. In fact we even asked another server for help and they never returned. No one ever questioned us why we did not eat the rotten sweet potatoes or even ask if we wanted another beverage. Once our plates were cleared the server was too busy rushing us out the door so they could turn the table for the next seating. Too bad the meal turned out like it did and we left here feeling like pessimists.
(3)Stephanie C.
if you like spicy get the tuna with fermented chile, seasoned so good. It's a small tasting though. If you love smoke salmon then get the cured salmon toast. One of the best smoked salmon appetizers I have ever had. I don't even eat hush puppies but i devoured the ones at Optimist. (warm, sweet and savoy) I honestly wasn't too impressed with the swordfish. It was a little bland for my taste but the appetizers and the sides stole the show. It is worth going back for sure but I would try a different entree.
(5)Julia H.
This restaurant nails it on food, service and atmosphere! I can't see where anybody would not love this place!
(5)Jeff S.
Was there last night for the second time in two months. It still kills me that I have to pay $2 to have my car valeted. Seems petty. I know this place makes enough money!! Gesh. Just add it to my food costs for goodness sakes!!
(3)Karen L.
ATMOSPHERE: The Optimist is a good seafood restaurant! I love how much open space the restaurant has. It feels like you're sitting in a clean, urban warehouse with fancy lighting and full bars. SERVICE: Our server looked very young but was really impressive! She had a lot of knowledge of each dish and was very articulate. FOOD: The rolls that they bring out are SO soft, fluffy -- they are super buttery and topped with salt. Can't be very healthy, but I couldn't stop eating them. We got mussels as an appetizer, and it was pretty good but not amazing. It had a good coconut broth though. We also got spicy charred Spanish octopus as an appetizer, and it tasted like BBQ wings! Except with chewy octopus. For my main dish, I had the duck fat poached swordfish. It was amazing! It came with chunks of smoked short rib, which were super tender and a great complement with the fish. I also tried some of my friend's crispy whole jack crevalle. It's a whole cooked fish, bones and all -- unfortunately, more bones than meat. I liked my swordfish a lot more. This place is a bit pricey, but I don't think you'll be disappointed. Their menu seems to change daily also -- I'm really sad I couldn't get a lobster roll, which I'd seen pictures of! But I do like that they have so many unique dishes. I wish some of their plates were better, but I was really happy with my swordfish.
(4)Ken R.
Lunch today was incredible. The Chowder fries are insanely delicious. Hushpuppies and lobster roll equally awesome! Cannot wait to return, only regret is have not been before today!
(5)Jenny D.
This is a great place for a special occasion. The service was OUTSTANDING At first the host tried to sit at the table closer to the kitchen, I told the host that I prefer not to be too close to the open kitchen and he moved us back without any problem. Once we were seated we were greeted by server immediately. Food was very good and very fresh. However be prepared to pay a lot for the food. Actually the appetizers were decent price. I'll try to remember how much things cost. I believe the appetizer mussels were about $14, they give you a hearty portion so I thought it was worth it. Other appetizers I believe were reasonable priced. What I think was a rip off was their main dishes. For example I ordered the mahi mahi, all by itself it cost $26. It was simple dressed with a lemon and parsley. That's it. Yes it was good and fresh, cooked to perfection. But really for $26.00 they can't add a vegetable or starch. You have to buy the sides separate, which I realize that's how some of the finer restaurants sell their food. ihat is just a reason not to come restaurant too often, save it for special occasions. If I do go back just as a usual Friday night dinner, I might just order appetizers and couple of cocktails. This way I feel like i'm getting my money's worth. Oh by the way, the sides were about $9. I ordered the basmati fried rice that they claim was voted best fried rice in the US. I was suckered into ordering it, it was good but I wouldn't say it was the Best as they claim. In my opinion it was on the salty side. Our other side was hush puppies - this was delicious and I would order it again.
(4)Tamera B.
I guess after 3 satisfying visits I can write a review now. The Optimist has been great for: - Some of the best fish preparations I've had in this city. Each time I've tried a fish I've never had (or heard of) before. The latest was cornmeal crusted tautog prepared with charred okra and a pepper jelly - excellent! - A leisurely, no-cell phone dining experience with friends and loved ones. And it was good to see most diners did not have phones out but were enjoying the company and food. - The most delicious salty and buttery yeast rolls. I could shamelessly eat a plateful (I haven't) and not share. Get your own. - A well-thought out wine list - One of my favorite things to eat in Atlanta - a clam roll! - Celebrity spotting. At least 2 of the 3 times. Well, let's say 1.5 of the 3. I don't want to count a "Real" Housewife of Atlanta. But I absolutely will count Aaron Paul. Breaking Bad Bread, bitch! I would absolutely count The Optimist as a place I'd take guests, it has been a consistent representation of stellar food in Atlanta. Cheers!
(5)Karen A.
Ok let's get to it. Right off the bat, valet is a flat rate of $2. Pretty good if they hadn't parked our car in mud and tracked mud in the car. Ugh. Walk in & the place is packed!! We didn't have reservations so the lady up front said it would be a 30 minute wait. 5 minutes later, we were seated. I'm convinced people tell you that so you'll leave. Nevertheless we were thrilled to be seated. I had read all of your wonderful reviews of the lobster roll so I was excited to try it. Lo and behold, it wasn't on the menu. Apparently the change the menu everyday. say what?!? Who does that? But whatev. So I'm struggling to to decipher the adjectives used to describe simple fish and chips etc. If it's beer battered fish, just say that. Don't tell me it's "cod infused in room temperature aged ale". I saw pork chops and chicken buried at the bottom of the menu but I didn't want to be all ethnic and ish so I decided to step outside of my box and try the snapper. It comes in a lime sauce and when I tell you the lime was overpowering, it was OVERPOWERING. LAWD! It would have soooo much better without the lime sauce but it definitely was described correctly. I got fried rice as the side. Ok if you have a peanut allergy, steer clear of the fried rice. It is heavy on the peanuts. Not sure why you'd put peanuts in fried rice, but again whatev. They are high on water. A regular soda wasn't even offered. I had to ask for it. Then I noticed the couple sitting next to me had a canned soda in a Koozie. Let that sink in for a second....a Koozie. So I'm assuming they'd rather you buy a cocktail or wine. After being asked more than once, I relented and ordered a lemon drop which wasn't on the menu. This and the dinner rolls were the best things about the visit. Needless to say I probably won't be returning.
(2)Matthew B.
It was the best first date I've ever been on. It helps that the woman I was with is beautiful and the conversation was on point. But the food and the service were both impeccable. Easily the best seafood I've had in Atl. I usually avoid it out there, for the most part. Great oysters. Great fish. I will be back and she'll be with me. #tezzycummings
(5)Aaron C.
The Optimist is a place that the 'delicious, cool, and appropriately priced' designation needs no qualifications. My wife and I had an excellent experience. The staff was fun and playful, but professional and timely. Lunch was a real treat! Next time we're in the area we're going back for dinner.
(5)Emilia L.
Before I talk about the restaurant, I want to give props to the valet guy. By the time I pulled into the lot, it was absolutely packed. Self-parking was no longer available and the valet guy told me that valet parking had just run out, too. Dismayed, but still flashing him a smile, I asked him where the nearest available lot was. He paused, looked at me, and said, "Tell you what. I can find some space for you. You're wearing heels, aren't you." (A statement, not a question. Lol.) I beamed and replied, "Yes I am!" I like to think my charming smile got him to take pity on me. Totally joking, of course. So I thanked him profusely and got out of the car and happily headed into The Optimist. Did I mention the restaurant was packed? Because it was PACKED. I think there was some sort of happy hour going on because there were a bunch of business people wearing name tags milling around the bar area. Even though the majority of the party of six was about 20-30 minutes late for the reservation, we were seated immediately. I decided on two appetizers for my meal. I got the seafood gumbo ($9) and the mussels in green curry ($9). In all honesty, just the gumbo would have been enough. It was such a huge portion. It came with a couple of blue crab claws, HUGE shrimp and pieces of sausage. The baguette it came with had this delicious garlic butter on it. By the time I finished off my gumbo, I was stuffed. But shortly after, my mussels came out, and that was a huge portion, too. They were nice and succulent. The curry was pretty strong tasting but thankfully I had more bread to dip into the broth. I could only manage 5-6 mussels and even shared my dish, but still ended up with leftovers. The entree portions seemed on the smaller side, but I think you are supposed to order side items a la carte to go with them. I can't imagine how packed the restaurant must be on the weekends. I went on a Thursday night. Definitely make reservations, and for non-peak hours if possible, i.e. 6 pm or 9 pm. Definitely worth a try just for the appetizers alone. As people have mentioned in previous reviews, there is a mini golf putting green in the front. But not sure where you would get the clubs or balls.
(4)Molly T.
Just had a terrific time at The Optimist's oyster bar after a long hiatus from the establishment...the oyster shuckers were friendly and attentive, and our server Gary went above and beyond to ensure our experience was top notch. We enjoyed the hamachi dish from the raw menu as well as 5 different varieties of oysters. The cocktails were great, loved the tiki feel of the drinks, and Gary helped me choose a glass of dry rosé with a taste of 2 varietals. Wish we had a server as professional and personable everywhere we went! Be back soon for sure.
(5)Daniel B.
Atlanta chef-owner Ford Fry opened The Optimist, a now very popular local seafood restaurant, in Westside (West Midtown) Spring 2012. Fry also owns nearby JCT Kitchen, King + Duke in Buckhead, and No. 246 in Decatur. JCT and No. 246 are excellent restaurants, among Atlanta's best, so it shouldn't have surprised me when I found The Optimist right up there with them. The Optimist is named after a sailing dinghy. The restaurant is located in an unassuming part of Westside near other hotspots such as Bocado, Le Fat, Bartaco, and Miller Union. Outside, the restaurant has a small lawn with lawn chairs, small table seating, and 3 holes of mini golf. You can grab putters and balls inside from the hostess. The restaurant doesn't look like much from the outside, but the inside is awesome. It's divided into 2 areas: (1) the oyster bar and (2) the dining room. The day's oysters are on display at the oyster bar and you can only eat most of these oysters at the bar. They aren't available in the main dining room. If you eat at the bar, you can watch the oysters being freshly shucked. Also at the bar is a wood-burning oven decorated with octopus tentacles. There's small table seating in the "oyster bar" section of the restaurant, so you can have a quiet meal there if you want. Most of the action happens inside the large dining room. It's a very cool-looking, open, and tall space with a viewable kitchen on one end and a beautiful, lit-up bar on the other. One thing I really like about the layout is there's not a bad seat in the house. Every seat has a good view. Like No. 246, there's a finishing table in front of the kitchen. On a busy day/night, which is pretty much every day, the tables are tucked cozily together. You may be sitting very close, within point-blank earshot, to those dining next to you. The atmosphere is loud (but not too loud) and energetic. The individual restrooms have a playful design with numbered doors, like a game show. Like many of Fry's restaurants, The Optimist's menu is seasonal and constantly changing. Your favorite dish from your last visit might not be available on your next visit, but one constant is certain: seafood. Oysters, shrimp, crab, scallops, mussels, octopus, squid, and all sorts of fish prepared in any number of ways, from raw to cooked. Most of the fish is wood-roasted. Prices are expensive. A single oyster will set you back about $3.00-$3.50. Roughly speaking, appetizers are $8-14, fish entrees $25-30, and desserts $8-10. A multi-course meal with drinks adds up quick. Everything I've tried has been phenomenal. It includes: East coast oysters from Quivett Creek, MA West coast oysters from Sister Point, WA Mussels with green curry broth, bird's eye chili, and herbs Georges Bank Scallops with smoked shortrib and brown butter chicken jus Monkfish with summer corn relish, pancetta, and blistered shishitos Boston cream pie, vanilla ice cream, cocoa nibs The east coast oysters I tried were larger and brinier than the west coast oysters. The smaller west coast oysters were sweeter. Both types were fresh and succulent, melt-in-your-mouth quality. If you really like oysters, order a sampler. The oysters come with fresh horseradish and housemade mignonette, which is cilantro heavy. Almost everything at the restaurant is housemade, except for two types of bread. The dinner rolls are out of this world. They are served buttered and salted. The outside of the rolls is buttery and consistently crispy, while the inside is fluffy soft. To date, best dinner rolls I've had. The mussels are served in a green curry broth, which I believe has coconut milk too. The bird's eye chili (Thai chili) and herbs (basil) give this app an obvious Southeast Asian flair, like Thai coconut soup. The mussels are plump and the broth is delicious on its own. A slice of buttered toast also accompanies this flavorful dish. The scallops are spectacular. Slightly charred and cooked in a sweet, semi-thick brown sauce, the silky smooth scallops pair well with the savory short rib slice. Green and purple muscadines also accompany this dish to add a layer of fruity flavor. Monkfish is sometimes referred to as the poor man's lobster because of the fish meat's lobster-like consistency. It's a white fish that's certainly meaty. The corn relish is refreshing. Two spicy Japanese shishito peppers are served with the fish. A Boston Cream Pie is a cream-filled, chocolate-frosted cake. The Optimist's version includes a scoop of ice cream and cocoa nibs, which are raw, unsweetened chocolate chips. If you're looking for a good cocktail, the Damson in Distress has 4 types of alcohol: plum-infused Lunazul blanco, Damson Gin Liqueur, plum bitters, and Prosecco. It's tangy and doesn't taste strong. This is a great restaurant for special occasions and to take out-of-town guests. Reservations are recommended. Book on OpenTable for free dining points. Valet parking is complimentary.
(5)Thu M.
Oysters were Amazing. The attentiveness of the staff, as well as the ridiculous line and the "stand by the bar and maybe you'll get a seat at the bar to order food that's not on the full menu" ordeal was beyond me. Yes, the food we had was good, but they are not worth standing around like a food hooker beside a bar of happy gluttons who planted themselves on their stools for the long haul. We sat at the oyster bar, where service was slow and spotty. With all the other happy hour places and oysters with no lines, you'd only come here to experience the ambience from a spectators point of view. I really wanted to try the dirty shrimp.
(1)Amy C.
I've been here for a couple dinners with DH, but today I was here for a business lunch and the food was exceptional. I had the lobster cobb salad, which was a real winner. There was a bunch of lump crab meat over a bed of bibb lettuce, nice bacon, hard boiled egg, watermelon radish, regular radish, avocado, blue cheese crumbles and some really nice dijon dressing. Someone else at the table had the fried fish sandwich, which he enjoyed. It came on thick, Texas toast and was severed with really crispy shoestring fries. Another person really enjoyed the cornmeal crusted fish. My only complaint (there has to be one, right?!) is that the chairs are very uncomfortable for a shortie like me. I'm 5'2" and my feet were dangling and it wasn't pleasant. The service was efficient and not intrusive; perfect for a business lunch. The vibe at lunch is so different that at night--much more chill and a great place to "do lunch"!
(5)Sarah F.
We ate at the bar in the main dining room which has a full menu and comfortable, high-backed chairs. The hostess was a little helpless--struggled with menu and seating questions and left it up to us to find seats together at the bar. Very nice oyster selection--options from PEI, New England, NY and even a West coast oyster or two. You order sushi-style, marking per-piece quantities on a checkbox card. Prices were high, but appropriate given geographic location and quality (around $2.50-$4 per oyster). They also have appetizers, soups, entrees and sides if you're not into oysters. I went with 6 oysters and a side of hush puppies. The oysters were very fresh and nicely served. The hush puppies were incredible--savory cornbread with a light dusting of powdered sugar and brown sugar butter for dipping. I wasn't sure about the sweet/savory combo, but now I'm sold. The place is a little hard to find, at least for out-of-towners (although our local Uber driver passed it twice before finding) and parking is valet.
(4)Gigi R.
Fresh divine oysters and fun cocktails. Great place for a date or night out with friends. Must order the lobster rolls.
(4)Han L.
Esquire heralded it as the "Restaurant of the Year" and I have heard many praises about this place from friends. I was so giddy to finally secure a reservation after 2 failed attempts. The restaurant has a miniature golf course and comfortable lounge area outdoor. The mixture of the miniature palm tree, blue details, and linens gave the Optimist a pseudo-rustic-seaside appeal. It provides a nice dichotomy from the city-feel of the surrounding area. The place feels especially lively because you're dining in a wide open space. I appreciate the multiple private bathroom stalls. Let it be known, I came here with 3 other individuals on the day Paul Ryan was in A-town and traffic was more nightmar-ish than uszh. Dang politics! I recommend saving yourself the trouble of trying to find parking in the neighborhood and getting complementary valet. This place is too popping to try to find street parking. Despite being late, we were promptly seated shortly afterwards, albeit an uncomfortably large booth meant to seat twice the amount of people in our group. I have to say, despite it being a very busy Wednesday evening, the employees were on top of things and very conscientious. They checked up on us and apologized for the delay on our orders. We were given four wheat rolls. They were slightly hard and dry. Christine K.jokingly commented on it being an omen, but I was being an Optimist (har har har). We had the following dishes between the 4 of us: Appetizers: 1. East Coast Oysters 2. West Coast Oysters 3. Fried Oysters --- slightly too heavy on the batter. I couldn't enjoy the oysters. I prefer the fried oysters from Serpas. 4. Spicy Glazed Octopus --- was a recommendation. It sounded appealing...crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It did not taste crispy but too charred. Burnt. taste. in my. mouth. The inside was soft though! Which is nice, bc octopus is usually more chewy. Main Course: The various fish selection was pretty cool. I don't often see restaurants serve larger fishes. They had fishes I have never heard of also. The portions were smaller than anticipated. This isn't a complaint, just an observation. Ok, it's kind of a complaint, but whatevs. 1. Monkfish --- The fish was covered in a sea of chunky tomato sauce. 2. Seared Tuna --- Good dish. It was also served with octopus and mustard seeds 3. Tautog --- Supposedly has the consistency and taste of lobster. It's supposedly going to be out of season and off the menu soon. It was a very simple and clean dish. In diplomatic terms, it was very 'neutral." 4. Whole "swimming" Bass --- I shied away from ordering this dish myself because it sounded too similar to an Asian dish. Lo and behold, it tasted very much like a Vietnamese dish...fried fish w fish sauce... ...and for side dishes, we helped ourselves to beignet style Hush Puppies and potatoes. Though we were told it's family style, the portions are more fair for 2 people. The hush puppies were very good. They had bits of corn in them and were served w powdered sugar, hence the "beignet" style. The potatoes were served wedged with creamy sauce. Needless to say, most of us were disappointed in our dishes, which we had to wait quite some time for. Ingredients were either excessive or lacking. I'm going to attribute it to being a busy night. We were good sports about it, but our sweet server and manager must have gotten a clue. The manager offered a complementary dish for us, but Isaac S. insisted it wasn't a bother. Nonetheless, we were offered complementary desserts, to which I ( and Christine K.) happily obliged! Desserts (ding ding ding! WINNER): 1. Apple Strudel ---- kinda, sorta made up for some of the bland entrees. This is a very good dish. You can taste the cheese. It's served warm with a scoop of ice cream. 2. Pudding w Bananas Foster and Coconut Tuile---Also very good. Pudding comes w a round waffer. The highlight of the evening for our group was the complementary desserts. I really do appreciate the workers for their efforts in trying to make our dining experience better. At least the evening ended well.
(3)David Y.
Perhaps we hit it on an off night. First, we waited about thirty minutes past our reservation to be seated (note: this was on a Wednesday night, so it is not as if it was a packed Friday or Saturday). That was not much of an issue as we enjoyed the bar area. However, when they did seat us, they put us (5 people) at a table for 4 giving the 5th person a seat that was shorter than everyone else. Mind you, we had a reservation for 5 for a couple of weeks. Plus the table was as close to the kitchen and wait area as possible. They did move us to an appropriate table after complaining. All was well up until the food began arriving. The apps were great, but there was probably 20 plus minutes between finishing the apps and being served the entrees. When they began serving the entrees, the dishes arrived to our party over the course of about 5 minutes ... very poor timing. Additionally, shortly after finishing our apps, we ordered another bottle of wine. That did not arrive until midway through our entrees. To top it all off, my dish (monkfish entree) was warm at best. Obviously, the kitchen got incredibly backed up, but the poor part of it all was the lack of acknowledgement about it. Just a bad showing all around.
(2)Anneshia J.
Gave two because the oysters were absolutely delicious and the ambiance was beautiful. The restaurant reminded me of being home in San Franciso, however our server was uninterested in us and when he visited our table he rushed us and only came back when it was time to pay. We asked for recommendations on cocktails, but the drink was not good. I think it was some type of cognac and peach. I can't remember the exact fish item I ordered, but it was crusted and had some type of pickled lime okra with it that was delicious. The only downside to the entree was the plating; it was less than horrible and very sloppy. I went Thursday and it wasn't terribly hot but the restaurant was extremely cold and the table next to me was mentioning it as well, but no adjustments were made. The valet staff was really nice as well and we were asked if we enjoyed our visit. I will definitely be back, but only to the Oyster bar.
(2)Jennifer P.
I love this restaurant. Great service and delicious seafood. I order oysters everywhere I go but so far this is the place that has good and fresh oysters in Atlanta. Not to mention, their grilled octopus is pretty yummy too.
(4)Mychael W.
My team at work had a company dinner here a couple of weeks ago and I've got nothing but good things to say about it. I had heard of the Optimist and always wanted to try it, and I'm so glad this is where the boss decided to go! Everything from the decor, the service, to the food was amazing. Here's the rundown on a 1-5 scale: pre-dinner rolls - 5 Appetizer - Maine Mussels - 3.5 Entree - Duck Fat Poached Swordfish - 5 Side dish - Corn Milk Hushpuppies - 4 Side dish - Spanish Roasted Fingerling Potatoes - 4 Dessert - Peppermint Push Pop - 4.5 The pricing isn't terrible either. My meal came up to $44 before tax and tip, which is pretty good for the quality and the amount of food you receive. I highly recommend the Optimist for any special occasion, date night, or corporate event. I know I'll be taking the wife soon!
(5)Ashley O.
This is, by FAR, mine and my husbands favorite restaurant in Atlanta! We have probably made the 35 minute commute to eat at here at least four times in the past six months. Every time we've visited my husband has ordered the shrimp a la plancha and licks every ounce of the sauce off of his fingers and I have always gotten the amazing beignet style hush puppies (O.M.G). Wehave never eaten a bad or even "average" meal here! Drinks from the bar are always made to perfection, and my husband loves the complementary coozies that come with the bottled beers. I love the warehouse style atmosphere and the fact that you never feel too dressed up, or to dress down, no matter what you're wearing!
(5)M N.
This place is seriously spectacular. Ford Fry does great food in atlanta and the optimist might just be one of my favorites. We went on a Saturday night and were seated promptly. Service to the table was very good. Knowledgable about the menu, helpful with pairing sides (the mushrooms were perfect with the scallops). The wine list isn't huge but you can tell each has been carefully thought out and has a reason for being on the menu. The shrimp a la plancha appetizer is a lot of hands on work and can get messy, but it is amazing. Also, the oysters were shucked very well and the accompaniments really made the oysters pop. Can't wait to pay this place a visit again.
(5)Carolina M.
Finally. I've been hearing about this place for years and it's nearly perfect. Cool nautical, beachy theme for some of the freshest seafood. Here's what I had: Various oysters: We picked a few from this list. Some of the favorites we had were the Katana Bay and Komo Gway. I think the choices change from time to time, but these were both delicious. I really enjoyed the homemade saltine crackers that I'm going to try making some myself at home. Uni: This was listed under the "Opportunity" category on the menu. This was a little unexpected because the uni appears to be mixed with some other ingredients and is served on a top of a fine potato chip that closely resembles a Lay's potato chip. The taste was pretty amazing because the uni is creamy. 3 of these for $9 makes you feel like this is some super fancy Superbowl party snack. While this was a unique twist with uni, I think I'm still a purist at loving uni on its own at a Japanese restaurant. Grilled octopus: Served with a miso yogurt sauce and some pickled bokchoy, there are tons of flavors to this, but it was overpoweringly salty. I suspect that the octopus was given a little more salt in addition to the old bay seasoning that was already put on it. I had a hard time eating this because of the salt but the texture of the octopus was perfect. It's not the best octopus I've had but I'm thinking it might have been just an off day for this dish to be SO salty. I would try ordering this again. Monkfish: I had this as my entree and it was served in a broth with mussels and squid. I really liked this. What really drew me into it was the additional seafood. Mussels were cooked til they're soft and creamy and the squid shape was almost in fine chewy noodles. The monkfish was cooked just right. If you've never had monkfish before, it's often been referred to as "the poor man's lobster" and it's exactly that: a soft, chewy texture. Shishito peppers: Life changing. I loved this side and it was generous as a side portion. They are surprisingly sweet brought out from a slight acidity added to the peppers. I know these peppers as "Korean peppers" where sometimes you get a surprise pepper where it's spicy. Delicious. I would definitely order this again. Basmati fried rice: There are some pieces of fish in here which make it a bit salty and there's some smokiness to the overall flavor. Not a bad side to get if you want something a little more filling. Key Lime Trifle: This was a cute little dessert with very intense key lime to it. Honestly, it's a bit too small/shallow of a dish to see the layers to it, but the flavor is all there. Key lime pie taste in the form of a little trifle. I would love to come back. $2 valet + tip, but worth it. The service is great and maybe it's just me with the attire here, but I thought people were dressed a little too fancy for how casual The Optimist's scene seems to be. Small putting green is a nice touch too while you wait, but I'd definitely recommend making a reservation in advance.
(5)William T.
Food was simple but delicious. We had octopus and oysters for appetizer. The octopus is tender and well flavored. The oysters also had a great flavor. I had a simple olive oil covered fish. It was tender and perfectly cooked. A must try is the cornbread. More like a dessert. It was quite delicious. As a good comparison for three of us with a few round of drinks it was about 220.
(4)Rhett D.
Speechless...the best Atlanta Seafood Restaurant I have ever been to. The oysters are so fresh and the ambiance is perfect. My fish was perfectly cooked and the pre-dinner rolls are quite delicious. Whatever sides you order make sure one of them is the hushpuppies served "beignet style" with cane syrup butter- INCREDIBLE!!! I am definitely coming back to this restaurant!
(5)Jerald G.
Loved it. Been waiting for a great seafood place. Wait staff very friendly, awesome hip feeling layout. Food wise - hush puppies were great, red snapper dish very good, fried oysters okay, raw oysters were great, Spanish octopus was very good. Cocktails - king Rey very good. My waiter was awesome and also got some help from Jerome as well -- very informative and helpful. We will be back!
(5)Tonja F.
I have to start by saying I was very excited about trying this place as it had been highly recommended by friends. I didn't ask them what was so great about it, but was assured that I would love it. I did not. I did like it though, but not enough to go back anytime soon. The restaurant was very nice - spacious and bright with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. The decor was modern and minimalistic. It was lively - there was a singing guitar player outside (who sounded quite nice by the way) and there was music playing indoors. We sat at a table but there is also a bar for drinks and oysters. Our waiter (Topher) was awesome. He answered all of our questions, made suggestions and was very attentive. We ordered drinks, appetizers, entrees and one dessert to share. Each course was brought out in perfect time. Everything so far certainly deserves 5 stars for ambiance and customer service. The overpriced average food is another story. The mussels were extremely fresh - probably the most tender I've ever eaten, however the flavor was just "good". I was hoping for OMG! The raw oysters were good and fresh, but the condiments they were served with weren't our favorite and kind of disappointed. We're big oyster eaters and have tried them at restaurants all over Atlanta , Florida, New York and Mexico. I guess we could have asked for something else (no, not cocktail sauce) but we didn't think about it at the time. Not a big downer, but just wish it could have been better (for the price). Our entrees (Halibut and Monkfish) were small, but tasty and beautifully plated. (sorry, so excited to try the food I forgot to take pics). For the price though they really should come with a side dish - throw a few asparagus spears or slap a scoop of rice on the plate or something - DAMN! The Chocolate Tart with Toasted Coconut and Roasted Marshmellow was pretty but the texture wasn't consistent. The chocolate pie portion was cold and hard to scoop with your spoon which didn't mesh well with the warm marshmallow on top. I would've enjoyed it much more if the entire thing was warm and smooth. I flopped off my plate when I tried to get a scoop! Not good dude. On the up side was my cocktail - the Scurvy Scoundrel - it was incredibllllllle!! (I had two). I would say this is definitely a place to check out if you like seafood and enjoy spending more money than should be required to eat it. I don't have a problem spending money on good food - but when we think about other places we've eaten we can't help but compare. Would I go back, probably if someone asked me to join them, but it's not on my personal list of things to do.
(3)Margaret K.
I went to the optimist on 3/11/15. I sat at the bar while I waited for my date to arrive. It was busy for a Wednesday night, IMO. The bartender that greeted me was all smiles and offered me a taste of two wines I was deciding between. The bartender next to him was Mr. Frowny Grumpypants. He actually entertained me all night - my date and I would watch him to see if he ever smiled. He did. Once. We were seated quickly. We ordered the octopus and the opportunity:tuna, jerusalem artichoke, black olive, chervil / 10. Both were PHENOMENAL. Really really excellent. Worth the price, although the octopus was a more substantial dish. I ordered the blackened grouper and it was easily one of the best fish dishes I've ever had. The sides we ordered were the hush puppies (SO GOOD) and the collards, which were dubiously looked on by my date but once he tried them he was very happy with my choice of vegetable. For dessert, we ordered the caramel ice cream and the "BOCA NEGRA" CHOCOLATE TART, peanut cookie, salted ganache, cream... which, without the caramel ice cream, would have left much to be desired. Overall, a fantastic dinner.
(5)Andrew M.
Yes, this place IS awesome. I only came here for a few drinks and some appetizers, but everything was wonderful. The decor is beautiful and rich without being too pretentious. I especially love the big, tall, gorgeous bar with its backlit shelves. And speaking of the bar, Chris is an outstanding bartender. He has a short list of craft cocktails on the menu, but he can construct the drink of your dreams if you mention a couple flavors you like. Along with 5 Seasons and the Miller Union, it's nice to see the Westside taking place in "cocktail renaissance". The Optimist seems to ALWAYS be busy. It's madness. They put down 250-400 covers a night, 7 nights a week. I have a lot of friends that like to hang out at the cold bar, where you can get oysters and the such. The menu at the side bar is different and exclusive, vice versa with that of the main dining room/main bar. I've heard that you're supposed to be able to order off of the main bars cocktail menu if you're at the side bar.... kinda weird. Anywho, the food is all really good, too. We tried some fried green beans and a dozen oysters on the half shell. They came with some fresh horseradish, butter, garlicky stuff, and something spicy, too. I don't remember all of the details, I was quite inebriated. But, everything was delicious; I do remember that. You should go here either to hang out and drink cocktails and just nosh a bit, or make reservations and have a really nice meal. It's pretty loud and busy in here, so bring a loud group of friends with you. You could make it romantic, I suppose, but I feel like this place more a celebration of food and beverage than one of love. Enjoy.
(5)Judith K.
My friend and I debated for a while whether we'd just cook at home or go out to eat. We decided (after a lot of time passing) that we'd go ahead and try this place out and didn't regret doing so. I liked the design of the restaurant - the place has an open kitchen and there's enough space to feel like you're not crunched together to the people next to you. They had just started the cocktail menu the day we went. I tried the Fog Cutter, which was good. The waitress recommended the Alpine Shandy, which I want to try next time I go. If you go here, you have to try the spicy spanish octopus. It was so tender and didn't taste seafood-y at all. It's something that I had never tasted in my life and can't really compare it to anything either. The corn mil hushpuppies came second - they were crispy and moist in the center and didn't have too much bread on the inside.
(4)Nadia H.
Optimist is a great lunch destination. Even though, it is still a bit too busy from time to time, and you don't get the full attention from your servers, the quality of the food makes up for service. The grouper sandwich and mussels are to die for.
(4)Jeremy R.
Beverage program leaves A LOT to be desired but the food is top notch and I love that it's in my neighborhood!
(4)Chan V.
The place is well decorated. I came here on a Sunday night. It's hard to say if I like this place or not because nothing on the menu really stood out for me. It's the typical seafood that other restaurants also serve. They had way too many fish on the menu at the time. Maybe if you had one, you've had them all. Sorry guys. Maybe I will come back for a second chance.
(2)Amy H.
I think I had high hopes when it came to this place on HOW AMAZING the food was! Now I will say the charred spanish octopus was seriously to DIE FOR! I mean it was SO FREAKING good I wish I ordered two! The cocktails were amazing as was their wine selection. I was told their little gem salad was grilled and so I never say no to grilled romaine and it came out and it was not. Very overdressed I felt like I was eating a salad at Outback. The clam roll was OK, the peppers gave it a nice kick but it was way too buttery. The Lobster Roll was good!! I was a fan of that! The Halibut was a nice piece of fish but the sides that came with it were not. I expected a tad more. I will def go again and order some different items to give it another shot, but I think Atlanta Fish Market has a better selection of fish.
(3)Heidi P.
Hey guess what, this is a FISH CAMP, whatever that means, and OYSTER BAR. I totally had no idea until I showed up and looked at the menu. Whoops. I'm not 100% sure how to do this...because while it's apparently not my normal thang (total seafood, well they had a burger) it's a really cool place with some awesome dishes, great service, a pretty atmosphere, etc. I really like the look of the place - it's huge, and feels very beachy. The bathrooms look like a beach locker room and they're frickin adorable. Do note that some are labeled men and some women. I went in the men's bathroom by accident (a single thankfully) because I was too busy looking at the decor details: big numbers on the doors, cool keys as it you were picking a locker room, etc. The service was great, too. I ordered fish and chips. The chips were actually hand torn potatoes. I really enjoyed the meal which came with a yummy tarter-like sauce. But I'm not used to eating fried fish in large quantities, so I couldn't finish. I think I'm more of a dinner-fish person rather than a lunch-fish person. I hope that is not unreasonable. I would definitely go back to try dinner but less likely to go out of my way to get there for lunch, because after I was done, I was feeling a little meh. I am normally a fish enjoyer, but maybe the fried-ness disagreed with me a little. It is definitely a quality place in all aspects, though, so I recommend checking it out!
(4)Diana W.
Came here with a few clients. I'm gluten free and dairy free. I was surprised to see that they had some GF red snapper on the menu. They were happy to make it dairy free. Not too many options after that but the ambiance is amazing and it smells wonderful. I definitely recommend.
(5)Kelly W.
I don't know where the previous yelper dines in Chicago, but definitely NOT the right places! I just moved back to Atlanta from Chicago and The Optimist doesn't come close to comparing to similarly-priced restaurants in Chicago. The kale salad was good, as was the octopus; however, our main dishes were tiny and didn't have much flavor. I've never sent back a dish in my entire life, but we had to send the sickly-tasting mussels back. This would be a five-star rating if our main dishes were under $20; however, $200 for two people is not worth it here. The design of the restaurant is great, but the valet is also poor. We waited for nearly 40 minutes in a line of 15 deep to get our car after this highly mediocre meal.
(3)Kay M.
Love the atmosphere! Creative cocktails, food is amazing. Wonderful service. One of my favorite places. The one down side is the valet parking, with the construction that is going on in the lot next door. Kind of makes the entrance to the valet congested. However, that has not stopped my frequent visits.
(5)Catherine N.
I went here for lunch with my boyfriend to try it out and I completely fell in love with the Optimist. First off though, we had a bit of trouble figuring which door was the main entrance, but once we just picked a door, we saw the hostess table and made our way towards it. Also, just outside of the restaurant, they have miniature golf , and you can get your putters inside. (even though there aren't many holes, the idea is pretty quirky and cool) Once I stepped inside, the atmosphere was really what sold me. It was chic but cozy. Our waitress was awesome, service was awesome, and food did not disappoint whatsoever! We decided to both get housemade lemonades, and even the presentation of them were chic! Sugar rimmed and all. For a starter, we ordered a dozen of oysters to split, and both ordered the lobster roll each with a side order or hush puppies to split. One tiny disappointment I had were the oysters coming after our entree, but that also might be because we didn't specify that we wanted to start off with them? But they still took a good bit to get to our table...(but it was understandable that it does take a while to shuck) Other than that, the food was REALLY good. The lobster roll was pretty simple, which is how a lobster roll should be. But the shoe string fries are ADDICTING. they're so crispy and good. And the hushpuppies are dusted with powdered sugar to be in a "beignet" style. Some may say the price is a bit much, but for the quality you get and keeping in mind that this is a seafood & oyster place...a pricer menu should be expected. This is a great place for lunch, a date, or even a night out with friends. (they have an awesome bar AND oyster bar) I'm excited to come back and try more things on the menu. The Optimist has made me a for sure frequent returning customer!
(4)Tom P.
I'm torn. I know this is a very popular restaurant, and their food WAS very good. We had a large meal with multiple courses, and I had sort of mixed emotions regarding various aspects of the meal. The restaurant: Cramped. Too many people seated in too little space. Waiters reaching over my head the entire meal showing me their armpits. Staff could have been a little more professional. That being said, I liked the vibe of the restaurant and they had some unique little keychains that patrons were free to take as souvenirs. The food: Mixed bag. Had some grilled shrimp that were still in their impossible-to-remove shells.. Undercooked, maybe? A skirt steak was tasty, but too rare for most of our party. Collared greens were forgettable. The hush puppies were AMAZING and by far the best dish. Trout was good. Crab bisque was tasty. We came with a group and we were fed "family-style," which was a big dealbreaker for me, as the amount of food at no point in time equalled the number of people in our party, and people left upset that they literally didn't even get to try certain dishes due to the serving sizes. Drinks were good. It was an okay experience, but I was a little let down, and had indigestion all evening. I don't think I'd return unless it was with a very intimate group.
(3)Diedre R.
A $230 dinner tab with tip and four hours later I'm just about to pass out in bed to write this review. I went with the intent of attending what was being promoted as a patio party with an $18 crawfish boil. But upon arriving, realized that although its spring on the calender, the weather hasn't gotten the memo yet. So I asked to be sat inside. Maybe the hostess didn't realize that we were wanted to participate in the patio party, but she never mentioned to be by being sat in the dining room I would not be able to order from special pricing menu that was being offered for those that were attending the patio event. I asked Kia, our server for a Pimm Cup, which was being promoted on the restaurant Facebook page as one of the drinks for the patio party and she had no idea what I was talking about. She did explain that the dining room area was not a part of the patio event, and I would not be able to get the crawfish or pimm cup if I choose to continue sitting in the dining room. I inquired what other foods were available and she showed up with a menu for the patio party. After viewing it we, decided to stay in the dining room, but I did request something from the party menu called Hunch Punch, she came back about 3 minutes later with 2 Pimm Cups and stated they were out of the Hunch Punch, and that she would only be able to give me the two Pimm Cups because those drinks were not being offered in the dining room, but since I had asked three times for that drink in particular, she wanted me to have them. We began ordering from the menu, that I was told is changed daily, we started out with a dozen oysters *very small but the mignonette was great , 2 orders of the eat and peel shrimp and an order of fried oysters with a type of beef confit. I could have eaten these three things and been a happy girl, but since this was our first time here, we ordered entrees also. My mother, went with the pork chops, these were tender, but didn't have much flavor in my opinion. Who knows, maybe I'm just use to deep fried or grilled pork chops, but the wood hearth roasted pork chops were not infused with flavor, but my mother enjoyed them and if you've read my previous posts, you know she can be hard to please and swear that everything taste too salty. She also got a side order of beets. Which I have never like, but these beets. I would eat them. Something about the pistachos gave it a better flavor than when I've tried them in the past. My daughter went with the Vermillion Snapper. Kia, made sure to tell her that it was only the fish and she didn't want us to be surprised when she came back with the plate and it was only the fish, so she ordered the fingerling potatoes. Personally for $25, I thought it would have been an entire fish, but it was a 6oz filet. She ate every bit of it. I order the fish and chips, which came with crispy potatoes and an aioli. The piece of cod was tasty and three times the size of my daughters fish and $4 cheaper. The potatoes were average at best. I also order some hushpuppies and were shock when they arrived with powdered sugar on top. I didn't pay attention on the menu that the were offered "beignet style". It didn't help them taste any better, but gave them a sweet taste, which didn't interact very well with the malt vinegar I had poured over my fish. Overall, the environment is friendly and service is laid back and friendly. I'd go back again just for the oysters and the peel and eat shrimp.
(3)Craig S.
What is left to say about how amazing The Optimist is? I recommend this to anyone in Atlanta - love Seafood? This is your spot. Love a fun bar? Check. Want good food, while also nice but not stuffy? Make a reservation ASAP. They keep the menu changing, and I've yet to have anything bad. Much like St. Cecilia, I think the side dishes are some of the best things on the menu. Don't skip on the sides!
(5)Natalie J.
The food at The Optimist is excellent! I had the fried rice and Georgia shrimp tapa plates. Both options were very good and the shrimp were HUGE. This restaurant is also pet friendly; however, if you bring your pet you have to sit outside and the menu is limited to the oyster bar menu (I.e. Tapas). Customer service was ok, nothing special. I would definitely come back without my pet to just try the full menu.
(4)Sam T.
Yes the hype is true and the drive is worth it. Such fresh seafood, incredibly innovative and creative menu. I really enjoy the gumbo or she crab soup as starters. The mussels were pretty good but not the best I've had. The rainbow trout pouched in duck tasted 100% like duck and it was a delicious dish. By far the number one moment of the night -order a side of their hush puppies prepared "beignet style" this is a signature dish. There is no reason to come here without ordering the hush puppies (tip: get two if you have a group bc they will get stolen). Dessert: order the apple upside down with cinnamon ice cream FYI they got 4 and not 5 because they nc flounder was too salty mussels were eh and salad was eh. But the service was perfect very nice waiter and efficient customer service overall.
(4)Gianina M.
This is a review for the shrimp toast...very expensive, low quality, no shrimp anywhere in it or on it, it's very salty. It is $3.00 for a half of piece of bread. Service was professional and fast. But the shrimp toast was horrible.
(1)Michelle N.
Was in town for AmericasMart Atlanta, and our group wanted seafood. A friend of one of my coworkers had recommended this restaurant to us. Boy, was I impressed! We started off with the mussels, octopus, oysters and fried clams as appetizers. We loved the oysters so much that we ordered more of them right before dinner. If you like a great white mussel broth, then I highly recommend them. We asked for more bread too just to dip in the sauce when all the mussels we're gone. The octopus had a bid of a kick to it - but again, amazing! Everything was great. For dinner I had the triggerfish. It was perfect. Again, everything was amazing - including the service. For dessert, we had the salted caramel ice cream. A bit salty at times, but incredible. Overall, if I am in Atlanta again, I will definitely stop here. Amazing seafood, ambiance, and well, everything! We even talked about going back during our current trip to go to the raw bar.
(5)Carrie Neal W.
After three years, I made a return visit. Lots to say- from the errors in my first review (ie, unless the fish and chips really was haddock then, though it's cod now...) - to taking my parents for a visit I thought they'd love, to trying different menu items and more. First, I am kinda sorta between a 3.5* and a 4+* - so the subjective CN algorithm settles on a 4.* This could be a mini-novel, so know you were warned. The service was great- Adam has a good personality, and while he was a bit long-winded, he did a great job with details and such (he stopped juuust short of describing everything on the menu and saying "it's all good,") and his presence was consistent but not intrusive. A perfect approach since I think it was obvious the three of us were focused on each other and having great conversation. The food was kind of up and around. They still have those delicious rolls - yay! I liked the yellow tail starter (the pineapple mixed with the fish was great), and we loved Dad's fried oysters. I have always been wary of any kind of oysters, raw or fried- but loved the kind of parmesan/sesame (?) crust and the wonderful sauce. I would definitely get these again. Dad's entree choice was also a winner - the trout was deliciously tender and well-flavored. I only got a small bite (he'd have given me more but it would have been selfish to ask) and I would definitely get this next time. The ice cream cookie sandwich was delicious as our dessert- we all enjoyed the peanut butter ice cream/oatmeal cookie package (I think I got that combo right- we did have a lot of food...) was perfect with the not-cloying pb ice cream and the soft-ish cookies... Mom got the fish and chips people highly love (and my friends tried last time). Mixed reviews here. If I recall correctly, a few years ago the "chips" were fries not potato wedges; the current po-tah-to version is decent, not that mushy-center-kind, but ... not as good as frites. The cod was lightly battered and ok-flavored, and still a very generous portion. I did like their version of a tartar sauce with a twist. Overall - impressive because it is a large dish but probably something I would just try once. I did not enjoy my grouper. I decided to go with it vs the hangar steak (I'd been in the mood for that, but thought I'd keep in the seafood theme since I had steak last time), and thought it would be a tender, simple entree with the lemon, olive oil and rosemary (?). The flavor just wasn't quite enough but more noticeably, it was just too tough. My parents love hush puppies and thought these were ok, yet surprisingly sweet; my Mom is no rube but she did remark "wonder if these are meant more as a dessert..." I love mushrooms but there was just something uninspired by these. Not tough, not soft, not well seasoned (Adam explained that each type is cooked separately, bc different types need different cook times...I didn't know this so, hmm...), overall just ok; I'd try the asparagus next time. And, to wrap up the not-so-great part, this is a place that does not have s&p shakers on the table. In general, I dislike this. I know chefs season dishes as they design best; I also know that palates differ. It is correct in my Southern debutante country club world to taste your food before adding more seasoning, esp s&p, but it is just plain ugly for a request for such to be met with a harrumph-y look. Just sayin'. I do enjoy all of Mr Fry's restaurant and am glad we went for a (kinda important - my daddy just turned 70, y'all) family dinner. As I said, food was up and down, and I was leaning toward a three, and kind of wondered if the newer concepts like K+D and more recently St Cecilia were a distraction... But. While I very much dislike being charged for mandatory valet, I understand that parking is a challenge with the lot situation. However, it's not cool for a valet to have a pen or something in his back pocket and leave a streak across your very light grey leather seat. Here's where the 4+* comes in: my mom was talking with the valet - in her Southern (and unnecessarily apologetic) way- while he tried (unsuccessfully) to rub the stain out. I slipped out the backseat to get a manager. I calmly asked and got him (amazing what being polite and direct will get you) and explained. He came out and talked with us and simply said that what happened wasn't ok; he was glad we came to him and would both make a report for the restaurant's records and for the valet company's use - and asked my mother to please take it to a detailer of her choice and they would cover the expense (he meant it because he asked for our information to make sure all was covered). I didn't even have to mention I was a Yelper (and therefore would be elite-y and promptly write a review). Handled with class. Final answer for $1000, Alex? Solid. Glad to live down the street. Will definitely have a boy take me for a nice dinner - and have some of those dishes I enjoyed....and give some others a shot.
(4)Elise P.
We made a reservation at The Optimist for 4 at 12:15 in the afternoon. When we arrived to the restaurant there was a bit of a backlog in the reception area; however, we were seated within 5 minutes of our reservation. The server was very attentive. He made sure to keep our water glasses filled and our table neat and clean. The atmosphere was on of my favorite parts. They had very tall ceilings decorated with lights. They did a very good job making it a fun sophisticated place. We ordered an appetizer of the Calamari. Much to some of my fellow diners dismay, it was grilled calamari and note fried. However, i thought it was excellent. I very much enjoyed it. We got a variety of entrees at the table from a burger and fries to salads and even fish dishes. All the meals were presented very well, and everyone seemed to enjoy their meal. As long as you are a fan of seafood, I would recommend this place.
(4)Jeremy M.
For my money, I'd go here over Canoe every time. More creative menu. Nice oysters. Fun crowd, and a gospel mission across the street (but don't worry your Range Rover will be safe in valet) It's not cheap, but few things worth having stay cheap for long...
(5)Troy S.
Winner, winner, Swordfish dinner!! The Optimist gets the award for the best fish I have ever eaten and that is not an easy award to get from me...I eat a ton of fish and have become somewhat of a pesce connoisseur dining on the Chesapeake Bay my whole life. The swordfish is poached with duck fat (BAM, BAM!!) and paired with grilled peaches, basil, and a plummy tomato sauce...this is a total zinger and you will love it--nom, nom, crispy duck skin! Oh, and you will have to pick out a couple of side dishes to share with someone. No matter what fish you order, you need to get the basmati fried rice to go with it...the ginger and saffron undertones will tantalize you and you will feel the need to shovel down every last bite. Also totally love the heirloom tomatoes. Make sure you have a reservation or you will only find a seat at the bar. Decent wine selection which includes a lovely Viognier to go with your swordfish. Excellent staff and total eye candy everywhere. Next time, I really have to get the east vs west raw oysters and the crispy whole blackfish...I totally dig the "whole fish" experience.
(5)Diana T.
I came here for lunch for my birthday. My expectations were too high for this place. We ordered the infamous corn milk hushpuppies "beignet style" with cane syrup butter. It was ridiculously salty but great presentation. I also ordered the maine lobster roll. It was weird to consume lobster that was cold. It had no flavor. I was not impressed at all! My bf ordered the fish & chips. This was different from the other fish & chips I have consumed, but overwhelming. This entire meal did not impress me. & in the end, the waiter did not sing me happy birthday or give a free dessert. I might go back and try this place for dinner but overall my entrees and sides did not impress my taste buds.
(3)Tom E.
In the food scene in Atlanta, it seems like there are 3 things that are always in question- who has the best BBQ, burgers, or lobster rolls. In this latest installment, I was on the hunt for a lobster roll. On my latest trip to West Midtown, I went to go across the street to personally try to rectify a reservation I had later that night, and I needed something to make me feel better. So what better place than to try The Optimist? I had heard about it in a great article in Atlanta Magazine ( atlantamagazine.com/rest… )- sorry not all pics posted that were originally in the article. I also heard about it from praises from our Empress, and I know we share the same tastes- so I knew this would be a decent lunch. Parking is easy, with a large (FREE) lot, so that was a huge plus (parking can SUCK in this area). There is also a putting green out front as well, but I didn't come to play- I came to eat (and drink). When I walked in (looking like a complete bum, as I just got off work and I had a black dirt mark on my forehead), I asked if I could sit at the bar (of course), and they told me to go to the next (bigger) room, as there are 2 rooms/2 bars. Staring at 3 panels of liquor, I was greeted almost instantly (as I was the loner at the bar, but in my defense, it was 2PM, they close at 230 for lunch). I started off with a makers/ginger ale (at least I think I did), as I looked at the menu. The drinks looked interesting, and I got 2 or 3 of them. However, there is a drink called Swedish Fish, and let me fore warn you- it does NOT taste like the candy. If you think so, you need to get your palette back on track. The menu was somewhat pricey for lunch, but I ended up getting a cup of seafood gumbo and a lobster roll. About the gumbo- one of the more interesting styles I have seen for a gumbo, the roux was spot on, with its deep color and wasn't burnt. However, there was a sweetness to it I wasn't very fond of. There was also 2 claws in the gumbo, that were ready to have the meat sucked off them. It also came with garlic bread wrapped in twine. Before I go on about the $17 lobster roll, let me remind you how much I hate raw vegetables and plain mayo- lets just say I would rather ingest glass than eat that stuff again. With that being said, the roll came with mayo and celery. The meat on the lobster was some of the higher quality meat I have seen- it was cold and solid, not flaky by any means. The bread it was on was toasted and buttered, and added to it. It terms of the meat, that was some of the best lobster meat I have had. However, the fries it came with to me, I was not a fan of- it reminded me of those potato strings (which I do love) you get at the grocery. They were messy, and tough to use with a fork. On top of a few drinks, I was making a mess (thank god I wasn't on a date). Since I was on a roll, I was offered dessert. I knew the place was going to be closing soon, so I was shocked she offered. I ended up getting an apple buckle- pretty much an apple dessert with ice cream and a cheese strudel. That was actually my favorite part of the meal- I almost got another one. Although the place closed at 2:30, the bartender let me keep ordering drinks, which was nice, but I tried to not wear out my welcome. For soup, entree, dessert, and a few drinks, lunch came to $66 before tip, I thought I was in Disney again with those prices, but I thought for the most part, it was worth it. Unfortunately later on in the day, I got extremely dizzy for some reason, and it kind of killed my mood- not sure if it was from the gumbo, the roll, or that Swedish Fish. I can see why Esquire thought highly of this place ( blogs.ajc.com/food-and-m… ), and I would like to go back and see what else they have to offer. Maybe I was getting withdrawls from dessert?!?
(4)Cecil W.
I was excited to try The Optimist for my wife's birthday and the review is a mix bag. The staff were nice and they wished my wife happy birthday. The table received was horrible! It was a booth at the front of the restaurant so every time the door opens you feel like you are outside. The specialty cocktails were ok, I ordered the Hunger Walk and the Bourbon drink with bitters. All of the food we ordered was great! However, the timing between the appetizers and main course was very slow. The She Crab soup was great, no crab meat in eat like Neiman Marcus cafe, but the flavor was better. The shrimp bread with the soup was outstanding. The gumbo was spicy and tasty. The Blackened Mahi was spicy, but excellent. Didn't order desert to give a review. I might give the Optimist one more try because the food was super.
(3)Nhuy W.
Atlanta has too many great restaurants and this place is definitely one of them. I loved it so much the first time that I made my friends go back so I could have dinner here again. The trout was so flavorful and the the hush puppies are a must!
(5)Jeff W.
Went here the other night. Food wasn't as good as before. Our server was like a robot, didn't offer his name and it was hard to get his attention on a few occasions. The frothy She Crab Soup didn't have the burst of flavor as it did on my first visit and the octopus was too soft in texture. We ordered wine with our meal in hopes of only having one glass and be on our way as we had another engagement to attend. We were late to it. Our main dish took over 30 minutes to arrive. While engaged in conversation, our very small pour of wine was long gone by the time our food arrived. Around the 25 minute mark the server brought over hush puppies and then told us this was in apology for our long wait. We don't eat hush puppies, a fresh glass of wine would have been more appropriate, or at least an ask vs throwing us a bone. It then took another 10 minutes before we got our food. I had pumped this place up to my date as being a great restaurant, was very disappointed in the experience this time. Guess they've settled in.
(2)D M.
Very good experience with a business dinner. Servers were attentive and friendly. Great wine selection, awesome appetizers (fried oysters, little gem lettuce, and seafood gumbo highly recommended). Georges Bank scallops were perfectly cooked as was the grouper. Definitely recommended.
(5)Lester D.
All seafood--all good. Great hush puppies--with powdered sugar. Octopus and tuna crudités were very good. Swordfish a little dry-- pork belly saved it. Could use more sauce. Very attentive and polite staff. Will go back.
(4)Swati K.
The starter fried oysters were not to our liking ( may be we are not oysters fans!). My lobster roll was just fab, and so was the side hush puppies( please don't leave this place without having them melt in your mouth!). Friendly people, good atmosphere, small quantities, good food! Our dinner started alright but ended well
(4)Maria S.
Dinner at The Optimist is quite a treat, especially if you're lucky enough to land Keesha as your server for the evening. Overall, the service was excellent, from the moment I walked in the door until I retrieved my car from the valet. This staff knows customer service! I arrived early for my reservation, in order to check out the The Oyster Bar, since I'd heard raves about the famous punch. There were three on the menu, and I opted for the Pineapple Express. Made with gin, ginger tea, lemon and honey, this drink is an excellent combination of tart and sweet, and is dangerously delicious. The oysters here are ordered a la carte, similar to the way sushi restaurants do it, and prices range from $2.50 to $3.50. This side of the restaurant seems like a perfect spot to sit and enjoy a casual seafood feast, paired with your libation of choice. The main dining area is spacious and open, and surprisingly, the noise levels weren't too bad. I found it easy to maintain conversation with my dinner guest, and also enjoy the excellent music. I love a place that plays "You Can Have It All" by Yo La Tengo. I don't often hear Georgia and Ira in any of my usual in-town haunts. The menu is completely different from the Oyster Bar, and the oysters are priced at $3.50 each, your choice of East or West coast. Since I had recently been in North Carolina, where I enjoyed an entire peck for $12, I decided to check out some of the other menu items. We started with the spicy Spanish octopus, which was expertly prepared and beautifully plated -- and devoured in a matter of minutes. To accompany our starter, my friend and I ordered the Winter on Cape Cod, essentially an upscale version of the traditional vodka cranberry. The added citrus and herbal notes were a nice touch. For our entrees, I decided on the crispy triggerfish, served with brussel sprouts and bacon. The sweetness of the fish contrasted nicely with the smokiness of the bacon. A note on that smokiness - due to the wood burning grill, you will leave The Optimist faintly smelling of wood smoke. Not necessarily a bad thing, but you may not want to wear your fanciest dry-clean-only duds. Also, the dinner napkins are white, and very linty, so avoid dark pants or skirts or have a lint brush handy. My friend raved about her scallop dish, and also informed me the complementary dinner roll was quite good. (No bread for me, alas, due to my gluten allergy. But many of the dishes at The Optimist are naturally gluten free, and Keesha said to just let her know what I wanted, and she'd see if the chef could make it GF for me. Great to have so many options!) Be sure to check out the bathrooms during your stay. They are nicely appointed, spotlessly clean, and private.
(5)Lauren L.
My first time dining at The Optimist, the power went out. When the power goes out the fans in the kitchen don't work... So the entire restaurant filled with smoke. We had to leave (with nothing comped from our bill). Despite this first experience... I keep going back. THATS how good the food is. I have never had something there that wasn't fantastic. The raw bar is my personal favorite- the lobster roll and their oyster selection. Please please please get the key lime dessert. - @gluttoneats -
(5)Candace L.
One of my favorite date night restaurants in the city! Start at the oyster bar. Order one of each - anything they have fresh (my favorites are west coast, but its a personal choice), and get some of the oyster shooters! Very creative and fun. I have to comment on the decor of this place - whoever had the idea to paint the octopus on the brick oven in the oyster bar was genius. I love the creativity showcased in here. The little things make a big impact. The overall space is open and airy with large ceilings and minimalist decor. Love it! The menu here changes daily so its hard to keep a favorite - but the kale salad, grilled octopus and bok choy are super tasty and usually hold a spot on the menu. TO THE CHEF: PLEASE PLEASE bring back the cornmeal crusted black sea bass. I cant tell you how many times I've bragged about it to people. I order it every time its available. Its the best sea bass I have ever had and it should be a permanent staple on the menu. Service has always been flawless here - even when they are busy. The servers know what they are talking about - take their advice on recommendations. Bottom line: The Optimist delivers. Consistently.
(5)Ronnie E.
Kudos for the staff getting us seated before our reservation time and valet for helping us with an umbrella on a rainy night. The wife and I really enjoyed our meals, especially starting off with mussels and the wonderful dinner rolls. She ordered the grouper and I had the monkfish. I had a taste of the grouper and enjoyed the flavor of the sauce it came in, kind of tangy and garlic based. The monk fish was juicy and more lobster like, and went great with the chorizo bits. The seats were a little tight but I like the atmosphere and the open kitchen.
(4)Andrea S.
Seems really cool but not flawless. Oysters were great and served with house made saltines. We split the Whole GA Shrimp La Plancha - also very good especially if you love butter. My husband had Crispy Flounder- HUGE and good. My Monkfish was disappointing the cockles mussels et. al accompaniment were way over don't and dry. Sauce/broth bland. We did not get bread delivered - oops but we didn't care. We were there pre- theater so early and the whole staff mostly seemed like they were preparing for a big ugly crush a bit later. All in all we won't rush back. Maybe we're not cool enough.
(3)Atl C.
Really really really really really good. The only reason I'm not giving it five stars is because when I pay $60 a plate expect it to be really really really really really good.
(4)Kenneth P.
Second trip and still not impressed. Atmosphere - nice Service - good Fish and chips - dreadful. Fish has a heavy batter and the potatoes we hard Oysters - excellent Key lime pie - awful. Taste like it had been sitting in the fridge uncovered and absorbed a cardboard like smell. I think of you look part the great look and feel of the restaurant you will find the food is really average at best.
(2)Brigitte B.
Cannot say enough good things about this place! From the ambiance, to the service, and (most importantly) the food...everything about The Optimist is top notch! My boyfriend and I visited The Optimist for the first time a couple months ago. I did some research on Yelp for menu recommendations prior to our reservation...here's what we decided on: Appetizer: Shrimp a la plancha..amazing! Whole, local shrimp in a delicious chili butter sauce. The sauce was definitely the highlight of this dish. It was rich with just the right amount of spice. The shrimp are served with a piece of buttered toast to soak up the remnants of the sauce, which I highly recommend! A messy, but delicious start to our meal. Entree: Duck fat poached swordish: The fish was tender, juicy, and cooked perfectly. When I had this dish, it was served with bacon and sauteed strawberries in a light sauce. For the sides we ordered the "beignet style" hushpuppies (which I read raving reviews about) and the collard greens. The hushpuppies are out of this world! They come served with powdered sugar and honey butter on the side. Overall, I absolutely loved The Optimist. It is not a cheap meal, but in my book it is completely worth the price. I will definitely be going back!
(5)Andrea A.
This review is about a napkin. Yesterday I had a late lunch at The Optimist. I've dined there dozens of times before and this time I enjoyed my food too much to write about it. The pleasure of the Key Lime Pots de Crème alone was like a moment shared between lovers. I dare not kiss and tell so let me tell you about the napkin instead. After a couple minutes of sitting comfortably in a booth, it occurred to me that the napkin in my lap was black. The sea of napkins adorning the other tables were bistro-style--white with red stripes. There wasn't another black napkin in sight. I asked the waiter, "Did you swap out my napkin so I don't get white napkin lint on my black pants?" He laughed knowingly. Of course. I appreciated the fact that he didn't want me to leave the restaurant looking like a Dalmatian. It sounds elementary but little things mean a lot. I didn't even have to ask for a replacement and that's the level of detail and attentiveness that I have come to know and love from The Optimist.
(5)Jen H.
I've been here a couple of times but my experience yesterday was so worthwhile I needed to write an review. It's quite hard to find a decent seafood restaurant that serves fresh seafood with delicious flavors. I came here to celebrate a birthday and everything we ordered was exceptional. This is one of the best natural lighted restaurant and I love the atmosphere. Our server was very knowledgeable and great at explaining all the difference between the 12 types of oysters and the menu. We had all of the types of oysters, the octopus starter. Then for entree had the grouper, lime flounder, duck fat swordfish and lobster roll. I never thought you could treat oysters as a wine tasting event where you eat one and reflect on the flavor of the oyster description, who ever writes their oyster menu is amazing because I could taste every flavor described and also realize what type of oysters I'm more interested in eating. They did a phenomenal job on the octopus, it had a kimchi finish and a slight heat but the octopus itself was tender and not tough at all. I personally loved the duck fat poached swordfish. I've never had swordfish that was so succulent , pillow liked soft and flavorful. The brisket pairs really well with the fish. The cocktails were also tasty. As you can tell I loved my experience here!
(5)Lindy F.
"Do you consider the eating of oysters to be moral and the eating of snails to be immoral?" -- Spartacus (1960) So many dining experiences to choose from - so this will be an overall review. I love this place and there is a lot of seafood items I cannot eat. But Ford Fry grabs my attention every time he opens a new place and I usually become a big fan - well, this is yet another gem. I will say that it can get loud in here at dinner, so my lunches have been more enjoyable from a noise perspective, however, in every instance I have been seated at the exact. same. table. All 4 times. There is this decent-sized round table that seems to be in the middle of the walkway when you come from the entrance - apparently that is my spot. It doesn't hurt that I always come in a larger party. If you get nothing else from the menu when you come here, you must indulge in the hushpuppies. No, no, I insist. Little fritters of corn goodness served beignet style with a cane syrup butter that I would kill people over. It is that delicious. I could eat two orders on my own. That being said, we can discuss other items now... I guess. I've had several cocktails here and the barkeeps do an excellent job. You have to mix a great craft cocktail to keep my attention - and that they have. My faves are: peel & eat Georgia white shrimp, "come back" sauce & lemon fried oysters, horseradish mayo, vidalia onion, celery whole Georgia white shrimp a la plancha, "sopping" toast, arbol chile, lime Oyster Loaf (think po boy) confit fingerling potatoes, pork belly, chile oil, scallions Pork cheeks with Spaetzle Okay wow - I've eaten a lot... considering there is very little I can eat under the sea. I'm quite impressed with myself. I do tend to come here when someone else suggests it, but I am never disappointed. I cannot do the raw oysters, but my friends always enjoy them. The best things I have eaten are the shrimp a la plancha and the oyster loaf. I am dying to try their burger as well. So if this girl who cannot so much in the way of seafood enjoys the Ford Fry pearl... you know it has to be good, right? Service is always stellar and they do an amazing job keeping the tree nuts away from me as well - they take that allergy VERY seriously. I have never had an issue. Now, if they could hire this level of staff at another of his restaurants... I might go back there.
(4)D.J. K.
Came here for dinner and loved it even more. Had the clam roll, mussels, kale salad, oysters, seafood gumbo,and scallops. Everything was fresh and delicious except the gumbo - it was too fishy and salty. The atmosphere is definitely trendy, hip, modern, and dining room can get loud as it tends to echo. Can't wait to come back here again!
(4)Richard R.
February 16th, 2015 My wife and I didn't get out on Valentine's Day. So, since the kids were out of school for President's Day and Atlanta was expecting a pretty severe cold front to come through, we took the opportunity to travel into the city for lunch (knowing it would be a light traffic day). THE SCENE You may have saw in the news (about this time last year) when Atlanta had Snowmageddon. We aren't used to severe winter weather in the South and the city got caught totally unprepared as motorist were trapped in their cars for hours, some even running out of gas and becoming stranded. Others parked their cars on the side of the expressway and walked. There was even a case of a local Target opening their doors to feed stranded motorists and let them sleep for the evening. Well, we knew the city would NOT want bad press like that ever again, so we braved the cold temps and risked the threat of black ice with full expectation the city was not going to let anything like last year happen again. THE EXPERIENCE Although they have their own valet service, we were able to find a few street parking spaces just outside the front entrance. The exterior is kinda cool, particularly the mini-golf course set up in the courtyard where they also host live bands in warmer weather. However, there were these rusty looking old school metal tables and chairs that looked like you might require a tetanus shot after sitting in one of them. I can confidently say no clean freak such as myself would be caught dead eating at those tables. Once inside, part of the space looks like an old ice cream diner while the other space looks sleek and modern. A large expanse of windows bathes the dining area with natural light. However, plenty of cool lighting also hangs down from the air hanger-ish ceiling. There is an open kitchen on one side and a long bar on the other with pleasing wood tones on the floors and tables in-between the two. We found it interesting that both the hostess and our server were from the same Northern suburban county as we live. Seemed like a long way to come for work, but they relished in the idea of working for Atlanta's #1 restaurant (currently). Although I was highly tempted to switch to the Lobster Roll, I stuck to my original plan of getting the burger. It was ranked in Atlanta Magazine as #3 on the top 20 Best Burgers List. - - - - - - - - - - - - T H E F O O D - - - - - - - - - - - - CHOWDER FRIES $13 | 4 Stars If you follow my reviews at all then you know I lean heavily towards being a traditionalist. But I am also easily amused when a kitchen can present a creative new twist on a food I love. These chowder fries were magically delicious. Smothered with bacon, clams, white cheddar and scallions, it tasted exactly as though you were eating French fries dipped in a rich, creamy chowder. I thought this was brilliant, but probably not something I would order very often. OPTI BURGER $13 | 3.75 Stars This is a great burger, but it's not a Holeman & Finch or Bocado burger. I found the Opti Burger to be a tad bit salty and I'm still undecided on whether or not I liked having my bun slathered with butter (NO PUN INTENDED). Seems like unnecessary calories. There is also something called come back sauce on the burger. Perhaps that was what gave it too salty a flavor. Whatever the case I found the burger to have just a little too much of something; still can't put my finger on exactly what it was. The Opti Burger comes with heavily seasoned shoestring potatoes or a few alternatives for a small upcharge. CHOPPED CHICKEN SALAD $15 | 3.5 Stars My wife enjoyed this salad and actually ate more of the chicken than I expected. She is kind of a part time vegetarian, but occasionally will eat meat that doesn't taste super "meaty". She did comment that it was a tad pricey for the taste. SERVICE was excellent with the only real issue being a wobbly table. Our server kept my coke glass filled and checked on us often. This was refreshing given the lack of service we've been experiencing as of late. FINAL THOUGHTS Chef/Owner Ford Fry was in the kitchen today so I feel privileged that our food was exactly as he intended it to be. His Sous Chef was off today according to one of the staff, so we were happy to know our first visit would be in his capable hands. I must say I disagree with the Opti Burger being placed in the top 3 for Atlanta burger. It definitely deserves top 10, but I can think of at least 9 burgers I would prefer over this one. Good burger? Definitely! Overhyped? Most certainly. I'm torn between 3 and 4 stars, but in the end, they are closer to 4 stars than 3. Maybe next visit I'll stick with what they are known for... seafood
(4)Dai T.
Food was awesome. The decor is fantastic. It' has a clean and modern, beach house or farmhouse feel. Pros: Food and atmosphere. Service at the tables are great. Bar service is typical of an Atlanta hotspot. Cons: Pricey. Drinks are really high. It is way too crowded. It's the typical rush for any new spot in Atlanta. Reservations are needed, but it still takes for ever to get seated. Bar is too crowded.
(4)Kris A.
What an amazing place! Lets start with the layout...there is a turf aka lawn in front with a small putt-putt area for the kiddos to entertain themselves while everyone is waiting for a table=brilliant. There are also patio and picnic tables scattered on the lawn if you decide to dine al fresco. Lining the lawn is a covered area with more outdoor tables and an uncovered area with lawn chairs and benches for additional seating options when on a wait. We visited on a Tuesday evening and they were on a 40 min wait. So I highly suggest reservations even on a week night. As you walk in, the hostess is situated on the right and a large oyster bar is straight ahead with ample stools. There is also a wood fired oven in this area which gave it that fire and ice effect. The dining room has vaulted ceilings and low lighting. Very modern, classy and elegant. Servers don't wear uniforms which added to the relaxed atmosphere. They offer their raw oysters in a really unique way. You are given a paper list and a pencil. The list includes oysters from several different regions all cold water and mostly east coast if I remember correctly. It even provides the size of the oyster (sm, med, lg) and a short description of its flavor profile. They are served with fresh grated horseradish, house made saltine crackers and a mignonette sauce along with hot sauce, etc. We also ordered the she-crab soup and the whole GA shrimp a la plancha which were both delicious. I highly recommend this restaurant and I'm looking forward to a return visit already.
(5)Candyce V.
Lunch here was delightful. The smoked white fish chowder was served hot and with oyster crackers. I enjoyed it until the trout with peas, cippolini, pancetta, and oyster mushrooms arrived. The fresh was fresh and perfectly seasoned. And I indulged in a bit of dessert--the strawberry sundae. I lingered in the restaurant until after they closed to prepare for dinner, and no one rushed me out of there. My server (oh, I wish I remembered her name!) was such a sweetheart and super helpful. Can't wait to come back here for dinner.
(4)Jessica L.
Really a 3.5 I came here so excited to try the lobster roll. It was great. But so small!!! I wanted more. Also got the she crab soup and I couldn't even finish it because it was way too rich. The little piece of bread that accompanied the soup was really good though. I ordered a drink but I forget the name....tiki sunrise or something? I thought it would be watered down, but it definitely wasn't. What a huge plus!! Overall, this place is worth trying.
(4)Anita K.
Great ambiance and delicious food!
(5)Jennifer N.
I was excited to score a last minute reservation. The meal was great. We started off with the scallops. The broth was so good, I asked the server to bring me a couple pieces of bread to sop it up! Delicious. I had the tuna and my friend had the grouper. Both were spot on as far as taste and preparation. I skipped desert and just had another cocktail. Overall, it was a great dining experience. I hope to come back the next time we are in ATL.
(4)Will S.
Came here the Sunday after Valentine's Day. It was pretty crowded and probably due to the holiday. I had reservations, so no wait. The dining area is completely open so you can see everything. They have an open kitchen on one wall and a large, well-organized bar that's lit up in a dim blue light. Seating is pretty tight. We sat at a two-person table, and had two tables on both sides of us only a foot away. Could definitely hear people next to us talking about our food, but that didn't bother me cause I was talking about the other tables food. At the entrance you'll find the oyster bar where you can select from several different oysters to try. STARTERS -Yeast Rolls You get two pieces of rolls for free. They are buttered and have salt on top which is different. Pretty good -Seafood Gumbo I'm not a super huge fan of gumbo. I like it, but it's never blown my socks off. I'm more of a chowder guy. The gumbo here was pretty good though. It had a nice spicy kick to it. It has sausage, oysters, and a little bit of crab meat. It's about a bowl size, maybe a little smaller. It's served with a bread with a thick spread of garlic butter in between. -Mussels These were excellent. You get about 16-20 served in a bowl of curry sauce. The sauce is sooo good. Reminded me of the times I used to eat Thai Curry 2-3x a week. All of the mussels were a decent size. I highly recommend getting these. It's also served with MORE BREAD, but this bread was a garlic toast and really good. You can ask for more to soak up that curry sauce once you finish the mussels. ENTREES - Nice selection of seafood. They even have a small section for non-seafood eaters which I was tempted to order from. Prices range from $22-33. -Peacan Crusted Flounder This is what my girlfriend got. I had a few bites, and it was really good. Flounder is a pretty thin fish, but it looks like they fold a couple of pieces on top of each other, so you get a good amount. The pecan crust was pretty good, and my girlfriend really enjoyed. -Duck Fat Poached Swordfish I've only had swordfish a couple of times and each time it was a thick, dry piece of fillet. It came with pork belly and the waiter really recommended it, so I went for it. Best swordfish I've ever had. The fish was super moist, and easily eaten with just a fork. I need to find out where to get duck fat, cause I want to cook everything in it. It's made with a sherry au jus which was really good. There are little bits of pork belly, but I'm not sure how those fit in with the dish, but they were good nonetheless. SIDES - All the sides are pretty large and meant to be shared. -Collard Greens These were pretty damn good. Maybe some of the best I've ever had at a restaurant. They were smokey, but had a sweet flavor to them. -Hush Puppies Another awesome side. They have a nice texture on the outside, and warm and soft on the inside. They sprinkle them with sugar and serve with a side of cane syrup butter. The butter was so good, I had to keep my girlfriend from eating it all after we had already finished the hush puppies. DESSERT -S'Mores Ice Cream Sandwiches Couple of chocolate cookies with a graham cracker ice cream. These were good, but nothing too special. One order comes with two sandwiches so easy for sharing. Overall this place was pretty good. Everything tasted great. It's definitely pricey so it's not somewhere I would come to regularly. No idea where parking is, but valet is $2. I would recommend making reservations at least 2 weeks ahead of time.
(5)Tom S.
It took a few visits but I've started to really like this place. What took me so long to come around to it was the fact that while I'm definitely in the minority on this, there really isn't anything on the appetizer/starter menu that I liked. And in hindsight, that can supersede the good memories. Those good memories being the fresh fish, decent portions, good service, great bar and a good selection of beers too. But frothy she-crab soup? That's blasphemous. She crab soup isn't supposed to be thin and frothy. Shrimp you have to peel and eat? Ok- maybe a food truck or something. Minor, fixable irritations such as the lack of parking, and the valet that now charges in advance is what keeps this one on the "special occasions" list for now.
(4)Chigurll K.
I was visiting at from Chicago when sister took me and another friend here for dinner. Best seafood ever. She ordered the shrimp dish from the appetizers, and I got the sword fish poached in duck fat. Her appetizer was size of an entree and amazinggggg. Order that and you will not regret it. The service was superb!!!
(4)M' N.
Yep, I'm giving a Ford Fry restaurant five stars. The Optimist is a fun and vibrant spot with consistently delicious food and good service. I often sit and eat at the bar, where the bartenders are friendly and attentive, unlike the ones at King & Duke. The lobster roll and clam roll are where it's at. You'll never go wrong with the oysters either. One time, my friend ordered the ga shrimp a la plancha, and from the looks of his bib, it was scrumptious. For a cocktail, they make a mean salty dog with fresh squeezed grapefruit. But, there's also a drink that has a raw egg in it, which one of my Brooklyn hipster friends once ordered and drank while my redneck Atlanta friends and I gawked awkwardly. The Optimist is a winner.
(5)Lisa S.
My husband and I went to The Optimist for dinner last night. This was our second time here and we absolutely love it. My only complaint about this place is the price of everything. The food is fantastic. My favorite thing is the Tuscan Kale salad. It is truly delicious and I'm not a big kale lover. We started with soups; I had the frothy she-crab soup. The flavor of this soup is excellent. The consistency is weird. It is like deliciously flavored hot liquid. There is not one single hint of thickness or actual crab. It was strange and I'm not a fan. My husband got the seafood gumbo and he said it was good. We shared the tuscan kale salad and then shared the swordfish. We split a bottle of pinot grigio, which was tasty and expensive ($40). We sat at the bar and our bartender was terrific. He was personable, funny, and we really liked him. I can't remember his name, unfortunately. According to my receipt, his name is PM Bar.....
(4)Evelyn S.
Excellent seafood. Menu is a little narrow.
(4)Shea H.
One of my new favorite restaurants in Atlanta! My mom and I had a wonderful dinner here. We started our meal with the Green Curry Mussels; One word AMAZING! I had the scallops on top of braised short rib. Sound weird but it was delicious. My mom had the monk fish and we split two side items; hearts of artichokes and brussels sprouts. Both of which were very tasty!!! The service was outstanding and the ambience was cool with a industrial feel.
(5)Lucy W.
I hope people who have seafood for the first time here, don't think this is what good seafood tastes like. I admit, I over-rated Optimist on my previous visit based on its decor, ambiance and potential. I must be ordering wrong, if other Yelpers (whose reviews i truly trust) are giving five star reviews. I was absolutely starving and wanted to try the clam appetizer dishes, instead of ordering a full entree. Mistake. I should have known clams outside of New England would not be good. The Fried clam roll was a joke...same tiny Holeman and Finch roll as was used for the tiny lobster rolls, drenched in kimchi vinegar, not even clam strips...clam BITS, fried to oblivion. The garlicky clams would have been good with a pound less salt (note to chef, clams are from the ocean and are already inherently salty...no need to use a heavy hand with the salt). The promised croutons were almost nonexistent...i wish they gave bread to soak up the clam juice, but you have to order and pay for bread separately. Also, about half the clam shells were empty...so I combed through the clam juice, looking for the clam meat...but they were completely missing. Now I know how they can afford to put a $9 whole clam appetizer on the menu. I was still so hungry with the lack of food even though I ate everything, to soak up some of small but potent cocktail I ordered. Alas, I couldn't finish my drink b/c of the lack of food in my stomach. I came home and started to make myself a real dinner. I do want to love this place...but I'm probably going to do drinks only next time (st George's gin, yay!) and of course, to play on the putting green and sit on the padded patio seats/ottomans.
(2)Jonathan D.
The friendly staff didn't do one thing wrong on my first visit here. They were hitting all their marks. The food was outstanding. I'm a bit of an oyster novice, but the ones I had here were much more flavorful than what I'd encountered at several other Atlanta restaurants. The tempura-fried green beans were solid, but one of the standouts of the enitre meal was actually the dipping sauce. It brimmed with confident dairy flavor that had just enough dill to keep it from being overly creamy. The broth with the clams and pork belly appetizer was like a firm handshake. Reassuring in its strength but stops before it crushes you in its grip. And the entree? The oysters were so good that we got a second order. I was also knocked over by my cocktails. My grandparents used to make a lot of Salty Dogs, so this entry to the cocktail list caught my attention immediately. The very fresh citrus was well balanced with the salted rim. I ended up having two. Also, I love the overall layout. The place is really charming, with gigantic ceilings and exposed rafters that aren't too industrial. I happened to notice the managers of a couple other fancy restaurants eating there the night I went, which has to be a good sign.
(5)Andrew H.
Wow, what a HUGE disappointment. After the rave review in Bon Appetit, September 2013, page 156, went for lunch today to try the fish and chips. Being an expat from the old country, couldn't wait. It was AWFUL. They did not even follow their own recipe as published in the magazine. One large (8 inch) piece of codfish with almost invisible soft batter. It did not look anything like the picture, not crunchy at all. (In Bon Appetit, they say to cut the fish into 1-1/2 inch wide strips.) Also, thin tapering tail end pieces of fish do not work. The fish needs to be uniform thickness to fry evenly. The fries were soggy, actually limp. What a bummer! She crab soup is better with lumps of crab in it, BTW, as another reviewer observed. Deconstruction is not always better.
(1)Stephanie K.
Birthday dinner last night! My friend and I arrived about an hour before our reservation to sit at the bar and have a couple of cocktails. She had wine, and I had a Carboy and another plum-infused concoction, both of which were delicious and refreshing. Our table was ready for us right on time, and we sat right in front of the open kitchen, giving us a great view of the action going on there as well as throughout the dining room, which was hoppin' on a Wednesday night. Noise levels can be a little distracting, but my friend and I could still have pretty easy conversation. It's a great room to do some people watching. I ordered 3 west coast oysters, which were delectable and buttery. My friend had the smoked white fish chowder, which I tasted, and it was really delicious. They ran out of the halibut entree I had my eye on, but substituted grouper with seared okra and baby heirloom tomatoes and a red wine demiglace. Fish may have been slightly overcooked, but all of the flavors were amazing. I had a side of wild mushrooms, which were rich and decadent, as well as the hushpuppies with powdered sugar and brown sugar butter, which are A MUST. My friend had the monkfish, and it was also stellar. The side of fried rice is an umami bomb in the best possible way - so much flavor happening. Food is a little pricey, but the quality is definitely worth it, especially for a special occasion. When I mentioned it was my birthday to our server, he nonchalantly brought over a free drink for me, as well as a glass of wine for my friend. The manager stopped by to wish me a happy birthday a bit later, also, and brought me ANOTHER free drink (and a free koozie that came with my beer!). After we were stuffed full, our server surprised me with a complimentary birthday peach tart dessert with vanilla ice cream, complete with a lit birthday candle. Thankfully, no singing! Service could not have been better or more professional. Our meal was borderline perfect. I will not hesitate to come back to the Optimist in the future. Still haven't gone to the raw bar (in the room next to the main dining area that serves mainly raw oysters, etc., and light appetizers), but that's on my list for sure.
(5)John O.
even if you are not a seafood fan (i'm not), the skirt steak is amazing, and the sides and dessert are insanely good. bill with four other clients came to $360 including 20% tip, so it's reasonable (we had beers but didn't do any wine). the octopus is supposedly an amazing starter. the arugula salad was great, as well. for the main course, i had the skirt steak, as did one other client, and it was amazing.' for the sides, the succotash and basmati rice are fantastic. the succotash is surprisingly spicy, but in a good way. for dessert, we had the boston cream pie, the lemon dessert, and then something else (basically the top three things), as well as some frozen stuff (the caramel with sea salt was fantastic, as was the cherry-flavored frozen one). i'd come back in a heartbeat.
(5)Charlie B.
Alright y'all this place is goram legit. The service was really quite wonderful, not so insistent that they were like flies at a picnic nor were they so absentminded that we had to wait too long for anything. The real reason we all go to places like this is the food, and to pose. That's not why I go, but there were some pretty people enjoying cocktails and I'm not one of those so I'm obviously better than they are (for the purposes of this review anyway). We had in no order of love the fries, the mussels, the spicy shrimp appetizer, the curry fried rice, the seared tuna, hush puppies, aaand their peach cobbler. yes please, and thank you jebus. Seriously the pups were like a very sweet corn beignet, the mussels were tasty and perfectly cooked, the shrimp were delicious and would be a great lunch special if they were served on a bed of sticky rice (hint hint), the tuna was wonderful, the curry fried rice with peanuts was really interesting like a southern take on fried rice meets Singapore street noodles. I could go on, but i wont. You should go. Seriously. Its a great alternative to the my other favorite Atlanta restaurant, especially if you want some lighter fare. A definite place to take out of town guests, a date, or your parents.
(5)Todd P.
I'm an expert at See-Food (just observe my Buddha belly). And it would seem The Optimist is gaining notoriety as an expert in seafood. I just had to give it a shot and line up the "see" with the "sea". And I achieved success, walking out feeling significantly stuffed to the brim. I like the classy yet laid back vibe of this new gem on the West side. My friend and I sat in the dining room, but I'd like to return soon to try the even more casual oyster bar and patio. We started with the crispy long beans, sea salt and buttermilk-dill mignonette -- better known as battered and fried green beans. Perfect start to our meal, taking the edge of our hunger off while we perused the menu of wood hearth roasted fish and interesting sides. After much deliberation, I decided on the seared tuna as my main course. I really loved the accompaniments, including the charred octopus and potato salad. The small chunks of potato were crispy and the octopus delicious. The tuna was good, but it seems the sear could've been just a tad more crisp in my opinion. I'm sure this would be tough to pull off, and I can't fault them for the way it was served. Just my preference that would have made this meal really sing for me. For sides, we shared a few different dishes, including the potato gnocci in lobster butter with summer corn (delicious!), the corn milk hushpuppies, in a beignet style with powdered sugar and a cane sugar butter; and the basmati fried rice with smoked fish, curry and smashed peanuts. All three were nice compliments to the meal. And of course we had to try dessert. And did we ever! We put down three delicious ones: chocolate "pop tarts", a grapefruit tart garnished with Venezuelan white chocolate; and the buttermilk donuts with sweet corn ice cream and sweet pepper jelly -- all specialties created and prepared by Sugar Coated Radical. Now, after all of that, is there any doubt I'm a specialist in See-Food? I think not.
(4)Allie B.
An extremely positive dining experience! We started with the grapefruit cocktails from their specialty cocktail menu - excellent. Their wine list is extensive with just about anything you could want; I forget what bottle we had, but it was in the low $40 range and very good. We had East Coast Oysters (one each, served with all of the fun oyster fixings), a simple salad (super fresh ingredients - like eating a good garden, minus the dirt), the whole georgia white shrimp a la plancha with sopping toast and arbol chile (flavor was A+, but I'm not the hugest fan of dissecting my own food. I know, so pedestrian, but I like the be-heading done prior to table service, but I knew what I was getting into - the waitress was sure to inform us of that detail), and then the skate wing 'schnitzel' with brown butter, charred lemon, and capers. I'll order anything that comes with brown butter, charred lemon, and capers, and this skate wing was surprisingly good. I'm seeing fish 'schnitzels' all over the place right now. The service was not horrible - the woman kept wanting to take our plates away when we were obviously not ready...minus several points. I really like the space, though - it's very open and airy and the bar/restaurant is the only thing in the building so it's very spread out. I understand they're going to have music in the courtyard area eventually? I look forward to trying out the bar where they have smaller (read: cheaper) menu.
(5)james B.
Great atmosphere good service. Super loud in the dining room but I did not mind it. I will be back soon.
(3)Kyle D.
Great seafood options in ATL are very hard to find. The Optimist seems to have hit the mark! Not sure if I enjoyed the oyster options or the entree options more. The hush puppies are a must and the collard greens were amazing. Our waiter was very helpful but didn't hover. My only "complaint" was that the parking lot might be a little hard to find in the dark. That being said, they offer valet parking as street parking on your own might be a little hit or miss.
(5)Richard B.
Had Valentines dinner reservations for this past weekend. All I can say it was worth the three week in advance reservation!! The hippest, casual, upscale restaurant in Atlanta. By casual I mean everyone is laid back and so friendly and knowledgeable. My girlfriend had never had oysters before and it's not because she hasn't had the chance to, I wanted to make sure her first time she had the best. So we ordered a half dozen (east and west coast) and she loved them. I honestly can say they are the best oysters in Atlanta....!!! Our dinner was amazing and the hush puppies were divine. Highly recommend this place and the waitress made it all so comfortable
(5)Onle G.
After a quick lunch of she-crab soup with shrimp toast and a few east coast oysters, I'm sold. I usually know quickly if I'll return to an eatery after a few bites and will most certainly recommend this place that's lighting up the Atlanta radar. The space has a loft-style decor, reminiscent of castleberry hills or other in-town industrio-living conversions. Making reservations is required and the staff is great. Enjoy something fresh at The Optimist. P.S. it makes a great place to study and catch looks from Atlanta's fashionable crowd ;c)
(5)Rachael I.
I love seafood. I love lobster rolls. I came here on a mission. To try the lobster roll. I had to pull some strings to get here for lunch on a weekday, since lunch is not offered here on weekends. First of all, let me say. I do like this place. How do you dislike some place called The Optimist? The name alone counts as a star for me =) My friend and I arrived. Immediately impressed by the location and decor inside. It is absolutely beautiful. What a wide open, inviting, gorgeous space. You do feel you are almost seaside somewhere... Our server arrived, and she was very nice. We both knew we wanted to get the lobster roll, and it came out within minutes. Now, I am comparing this lobster roll to the one that I absolutely love at Legal Sea Foods in Atlanta. Side by side comparison: Portion size? Legal wins it. It is double the size of Optimist's. Price? Legal is market price. I think I might have paid 20 bucks or so last time. The Optimist's is $17. (Must have recently raised the price as some Yelpers have been saying $14.) BUT, it is half the size. Overall better value? Legal. Bread? Legal. I prefer their brioche. My one today at Optimist was burnt black on one side, and was a bit reminiscent of a hotdog bun. Lobster quality? Toss-up. You can tell both establishments use nothing but the highest quality. Lobster portion? Legal. Hands-down. Huge chunks of lobster. Whole claw meat. Made Optimist look really skimpy. Overall flavor? Legal. I prefer the lobster to shine in my lobster rolls. At Optimist, I tasted celery first, then the lobster. I did really like Optimist's tartar sauce, however. Extremely lemon-limey, a nice bright kick to enhance the lobster. Sides? Legal. Absolutely. This is personal preference, but I like hearty, thick-cut fries. That I can dip in things. Optimist's shoestring fries weren't doing it for me. Very greasy. Had to eat them with a fork. Seasoned perfectly though. Also, Legal serves an extra side with their lobster roll. So, that alone kind of pushes them ahead in the "sides" game. I always get the stone-ground grits (delish), but they've got a ton of side choices. I will say though, Optimist's service is STELLAR. I was almost entirely through with my roll and was perfectly happy finishing it as is. Our server came by to ask how everything was, and I said everything was great, but my bun was a little toasty. She asked me if I wanted a new one, and I said absolutely not, I am almost done. Fast forward 2 minutes, and a gentleman brings me a new plate with a new roll. Tells me he wants my experience to be the best it can be. So, as far as service, both Optimist and Legal are completely on par. Great job all around. Will come back to the Optimist for sure. Their dinner menu looks great. And the desserts sounded scrumptious. Will just choose Legal for my lobster roll fix, but I am super glad I tried Optimist's version.
(3)Southern Beer Tours S.
I had heard rave reviews about this restaurant for a little while. It did not disappoint. We started with their beignet hush puppies w/ cane syrup butter. They were amazing. Then I ordered the blackened mahi mahi. It was the best cut of Mahi I had ever had. Our server was very informative and had great suggestions since it was our first time visiting. Valet parking was a breeze. We made a reservation before hand and had no wait for our seats. The place was stunning and is a whole lot bigger than it appears from the street.
(5)Travel M.
100% next level yum. Aka ... Please sir may I have another, Oyster, that is. A crew of us drove down from Nashville to try this gem of a restuarant we first experienced a taste of from Bon Apetit's Roth & Daughter's / The Optimist night in Nashville. We had the full experience. Starting the evening with delicious well- crafted cocktails. I had both 'The Dog Days are Over' & 'The Lonley Boy', both on point. We started off tasting the lobster roll, a selection of oysters from the east coast & roasted arugula salad w/ pickled turnips and carrots. All stunning. Next round we devoured the pecan crusted flounder, duck fat poached swordfish, pork belly, butternut squash, sherry jus paired with well crafted sides. The desert was the only thing that needed some work ... The mint ice cream sandwiches I could pass on. The banana cake with buttermilk ice cream, I do again... But we're very much over shadowed by the main course. Just get the beignet Hush Puppies, they are better than what any dessert would offer. Oh and the restaurant decor, triple thumbs up. The attention to detail was excellent.
(5)Tricia D.
5 things to love about the Optimist! 1. You feel positive the moment you place an OpenTable reservation! 2. Outdoor seating available! 3. Spacious interior and comforting environment. 4. Awesome, super fresh lobster roll for lunch (though pricey and small for $17)! 5. Ability to order as many (or as little) east or west coast oysters as you want.
(4)Greg R.
Went for Valentine's Day. I didn't know there was a "special" menu. It was a 4 course meal, $70 each plus $15 surcharge on certain items. The food was so so. It started with a spoonful of cauliflower soup, very salty, and a thimble full of caviar ($15 surcharge :-( ). They got me. Octopus was acceptable, not great, but not wow either, and so was my meal (acceptable ), whole fish (red snapper). Mediocre food for high price (over $200). I'm sticking with Capital Grille next special occasion. Food is much better and better portions for the price.
(2)Katherine K.
I've heard great things about this place, so I made a reservation for a birthday. I know the golf course outside is supposed to be cute and whimsical functional decor, but its just offputting at a fine restaurant. I thought it was kinda gross. Like why don't you take that home to the single dad's club. There is also a mission directly across the street from the restaurant and as you wait for valet, you can like see homeless people or something in lines. O.o ANYWAY, they do not serve the lobster roll at dinner, its just at lunch. DUN DUN DUN. I settled for the oyster roll and hushpuppies. Those hushpuppies didn't compare to these amazing ones in Florida, but it was still good. The oyster roll just had a squirt of some kind of mayonnaise it looked like and "kimchi" juice, but as a Korean, let me just say that was some kimchi juice with a strong kick. It was seasoned well, but all that fried food kinda made my stomach queasy. Then again, we started off with a dozen oysters, half and half east and west town or whatever and I am allergic to shellfish. Well I was more fascinated by the giant homemade looking fancy crackers that came with them. They did taste fresh. Didn't drink. Overall, I didn't really get the hype.
(4)Jade J.
Excellent service, food, and atmosphere. The valet makes for a convenient entrance and exit. The clams are flounder are delicious!
(5)Jeff T.
My wife and I had heard good things so we booked an early dinner to celebrate our anniversary sans the crowd. The place has a breezy, beachy, contemporary feel-not stuffy at all. We were seated right away. To kick things off, I had a glass of their Fish House Punch - a house special rum concoction that doesn't disappoint. I also ordered a dozen West coast oysters before I realized they were $3.50 a pop. Oh well, they were truly awesome and we were out to celebrate. I got past it. Next up, the frothy, she-crab soup with shrimp toast. Both were amazing. I also had the fried clam roll which is kinda like a lobster roll but made with fresh fried clams. Believe the hype, it's incredible. Lastly, we shared an order of "beignet style", corn-milk hush puppies served with sweet butter. I didn't protest when our waiter took the remaining half away because I would have popped if I kept eating them. The only con was that our waiter was good but a little nonchalant. Our table was a messy from the oysters/ice but it went unnoticed until I asked him to please to wipe it down. No big deal, he got all the other things right. Look forward to going back. Maybe next time I'll actually make it past the starters and try one of their main courses, we'll see!
(4)Maggie C.
West Midtown has become pretty fun and The Optimist certainly adds to the cool factor. My girlfriend and I enjoyed a weekday lunch. The hostess sat us in the dining area and after a few moments without a server, we quickly decided to move to the bar, not because we were dissatisfied, but rather because the bar looked fun! Because we moved, the manager immediately came over to us, apologized, and comped our cocktails! This was a really impressive and unnecessary gesture. I ordered a Swedish Fish cocktail which featured plenty of fresh dill. So tasty! We also had East coast and West coast oysters. My girlfriend had halibut and I had more oysters since I don't get to have them often living in Denver, hehe. The decor is also sensational! Nautical, classy, yet fun and slightly hipster. The Optimist also features a putting green outside. This is a really cool little spot in an awesome part of the city.
(5)Jana A.
You MUST try The Optimist. We had dinner there tonight and I have to say it may be the best meal I've had in Atlanta in a LONG time. The white fish chowder, the flounder, the dessert... everything was remarkable. I thought the service was excellent, especially when I learned they'd only been open 4 weeks. They spared no expense in decorating. The bathrooms are even super cool!
(5)Stosh K.
An amazing place, with amazing atmosphere. Perfect bartenders. (we always sit at the bar). We met Eduardo there one night who always remembers us and he bought us a round of cocktails. Classy place with professional, classy servers. Bravo!
(5)Ana D.
My husband and I find ourselves here for both special occasions and random weekends. It's probably my favorite restaurant in Atlanta, and definitely the best I have been to at this price point. On our latest trip, we tried a couple different oysters, a few cocktails, entrees, and dessert, and I was legitimately depressed when the meal was over. This was my first time trying oysters, so as an oysters novice I doused mine in lemon and cocktail sauce, but hubby said they were really good. For dinner, I had a basic white fish (maybe NC trout?), husband had the scallops. The scallops were amazing. Best I have had. My dish was great as well. We also had the fried rice, which was amazing, and the hush puppies, which are a must have (seriously, don't leave without trying them. I fought for the last one). For dessert, we had the brown sugar cake and it was just the right amount of sweetness to end the meal. We also tried a few cocktails, one citrusy and one savory, and both we're delish. We left feeling full but not stuffed, with no leftovers and enough money left over to feel that we weren't gouged. I love the atmosphere, the food, and the service. Get there soon after opening if you want a more leisurely dinner. You'll get more attention and more relaxed service.
(5)Chase C.
For all people who love seafood, do yourself a favor and come here. It is literally worth every penny. I went on a monday night with a lady, it was a little empty at first but began to fill up quickly. The oyster bar is the first thing you see when you walk in and the rest of the restaurant looked amazing. We ordered a dozen of the west coast oysters to start(please do yourself a favor and get the oysters). We also had a bottle of wine, the wine list was pretty extensive and full of great wines. For my entree my partner had the scallops, perfectly seasoned and not overcooked like some places. I had the swordfish that was poached in duck fat which was also incredible. We then finished up with an apple upside down cake, no misspelling there. It was served with a cinnamon ice cream. I didn't have a single complaint about an of the food or service, PLEASE go if you can. It's worth the drive.
(5)Terri L.
We are big restaurant people, and have been to most of the known and highly renowned places in Atlanta. This is up there with the best. I'm not even a real seafood lover, but it was one of the best meals I've ever had. The oysters were so fresh, and there were so many options, and they were all so delicious. The scallops, I can't even. I loved the design as well. Just amazing.
(5)Ullrich M.
Everybody writes about the high quality of the food. I write about exceptional staff. Our waiter had collected all of our used dishes and was talking to us with both hands full of the stuff. Another waiter came by and gently took all the dishes to bring them back so that the waiter could continue talking to us. When I commended him on that event, he said that they all considered themselves as a high class team with management having very high standards but also taking care of them very well. It works.
(5)Sooji K.
this place definitely lives up to its hype - not to mention the service, food and drinks were exceptional. the parking lot is super duper tiny, so unless you're planning on valet don't even bother coming in the lot. i came to the optimist with dinner reservations and we were seated right away on a friday evening (hurrah!) - the four of us ended up ordering family style so we ordered some appetizers, sides, oysters a la carte and entrees. the cocktails were good, but then again now a days, i think most places seem to have gotten a better grip that not all of their clients are just looking to get drunk when they order drinks. i digress though, i was happy with their drinks and so were my companions. the star plates of the evening for me were the spanish charred octopus and the whole GA shrimp a la plancha. the shrimp a la plancha was SO SO good, i would've licked the bowl if i wasn't instilled with better table etiquette. it was a perfect balance of buttery with a little bit of a kick from the arbol chiles. the menu says that's it's a messy dish (bc you have to peel the shrimp yourself) but the flavor of the sauce itself was SO worth it. mmmm buttery goodness. the spanish charred octopus was a beaut, it was perfectly cooked and the asian twist on it was something new for me. the "fermented bokchoy" tasted like korean kimchi, but in a very asian meets mediterranean way... it worked well. i'm not going to expand on some of the other food items we ordered but i do have to mention that i was sorely disappointed on the scallop entree. i've heard so many rave reviews, but ours were overcooked and made for teenytiny people (they didn't look like the photos you put up on yelp people!!!). though i did end this review on a lower note, i really did enjoy the optimist and definitely see myself returning. the ambience and the food were both excellent and i'd definitely recommend it to any sea food lover.
(4)Double A.
Decor, food and service are outstanding! Fresh seafood flown in daily and served within 16 hours insures quality. Knowledgable staff that understands the menu as well as they understand communication. It's a real dining pleasure with a hot spot feel and not too loud. Thank you, The Optimist!
(5)Kari D.
My mister planned a special date night for the 2 of us (being that I live across the country, our date nights are few and far between). The good: everything about the food. Started with the fried oysters, which were spicy and delicious. I ordered the scallops while my man had the swordfish. We shared the fingerling potatoes and hush puppies. My scallops were wonderfully seared and beautifully plated. Super delish. I had a bite of the swordfish which was also really yummy. The piece de resistance? HUSH PUPPIES. I took one bite and told my guy, "these are STUPID." Trust me, people. Order the hush puppies. In fact, get 2 orders. You won't regret it. The not so good: while our server Brett was really sweet, it took him a while to get to us (which is understandable, the place was packed). And we didn't see him much throughout our meal. But, like I said, he was very nice. And he brought us a sample of the house made saltines (we didn't order any raw oysters) which he said would ruin crackers for us forever. You win, Brett. Also, it's not a very intimate spot. Tables are packed in pretty tight, so I felt like I was on a date with the couple next to us. And it's fairly loud in there. Overall, great experience. The hush puppies are incredible, and I wish I had some to take back to California with me. We'll be back in October, for sure!
(4)Emily C.
First off, the positives: This place is gorgeous! There are interesting yet tastefully understated things to look at everywhere! The Bar area is magnificent, and the outdoor seating quaint. They also do a great job of having a full restaurant not be too loud or too quiet. The cocktails are also across the board delicious, exciting, and appropriate for the theme of the restaurant. My not so positives are sadly all about the food. While there are definitely some high points (the GA clams) there are lots of unimpressive ones (the special raw of bass needed salt, the swordfish entree, while inventive, didn't hit the right notes). Dessert was also kinda blah. While you can see that the ideas behind the desserts are awesome, the execution left you wanting something more. Overall solid restaurant and I think with some tweaks, it'll be an Atlanta mainstay
(4)Beth R.
What happened? We were so impressed during our first visit a few months ago that we chose to bring our friends visiting from Dallas this past weekend. Although I enjoyed the she crab soup, everything was so overly SALTY!! My scallops were over-seasoned, over-cooked and over-salted little pieces on my plate. Our friends' fish was the same but they were gracious and didn't complain. We were so embarrassed that of all the great meals we could have taken them to in Atlanta, this is what we chose. Optimist, you need to re-think your food and fix it. We won't be back.
(2)Gaby F.
By now its OK to say 'usual warehouse space' ex garage or such, white bricks etc..cool , sure, everywhere in every city, yep pretty much. Putting green out front was wasted by not having tables open by side, even if it was near car park. When cars parked are Aston Martin, Porsche, BMW 7 etc thats OK, Eye candy for some. Bust room , but not too loud. Comfortable tables, Couple next to me sat side bu side on a 2 top. Tight but they were happy. Waiter kept trying to upsell us. Bit annoying. St James Way Cocktail was well balanced but way too much crushed ice Signature Octopus was superb. Black bass, lemon sea salt simple and perfect, I give this 3 stars only because I wasn't surprised..maybe I'm spoilt. But Girl and Goat in Chicago, Distilled in Tribeca, NY, RockSalt in Naples, Rocksalt in Folkstone UK all could have made this dinner. You wont be disappointed..but you may not be surprised either.
(3)Ike M.
Excellent restaurant, and well-deserving of it's current reputation as one of the best seafood eateries in the city. Excellent food, and impeccable service. And if you've the chance, take some time to check out the architecture. The restaurant is located in the rehabbed remains of a beautiful turn of the century brick industrial building.
(4)Lindsay B.
Really delicious. Had dinner with out of town work colleagues and this was an excellent choice! Have been several times and The Optimist comes through again. Cocktails were delicious and maybe a little too drinkable, the seafood fresh and the meal - exactly what we wanted. Top 3: 1) clam roll 2) hush puppies 3) house made hot sauce/koozies! (tie) Great place to host a dinner big or small. And, who doesn't have to play a little put-put and drink a cold cocktail before a seafood dinner?
(4)Paige E.
I would've given six stars if it was an option. I came for raw oysters but I stayed for the service and atmosphere. Seriously, I stayed for like 4 hours or something ridiculous. The restaurant is beautiful. High ceilings, lots of seating and open space. The bartenders ROCKED. They answered all of my many tedious, stupid questions that I know people love to ask bartenders. Very knowledgeable about everything on the menu. They definitely made my dining experience. There were 6 (maybe 8?) raw oysters to choose from. Tap out. Optimist wins. They were the best oysters I've ever had in Atlanta... Probably anywhere for that matter Writing about them makes me want to go there right now. I could go on and on, but I hate really elaborate yelp reviews. Just go.
(5)Allison B.
This place was excellent!! Very cool atmosphere. The oysters were exquisite as well as the squid. Service was spectacular. Definitely a top place to eat in Atlanta.
(5)Angel S.
I am pleased to update this review. After the GM heard about my unpleasant experience with the pooh at The Optimist a couple days ago, they got my number and called me to apologize and comp our entire meal. Which is extremely generous. They were very apologetic for the entire ordeal and embarrassed about how the incident was handled that evening. After this call, I would give The Optimist another chance if I was to visit Atlanta again. I think they'd be ready to react differently if the shit hits the ground.....again.
(4)Liz K.
Finally got to try this place out after reading and hearing rave reviews! Was exceptionally pleased with the food and service at The Optimist. All the restaurants over in the West Midtown neighborhood seem to have similar ambiance/style. This place was no different. Typical Southern-like restaurant that looks as if it was once an old house. Service as impeccable. Very laid back yet attentive people all around. I brought a friend from LA here for the first time, and we both had high expectations. Ordered everything from the starters/apps portion of the menu of course. We had the oysters from the East and West coast, clams, scallops, and some sort of fried rice. Everything was deliiiiiish!! Fried rice was lil' oily but it was something new since it was tossed with peanuts and lime juice. Was so stuffed I couldn't bear to down anything sweet by the end of my meal. Yum-o experience overall. Will definitely be back for some more! Very happy to hear Esquire named this place the nation's BEST new restaurant.
(5)Sonja R.
Food was really good just not enough. Left hungry. Pricey. Awesome service. Nice atmosphere.
(4)Corbin P.
Great food but poor reservation management. We love the Optimist especially for lunch and get great service for lunch. We've been a few times now for dinner and had to wait 45 minutes after our reservation time on a weekday that also happened to be my birthday. Great restaurant but kind of ruins the experience with the wait time even for a reservation.
(3)Stephanie A.
Did someone say seafood? Yeah I thought so. I have to be in the mood. It's taken me this long to be in the mood to try this extremely popular somewhat new addition to the fantastic food scene in West Midtown. This is a large freestanding single level building. The ceilings are high and unbuffered so be prepared for energetic noise and don't go with people you want to have some serious conversation with. Go with people that want good food and enjoy the vibe. There are a very few non seafood dishes for your friends who don't like the bounty of the sea. Lots of attractive people at the tables and bars both. There are two bars. The entry area bar is limited (ie no craft cocktails but they have their own thing going on so be open to it). Naturally raw oysters are there to be had. Save room for the creative menu awaiting in the dining room. It bears noting the rolls brought to the table are an item that should be sold as a side order. Semi dense yeast rolls with a sprinkle of crunchy flake salt on top. Heck I'd like some with today's afternoon tea. Do you do take out orders, Optimist? My kryptonite, fried oysters, are on the menu. Unfortunately for the other starter items the oysters put temporary food blinders on me so you don't stand a chance. Smoked fish chowder came to the table too. The oysters were cormealy crunchy, not greasy but also not seasoned. I found myself looking for salt more than once even though I knew it wouldn't be on the table. The soup however had a wonderful delicate distinct flavor. A light chowder that is perfectly satisfying. Dinner entrees selected were striped bass with a fantastically citrusy lime broth. Herbacious and fresh is the best way to describe it. Duck fat poached swordfish caught my eye. A rather ballsy thing to do but hey why not poach your fish in duckfat? It need not be relegated to roasting potatoes only. (My jar of duck fat in the fridge needs to step its workload up now). My history of swordfish eating is not a pleasant one. It's ALWAYS been dry, flavorless and honestly just forgettable and certainly not worth the mercury intake. This dish was as if an imposter fish was in place of what I knew swordfish to be. A 2" thick piece of lush moist flesh that was cooked to a perfection I have not experienced before (nor expect I will again). Not even a whisper of gaminess that sometimes comes when duck fat joins to the party. I was impressed. I saw my beloved vegetable, beets, on the side menu and instantly ordered them along with the hushpuppies - beignet style!? what? sugar cane butter on the side too ? Oh heck yes. This is fantastically naughty. It hits your sweet salty addiction perfectly. The beets were small, cooked nicely and served chilled. I find chilled beets the best at showing off the sweetness while keeping the earthiness to a minimum. Another win for my tastebuds. Perfect service. Not too much, not to little. Just right. There is no mystery why the Optimist is so popular. Definitely returning, though I may bring a pinch of salt with me next time to better enjoy my oysters.
(4)Lilie T.
The atmosphere is great. It is a great place to take a date. I had the scallops and it was good. I enjoy my time there with my friends. I really like the mussels, the season is just right. The clams wasn't my favorite, it was a bit salty. The octopus was very chewy, I didn't enjoy that too much.
(4)E L.
My GOD. This is *IT*. This is, without question, the best restaurant I've been to in Atlanta so far (moved here about 9 months ago). I'll be real: I do wish they had more oyster variety. I think that is the only negative. Thank goodness for the wine list. Atlanta wine lists may be the worst thing about Atlanta--they usually put me to sleep (oh look, another big California Cab! Whoa--Malbec . . . gettin' fancy!). The Optimist (not so much at the bar, but in the restaurant) has an excellent and hip list worthy of cool and curious, not stuffy, fine dining. My cocktail-loving friend was equally thrilled. The whole pampano with shallots and peppers!!!!! You can't count on this because their menu (appropriately) changes all the time. Their appetizers are offered more consistently. They push the shrimp a la plancha (indeed delicious), but the octopus, sea-crab soup, and kale salad edge it out. Atmosphere -- perfect. It's like Walter's in Brooklyn only HUGE. If you don't know Walter's, The Optimist is gorgeous white tile. Love it. When you walk in the door, it's pretty nautical. Then, suddenly, it's not really anymore. It's gorgeous. Service was also perfect both times I went. This place made me happy to be in Atlanta.
(5)Andrew D.
The Optimist is attractive and energetic and conceptually pleasing. There were three of us and each ordered one of the beautifully described fish dishes including the monkfish, the yellow fin tuna and the swordfish cooked in duck fat. We also tried some mussels and oysters and finished with a very enjoyable frozen chocolate dessert. However, considering the prices, the portions were relatively meager and lacking any accompaniments...which were available for another $6-8 each. We had a round of drinks at the bar and one additional round at the table. I can't really complain strenuously about anything nor, however, can I say I was blown away. I don't mind spending for food and a unique dining experience but for over $250 I think a better fish experience can be had at Goin' Coastal in the Highlands for half the price.
(3)Andi' M.
This place is wonderful! I went yesterday, for lunch, and ordered the seafood gumbo and east and west coast oysters. It was heavenly. The gumbo was warm, fresh, perfect blend of savory spices. The oysters were chilled, you can't really go wrong with oysters. The staff was polite and friendly. The bartender was very helpful, prompt, efficient, made recommendations to accommodate my dietary restrictions. I will be returning with friends! I have a new favorite lunch spot!
(5)Amy G.
Underwhelmed. I went with a friend and we ate at the bar on a Friday night. Granted, they were busy but if it wasn't I'd have to wonder. After more than an hour of fighting for our bartenders attention to order wine and food we started getting quite annoyed when other patrons around us were being tended to more diligently. Finally a different bartender seemed to realize that we needed more help and did a great job of leading us to more courses and matching wine. Overall I thought the food was ok but not worth the money nor the fight for service. We ended up spending $160 for the 2 of us. Maybe I'll try it on a weeknight.
(3)Jon A.
First, I have to say how excited I am to be moving into this part of town. I'm glad that the restaurant scene in West Midtown continues to thrive. We decided to check out Ford Fry's new spot on Saturday evening. So glad that we did! The bar area and restaurant are very well done - the atmosphere is just the right vibe. We were quickly seated, the hostess briefly explained the menu, and we were off with our waitress. We had a round of cocktails/beer - I had the Old Salty Dog, a delicious combination of vodka, grapefruit juice, grape fruit bitters and a nice salt. Very refreshing summer cocktail! My other dining companions tried two other cocktails and an Aligash White, apparently the summer beer of choice. Everyone was satisfied...next onto the yeasty, warm, and salty dinner rolls. Holy crap...so delicious! APPETIZERS * East Coast Oysters * West Coast Oysters * Garlicky Tiny Clams and Pork Belly The oysters were fresh, briny, and delicious. They came with fresh shredded horseradish, a tangy mignonette, house made cocktail sauce and hot sauce. All fantastic accompaniments for the oysters. The clams and pork belly were a revelation. If the clams and pork belly were to get into a fight with the Angry Mussels from JCT Kitchen, the clams and pork belly have a bivalve up on the competition. We ordered more of those delicious yeasty rolls to sop up the broth. If you go, you must try these... MAIN COURSES * alaskan halibut, wood grilled hen of the wood, red wine fish bordelaise * wood roasted soft shell crab, pickled ramps, garlic broth * seared rare tuna, charred octopus & potato salad, harissa * fish & chips, ale battered haddock, malt vinegar aioli I tasted three of the above (minus the soft shell crab) and can honestly say I would order any of these again as an entree. They were each well-balanced, reasonable portion, and extremely well-executed. SIDE DISHES * corn milk hushpuppies, "beignet style," cane syrup butter - fun play on the traditional hushpuppy; the cane syrup butter made them incredible! * lobster butter gnocchi - heavenly! melt in your mouth heavenly clouds of deliciousness. DESSERTS * ice box pie (changes regularly - we had lemon Saturday night) - very light, layers of lemon meringue with lemon curd and a spongy cake; would order this again! * hot fudge sundae with grilled pound cake - yum; hot fudge, spicy peanuts...such a great dessert and nice play on salty/sweet. All-in-all, I have to say that Ford Fry has the hit mark with The Optimist. He was expediting on Saturday evening ensuring his first week went off without a hitch. I look forward to dining here again very soon!
(5)Edward B.
As far as I am concerned, it doesn't get any better than this. Everything I love about eating out is true of this place. The food is magnificent, they serve premium liquors, the bathrooms are spotless and stylish, the service is marvelous. The valet people know what to do. There is not question that it is pricey but one gets what one pays for.
(5)Mike B.
Celebrating my girl B day and this spot had been on her radar for a min. The spot is beautiful on the inside. All the lights are dim making it a perfect date spot. On to the food we started with a half a dozen of west coast and east oysters. The west are bigger but the east taste better. The two fish dishes we had halibut and swordfish and better were made to perfection. The a Cornbread beignet mix that were outstanding.
(4)Asma A.
I really wanted to love this place, but unfortunately, my experience was bad. We ordered the oysters (half east half west) and they were super salty and probably the worst oysters I have ever had. For appetizers I ordered the a la planche And that was great! Loved it! The only thing I really enjoyed there! Definitely a must try! Shrimp chowder --- that was also good. Lobster roll--- ???? When I saw this on the menu online I was super excited to come here and try this... The one thing I really wanted from here! But it did not meet my expectations at all... I have had lobster rolls before and this definitely did not make the cut, plus the bread (hoggie it was on) was super greasy (it was grilled but tasted like it was drenched in oil). As my side I did order the fish curry rice and that was surprisingly good. To top it off my glass smelled so bad! Obviously had some detergent deposit or something still left in the glass... And no it's not that only I smelled it, my friend with me also smelled it and as I was leaving I asked the server to also smell it and he agreed (but nothing was done). Even though the service was good the food was alright--- at least for lunch that is. I really wanted to love this place, but I couldn't :-/ I will be going back to try their dinner menu... lets hope its better... I really want to give this place a better rating
(2)Mary Ellen B.
I ate at the Optimist and found the food to be mediocre and a let down especially considering the hype I had heard and the price. The bar staff was rude and had no desire to serve me a beverage. I have this two stars instead of one because my waitress was awesome.
(2)Jean F.
Took my wife and daughter on 1/2/13 for dinner expecting something spectacular. The service was knowledgeable as expected. The cocktails he recommended were both original and subtle as was the white Bordeaux. The main course included fish and chips excellent and fluffy with overly salted shoe string fries, the scallops on pork were good and Georgia shrimp were ok but much too messy to eat. Starters of mussels, soup combo and fried oysters were disappointing. The desert, beignets and banana mousse were ok but nothing to write home about. Possibly an off night?
(3)Craig J.
Went last night for the first time on my daughter's recommendation, she nailed it-Outstanding! We started with the Lobster roll which was packed with big chunks of fresh lobster and just the right amount of sauce, certainly rivals what I get in Boston! We then moved on to the starters which were delicous! My wife had the Arugula salad and the littleneck clams-loved it! I had the spanish octopus and believe it or not the fried smelt, both dishes rocked! We finished with a lemon tart that was slap your momma good! Service was excellent and we will definitely be back so we can try the main dishes!
(5)Monica S.
So, not many restaurants open that often in Atlanta anymore due to "The Great Recession". That said, Atlantans flock to new restaurants the moment they open in desperate need for something new in their palate and (let's face it) to be a bit bourgeois, and claim they've "been there and done that". I am going to speak from two points of view. 1) from an event planner point of view as I had a private dinner for 15 last Thursday hosted at The Optimist and 2) from a normal patron,s point of view from my dinner with a few girlfriends celebrating a 30th birthday on a Saturday evening. To begin with, it's obvious The Optimist is a bit overwhelmed with the response they have received from the community. They haven't had a ton of corporations utilize their space, so their knowledge with food and beverage minimums and contracts are still being tailored as well as their response time (for Corporate America's point of view). However, AbbyKate (event manager), in the end winded up delivering as needed. The restaurant was flexible in my requests and constant change in numbers. AbbyKate also met with me unexpectedly the Saturday before my dinner to show me the space I had requested for my group and took the time to give me a tour of the space, which I greatly appreciated...especially considering how busy they were that evening. My internal client who the dinner was hosted for, thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere and the food (albeit it was a bit slow...but they are serving 15 people at once, so that's a little expected for a new restaurant...which is why they push to order from a tailored menu as opposed to a la carte). Now, for the review you are probably most waiting for - my personal experience. The valet parking was atrocious. The poor valet has to work with a woefully inadequate parking lot and tons of impatient, hungry people. That said, if you can cab it, do so and be dropped off on Howell Street, not in the parking lot as it's hard to turn around. We managed to get a resi at 9:45 PM (made four days prior) and they made great timing in having us seated 10 mins prior to our reservation. I was a bit apprehensive when they mentioned the air conditioning was not working to it's fullest potential, but at least they told us on the phone when confirming our resi and were fully apologetic about it. Aside from the TERRIBLE noise level (all concrete), I loved the place. I ordered the east coast oysters (half a dozen) with the shoe string fries. Their homemade crackers were delish as well as the perfect, fresh oysters I slurped down eagerly. Our waiter was incredibly knowledgeable with the menu and helped my friends make their orders. While the sticker price is on the high side...everyone agreed that their meals were beautifully presented and well worth the price. I think it's funny when people complain about the portion size, because the portion size is exactly what we SHOULD eat and is healthy amount of food, but definitely not a Chilli's or Outback restaurant portion (nor should it be). I'll be coming again, as I love the Westside, the restaurant staff's professionalism and service...and most importantly they have the best oysters in town.
(4)Jo R.
Great service, great atmosphere, food just okay. Was told by so many I would love this place. I was really disappointed.
(3)Michael C.
One of my favorites in Atlanta. The octopus is phenomenal.
(5)Ronald T.
Optimal Opiated Optimism. Overly Overt & Overstanding. Oh, Oh, Oh was this an experience. As one pulls into valet, you would notice the regaling sounds of live music behind the mock mini-golf course. 1 star earned. Greeted well, and since we were guests of Chef Adam's we were seated front row center, almost on display in front of the inviting Chef Stations. 1 star earned.The Restaurant space provided a very open, yet cozy seating arrangement. After ordering our 1st bottle of Red, Chef Adam came by to greet us, and ensure us our time taken to spend with him would not be in vain. 1 star earned. We ordered 2 starters and were served 4 it was clear our experience was clearly going to be unique. 1star earned. Another bottle of Red and our service now had surpassed stellar and entering magical territory. The staff was attentive and thoughtful, at first I thought it was bcuz we were special, but soon I noticed that everyone in the restaurant was special, and THAT was special. Then came the Entrees, this was the coup. We ordered the Whole Haddock and the delectable Monkfish. It was accompanied by a Chef personally selected Citrus Sol. Best Flat Fish I have ever had. Hush puppies confit. Speechless. Overall, just Magnificent. For one not easily impressed, I was thoroughly impressed
(5)Pravin M.
They were out of a lot of food when we got there. Being from chicago I had some high expectations for this place, especially after the write up in esquire magazine. So I was destined to be disappointed. We had the oysters, and they were pretty good. the salmon was average, the ahi tuna was sub=par the quality of the tuna was sub-par. The hus-puppies were good, and the wine list was good. Nothing exceptional, except the ambiance. I would go back if I had to, but I don't have to go back.
(3)Amy P.
I would go again, older but wiser. This was a trip in 12/12 and the menu has thankfully changed since. Firstly, it was deafeningly loud on a Wednesday night. Just know the space is more like an airplane hanger than not. It was our 8 year anniversary and I made that clear in the reservation. The staff didn't make any acknowledgment of it, but no big deal. Cocktails were solid and our waiter helped me find something new served 'neat' (b/c why truck with ice?). There were two major letdowns in a three course meal: the octopus starter (which our server removed from the check w/out our having to even ask) and the chocolate cassoulet. The octopus was so tough I couldn't chew it. The thing with cephalopods is you have to cook them a long time or no time at all, in between they are inedible. We suffered through, but our server saw our discontent and removed the item even after we told him not to worry about it. Props! The swordfish entree is still on the menu, and as expected was a very firm cut of fish. It was good but kind of 'no nonsense' in spite of its lofty accompaniments . The chocolate cassoulet dessert was so sweet, gloppy and rich that it will forever remind me of desserts at Applebee's in the 90's. Nostalgia and memory can play cruel tricks. I was quite jealous of my neighbor's ginormous portion of fish and chips. Though that seems like a pretty pedestrian staple, it's probably what I'll have next here because of the surefire execution and value. I'll also second the lack of a proper pedestrian entrance. We parked on the street and had some confusion about where to enter. Service at the table was perfect for how busy it was. The front desk was crowded and a little sloppy.
(3)J. D.
I really want to give them 2.5 stars... The atmosphere, build-out, concept and patio all add up to one very impressive space. I sat at the separate oyster bar and we ordered off the menu there. Our bar tender was cordial, but sort of very serious and was strangely quite personality-free. I ordered the peel-n-eat Royal Red shrimp. Royal Reds come from the deep waters of the Gulf and usually are only available in the coastal resort towns in the region). The shrimp served to me were not Royal Reds. They were also completely covered with about a cup of dry seafood boil spice mix over the top. I have never seen cold shrimp served like this. Not only was it impossible to peel the shrimp with all this mess, the flavor was overwhelmed by dry spice. We sampled some raw oysters at $2.50 or $3.00 each depending on East or West Coast source. That's expensive for oysters, even in land-locked Atlanta. We sampled the sausage stuffed squid body as well. It was stuffed with a very spicy sausage meat that completely over powered the squid. The thick remoulade sauce was a poor match and added nothing to the dish. Some other little tweaks here would be appreciated. For example the oysters were served with home made crackers, a nice touch but they were too sweet and didn't allow the oyster flavor to shine. Traditional saltines are a better match as the bland taste is the perfect foundation for the briney sea creatures. I also didn't care for the cocktail sauce, it was quite sour. The addition of the freshly grated horseradish helped a tiny bit, but raw horseradish is quite a powerful thing. We tried the blackberry crumble for dessert. It was a nice dish but the thyme ice cream on top ruined it. The spice added a weird contrast to the sweet berries. Again, a simple vanilla bean scoop of ice cream would have been just fine here. The atmosphere and vibe of The Optimist is a traditional New England fish house. In the coming days I hope the powers that be here work out the recipes to better match that tradition. Don't reinvent the wheel, honor it.
(3)Christy A.
This place is wonderful and excellent fish and everything else. I like going for lunch because dinner gets very loud or an early dinner. It really is a great place. Never had a bad meal here or any of my friends. It is on the pricey side but worth it. It feels like San Francisco or Napa. Great atmosphere and the servers are always good. Don't forget to try the shrimp appetizer with the come back sauce. Yum
(5)Rob B.
The Optimist opened only six days ago, so I think three stars is more than fair for a new restaurant. From the minds of JCT and 246 - the space is just as cool as you'd expect (the bar is even cooler than its predecessors). Service was what you'd expect for a young restaurant, but the food made up for it. Cocktail- Mother of pearl Refreshing gin on rocks with celery salt. Good but not great. Starters- Fresh homemade rolls Dozen oysters Angels on horseback The rolls and oysters were both winners. Oysters are on the pricy side, but you get the freshness that you deserve. This will be my preferred oyster spot from here on. Angels on horseback missed the mark. Too rich and unbalanced components. Maybe they can tweak this idea to pull off a better result. Mains- Snapper with vidalia onion broth Skate wing schnitzel Snapper was the fish replacing the normal grouper dish. Fresh but too simple. Skate wing was tasty. I would certainly order again.
(3)Denise D.
I so wanted to like tis place since oysters are my very favorite food in the entire universe and I adore JCT Kitchen so I expected the standards to be similar. Not so. Loved the space...hip, noisy and fun. Server Nicole was helpful though I seriously doubt she cares for seafood or either knew how bad it actually was here because she recommended the hamburger for our entree (not a good sign if you ask me). I am just sorry we didn't listen. Fried oyster appetizer came and the oysters were cooked well, but they were those HUGE GROSS chewy kind that you could cut into 4 pieces. Just nasty. The remoulade sauce was tasty. My daughter had also ordered the oyster loaf because we love oysters, but that went completely uneaten due to the caliber of oysters.So on to the fried soft shell crab sandwich. The menu should have stated ...comes with a huge handful of shredded carrots and cilantro that overshadow any taste of crab whatsoever, you might as well order cardboard. Gumbo had no crab...just more of those disgustingly chewy oysters and one shrimp. Roux was waaay too dark if that is possible so I am guessing this was the night before's dish. I will say that the french fries with malt vinegar aoili were delicious. That's it. I am sad because this place is half a mile from my husband's business and we love having lunch dates. It's back to JCT Kitchen and Canoe for quality. Trust me, go to Serpas' if you want a decent fried oyster. This is so not the place. The wine was good. Pricey,but good. The day you see me pay 40 bucks for a dozen oysters on the half shell is the day I give up eating seafood for good. saw the lobster roll. It is the smallest thing I have ever seen, but I also saw the burger and it did look good. I have no idea how it tastes. Spent quite a bit for lunch to only like the fries. Can't see myself even thinking about returning here.
(2)Sandra M.
We ate in the bar, as we usually do. Never a disappointment. It was more than delicious. Service is friendly and knowledgeable. Atmosphere is friendly, people actually talk to each other! Food is prepared right at the bar in a wood fire grill. Everything was wonderful!
(5)J'aime La Nourriture O.
Enjoyed the decor. Fish & Chips just OK. The plate was piled high with lukewarm fries and a HUGE portion of fish which was full on batter but bland tasting fish. Not a fan of the menu selection being driven by where you are seated in the restaurant. I will return, however I will not order the same entree again.
(2)Grant D.
I had a great experience at the Oyster bar at the Optimist. The scene, decor, and atmosphere were great. The octopus was amazing and I've been thinking about it since I ate it. I considered ordering it again immediately. The service was just ok, but everything else made up for it. I will definitely be going back.
(4)L M.
Loved, loved, loved this place. Great atmosphere, amazing food & our server, Sara, was fantastic. Our party of 4 ordered oysters that were reported to be delicious, fried long beans were amazing & the shrimp la plancha - was beyond amazing. The sauce that the shrimp comes in - well, I could just eat that with a spoon. Sara, our server, was very helpful and knowledgeable about the menu. Gave great suggestion, helpful in selecting oysters (discussed difference between east coast vs west coast oysters), great info about the entrees. So our table had grouper, mahi mahi, snapper & halibut. All were delicious - but mahi mahi was the favorite. Maple sweet potato side was super delicious. Field peas were good, not great. Dessert - apple buckle was amazing, banana pudding was the only misstep in ordering - too much whipped cream, not enough pudding/banana - just not worth the calories on that one. Cannot wait to go back here & will most definitely be back.
(5)Chandler V.
we really like this restaurant - we have been several times and the food is good and the service is good too - try the fish sandwich and the gumbo - the manager is friendly and seems to take care that all of his guests have a great dining experience - save room for the desserts too
(5)Bianca C.
Actually 3 1/2, I'll have to try again to bump up. Hubby and I started with the she crab soup and lemon anchovy salad. His soup had a piece of hair in it, despite that it was sort of promptly replaced with another which he loved, especially the shrimp toast. I didn't care for the soup. I think the salad needed a little more dressing especially more of the lemon vinaigrette taste. Entrees: I had the scallops with braised oxtail. Yummy! All around good flavors but no flavors were too overbearing. Hubby had the swordfish with puréed cauliflower. We both thought this dish was just 'meh', not bad, not great. Probably won't order that dish again. We shared a a side of the curried fried rice which was very good and incredibly spicy, which we were not warned about and the menu didn't say. We shared the apple crisp desert, comped of course along with the HAIRY soup (I didn't put up a fight for a larger part of the meal because my hubby wouldn't let me). The desert was so rich and yummy. The drinks were good. We will be back to try some stuff at the raw bar. Wait staff was nice. Food came out in a decent time frame.
(3)Karen M.
Amazing seafood dishes. The octopus starter is small, but spicy and paired with cubes of watermelon for the fire and ice effect. Fried long beans are good for a table to share. The place is really loud. Snapper entree was just the fish. It was good, but fish portions here are small so order a side if you want anything else with your fish. Rolls were great, although very salty. Would expand the wine list to include Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. Also allow lobster rolls to be sold on the dinner menu, not just the bar menu.
(5)J M.
Today was my first trip to The Optimist and I have to say, it is definitely worth your time and money to go. I went for lunch, and made a reservation on their website through a link to open table and highly recommend doing that, as they were full when I arrived on a thursday afternoon at 12:30. The restaurant is beautiful. bright, clean lines and open, light filled space.The staff is very pleasant and helpful. We didn't feel rushed at all-in fact, we had a 2 hour lunch and never once felt like the staff was trying to move it along and turn the table. I recommend the raw eastern oysters with house made hot sauce and house made wheat saltines for a starter. not only were they very fresh, but each oyster had been FULLY loosened from the shell for ease of consumption. the whitefish chowder was also very good and the gumbo is one of the best offerings. The lobster roll was fresh and airy-not slathered with tons of mayo like some other places tend to do. the lavender and lemon meringue with fresh honey comb was perfect for sharing and just delicious. Even the coffee was good, and that is saying a lot because in my experience, most southern restaurants serve exceedingly week coffee. it was bold and had a smooth finish. Allover, an excellent experience. I will be going back one night to visit the adjacent oyster bar where the menu had at least six different kinds of oysters on offer. As the warm weather comes, it is a great time to go because you can dine outside. they even have a mini putting green. The only drawback is the location-on howell mill road, right past star provisions, but directly across the street from the union st. mission. I felt a bit guilty coming out of the restaurant and walking through the banks of luxury cars in sight of the "working to eradicate homelessness" sign after paying $120 for lunch for two..other than that, a great time and worth seeking out.
(5)Lawrence C.
I've been here a few times, and yet apparently I never provided a review, until now. It's been one of our favorites in Atlanta, and we have fond memories of each dining experience. HOWEVER, regrettably, I must DOWNGRADE the restaurant to FOUR stars. Note that they started out as FIVE stars, years ago, when they first opened. The food is well presented (see photos), yet the portion size has decreased (I would have preferred a larger portion and higher price----or waiter to promote another appetizer instead of us getting one to share). We shared the Softshell crab for a starter, $16; and our mains were Wreckfish w uni butter, $26; Striped Bass, $26; side order of Snap Peas, $6.50. Dessert to share was the chocolate mousse cake, $8. The flavors are all well balanced and tasty, yet lack that WOW factor. The service is good, for the most part, but overall the wait staff is a little too relaxed and quick to move on (This was observed at numerous tables). The environment is average on summation; exceedingly noisy as a result of the tile flooring and high industrial ceiling, even when the restaurant is not full, as on this recent Saturday night. One of the two bars provides the effect of a wall on one side of the dining room. The spacious dining room with open kitchen in distance is a plus. There is a good selection of wines by the glass, at varying prices ranging from $9-$25.
(4)Michelle K.
This place gets better with every visit. We recently visited this beautiful restaurant to celebrate an anniversary. It was the place where we first met and we both thought it was fitting to return for a romantic dinner. My first impression of this restaurant was A. it's worth the drive to W. Midtown and B. their patio set up rocks! I was very pleased with the mussels appetizer during our first visit together and catching up over drinks by the tables near the bar is quite nice and a lot quieter than the main dining area. The bar here is so nice and I look forward to returning and just sitting at the bar while snacking on appetizers and enjoying one another's company. Dinner here was quite memorable. I had the grilled mahi entree and it was far better than I could've imagined. I rarely order fish entrees when dining out since I'm a major carnivore at heart but when I do, I have pretty high expectations. My fish was perfectly cooked, flavorful and the portion size was great. The boyfriend ordered the swordfish cooked in duck fat. "Duck fat" must make everything taste 10 times better because his swordfish just melted in your mouth! Highly recommended. I was intrigued by the "Gentle Reminder" cocktail because it had watermelon listed as one of its ingredients. One sip later, I was eager to share with my man because the combination of the watermelon puree and whiskey plus other ingredients that I can't remember right now, made my drink savory and sweet. Our dessert was the "hot dog bun" one with peach ice cream, blondie mini squares and toasted coconut flakes. Who knew that toasted coconut flakes would taste so good with ice cream?! It was pretty fantastic to say the least and this is coming from a non-dessert person. Service was fantastic so much so that I was very happy to leave her a nice tip. The main dining area is very loud on a busy night but the food is so tasty that you don't really mind it much. If you're bothered by such things, then I recommend asking for a table near the bar area. Not sure how that area is on a Friday night but it has to be quieter than the main dining area. After dinner, we spent some time lounging on the patio which outlooks their valet service and entrance to the restaurant. Between the comfy lawn furniture and hanging lights from the trees, it's the ideal romantic setting or relaxing ambiance when out with your friends. We both look forward to returning again soon enough to enjoy other menu items and of course the patio.
(5)Mark B.
I have been to the Optomist before and I apparently did not review. My wife and I went for our anniversary dinner. We arrived to a traffic jam. Right now with all the construction the valet parking is a mess! I hope it gets better because coming and going was quite a wait. There is also a $2 fee. We were seated promptly in a nice comfortable booth. The Optomist is lively and I must say a little loud. We ordered cocktails and oysters to start. The oysters arrived but they did not bring the correct number. They were OK nothing special. Also ordered the octopus, the server recommended the version that is served outside at the oyster bar. It was SO tender! Outstanding, the best I have ever had. The cocktails took quite a while to arrive. They just seemed so busy. That being said our server seemed to be rushing us. Next we ordered shrimp toast and a New England shrimp roll. The shrimp toast was flavorful with some fresh pickled items. The roll was not good. Nothing New England about it other than the bun. We decided to split the duck fat poached swordfish and short rib. The dish was good although it did now wow me as something really special like the octopus did. It was a good idea for surf and turf. All in all I enjoyed my first trip a couple years ago to the Optomist better. On that trip we sat at the oyster bar and hour waiting on a table inside. There are items and drinks that you can only get there such as the punch. It is open air and usually has entertainment. I also do not remember the inside being so loud. I am talking about the music and people. The dining scene on the Westside has gotten very trendy and hip. I am sure the Optomist has got to keep up. It just did not give me a feel of fine relaxed dining. The quality is there so it is definitely 4 stars but is is pricey. You hate to be rushed. It was a good meal and I would definitely recommend the Optomist for seafood.
(4)Nauman B.
Trendy eatery nestled in the heart of west midtown area. If food was the only criteria that makes a restaurant top notch then Optimist wouldn't make it on the best restaurants list in Atl but it's the whole package that certainly makes it among the best. Extremely friendly staff, trendy ambiance with a full bar that creates great cocktails. Great for a romantic evening or family/friends event.
(4)Kristie A.
One of my all time favorite spots and definitely the place to visit when you're in Atlanta! Second time in and it was amazing once again. I ordered the Lobster Roll and it was by far one of the best I've ever had, roll was perfectly toasted, small amount of celery and the lobster was stacked high on the roll in huge chunks!!!
(5)Karina B.
I am coming out of Yelp retirement to share what an amazing experience we had at The Optimist! Service was attentive & well versed in wine selection. We had several appetizers - oysters, Little Gem salad & charred Spanish octopus - all delicious. But the green curry mussels were outstanding! Seriously, you want to eat this. We could have made a meal out of this dish. Entrees were perfect! The seared yellowfin tuna was easily one of the best dishes we've ever had...and we know food. We suggest sharing starters and entrees so that you can also try the sides. We shared a perfectly seasoned tomato salad & wood roasted beets. One tip: skip the dessert menu and order the corn milk hushpuppies beignet with cane sugar butter instead.
(5)Laura W.
The Optimist unfortunately falls into the trap of being overhyped. For months now this is the only restaurant I've heard people talking about, tried a few times to get reservations, finally had to make one weeks and weeks in advance. It is a beautiful space- not unique or original but big and open and clean. Of course the place was packed with hipsters on a Saturday night. The one thing that was excellent was our server. Unfortunately I don't remember her name but she had brown hair and cool glasses- had kind of a quirky look to her. She was great! Food however was just okay. I did not get oysters, as much as I love them, I just can't bring myself to spend $3-$3.50 per oyster, especially when I know of a great place in Marietta where you can get a dozen for $9. The she crab "froth" was just she crab soup- was good but nothing special. I'm not sure what I was expecting with the fried smelt, but I think I was hoping for something really salty like anchovies and it just tasted like greasy fried fish with some kind of aioli for dipping. I wanted to love the octopus- heard it was great- it was spicy and really flavorful but seemed overcooked and something about the flavors was just off to me- I wish it had something sweet in there to balance out the flavors. I ordered the duck fat poached swordfish because it sounded amazing. It too was just okay- seemed a bit dry even. The best thing we had was the short rib- it was absolutely fabulous. I thought it strange that the best thing was this considering it is a FISH restaurant. Mexican hot chocolate for dessert was delicious but was only luke warm. Overall, it just seemed that everything was so HEAVY. I don't expect that when it comes to seafood. I want lighter dishes- maybe in the spring they will offer some of those. I would go back- for lunch or if someone else is paying- my husband and I spent $150- we can't afford to do that often. I don't mind spending that much on an amazingly memorable meal (like we had at Tomo in Buckhead) but for just an average dinner that is way too much. For seafood, I actually have had better meals and cocktails at Lure and as far as Rocket Farm restaurants I prefer JCT Kitchen over the Optimist. The Sunday night dinner we had at JCT recently (at only $24) was much better than the meal we had here, and I didn't leave there feeling broke.
(2)B. C.
Came for lunch and the service, ambiance and food were simply wonderful. I ordered the Gumbo and Lobster Roll (which I am normally not a huge fan of) at the recommendation of my server and loved both of them. Can't wait to come back and try the rest of the menu..
(5)ATL n.
Began this adventure with an excellent death's door gin martini, knowledgeable and great bartender, before being sat near the kitchen in the gorgeous indoor space. I had recently watched a video somewhere (daily candy?) on the renovation of this space, so was looking forward to checking it out. We had potentially the best server I've had in ATL -- extremely dry, hilarious jokes who was attentive and brought us some gifts from the chef (we may have just wanted to hang out with after though - fine line?). We started with a dozen oysters and a bottle of white recommended by our waiter, which was paired nicely. The whole experience was laid back luxury and I'll be sure to return... it even got me to 246 (finally) in Decatur which just deepened my love affair with the Atlanta culinary scene.
(5)Tammi D.
When you walk in this place, it is big and spacious, has an open kitchen, and a chic look to it...reminds me more of some NY or Chicago restaurants. The tables are not on top of each other, which is nice. I sat in a large spacious curved booth, which was really comfortable. Service was just okay. The yeast rolls that we started with were very good, and good bread is usually a sign of a good meal to follow. But for me, the food fell short. The charred octopus was very tough and chewy. The spicy shrimp were good, but be prepared to make a big mess, because they come entirely in their shell, including heads and tails. The sauce was tasty. The sweet potatoes were good, but full of butter...how could they be bad? The tuna was just not good...I've had way better tuna elsewhere. It came served as huge slabs of meat...and it just didn't taste very good. My friend got the black bass, and we decided to each try an eye. Yes, you read that correctly. It was a Anthony Bourdain moment. The fish was pretty good. They were out of the banana pudding so I tried the Apple buckle and chocolate mousse. Both were good, but not great. I'd probably go back more for the atmosphere than anything else.
(3)Neil P.
I certainly don't want to set expectations too high, but service at The Optimist (all three times I've been) has been outstanding, and the dining experience, on par with Woodfire Grill. The atmosphere is open and coastal, and there's a great outdoor space where you can even sit at a small table on the grass. While there have been kinks at times (server in training), I wasn't upset by the small inconvenience, as the more experienced server came in quickly to answer our question. The menu offers a great selection of local and in season options, both surf and turf. And the wide selection of side orders come in portions easily shared with dinner companions; each seem to pair well with most of the entrées. The oysters are the best I've had in Atlanta, rivaling The Octopus Bar. And wait... hot towels when I finished my peel-and-eat shrimp? What? Loved that. The deserts are light and inviting after diner. The first time I went (alone), I was really pleased when the server practically read my mind, offering a cup of coffee to finish off my experience. I'm definitely looking forward to going again.
(5)Megan R.
The octopus was the greatest thing I have ever had!! Only 14$ there was not 1 thing we didn't like.
(5)Helen K.
Went for lunch today and although you can definitely tell that the seafood is very fresh, I might have had too high of expectations that I was little underwhelmed. However, I hope to go for dinner and hopefully re-update my review with additional stars. Located near all the eateries on howell mill area, the location, restaurant decor, and ambiance was very nice. We started off with the oysters, both the East coast and the West coast and overall preferred the East coast and felt the West coast oysters a bit fishy. On the plus side, the house made crackers to eat with your oysters were pretty delicious. For entree, we had the lobster rolls since this was only available during weekday lunch menu. Despite my love for lobster rolls, this was not my favorite. I thought it had too much of the sauce/mayo and didn't really taste refreshing compared to the one that I had in Washington DC, which tops in my books at the moment. However, the sides were amazing, which gives me high hopes for the dinner menu. Hush puppy beignet was to die for and the shoe string fries were very flavorful. Overall, I would not recommend the lobster roll and I hope to find other entrees that meets my tastebud here.
(3)Jillian A.
A dear friend of ours came into town from Chicago on a visit. Right off the plane we ask what he's in the mood for. He calmly replies "seafood". I have been jonesin' to come to the Optimist. He abides. What awaited us was far beyond my expectations. We'll start with the fact that we were without a reservation on a Thursday night and expected that we might wait. Luckily for us, seating at the incredibly charming oyster bar was available. Our waiter promptly came to us and took our drink orders. Considering we were newbies to the experience, we asked our waiter for his opinion on how to order. He recommended that we all agree on an appetizer and agree on three meals that we can share amongst each other. We came to the consensus that we would start with the Charred Spanish Octopus, then we would order the Fish & Chips, the Grouper, and the Duck Fat Poached Swordfish. This is the best decision ever made. I am a fan of octopus just based on the experiences I have had with sushi. Knowing what I now know about how it's suppose to taste has ruined octopus for me in these familiar settings. You can cut the octopus with a fork at the Optimist. Enough said. Everything we had was my favorite, but if I had a favorite over all favorites, the Duck Fat Poached Swordfish is the winner. It was so tender that it melted in my mouth. I've had swordfish before, but not swordfish like this. It was fresh and enjoyable until the very last bite. The grouper was meaty and refreshing. The Fish and Chips are easily the best that you will have in this city. It sounds silly considering it's a fairly average item on many menus throughout the world, but I would be hard pressed to find a place that did it so right. Finally, we were sold on dessert. We indulged in the Maple Ice Cream Sandwich and the Banana Cake. The Banana Cake was easily the victor among the two, but don't discount the ice cream sandwich. The pumpkin butterscotch cookies that create the sandwich are excellent. If I had a complaint, it would be that I can't see myself venturing back anytime soon due to the cost. However, you DEFINITELY get what you pay for and I will never discount that when it comes to good food, good friends, and good vibes.
(5)