Dori A.

Solid brunch with something for everybody. They have all the basics, with some twists that bring it home. I love the smoked turkey breast strips with breakfast. I like protein in the morning and it is really hard to find a lean and tasty one like this. The wheat biscuits are another nice touch. I hadn't been in a while and went this morning, ordered a la carte, and was really happy with my meal. Made me want to go home and yelp! My only turn offs are the wait and the lack of booze (at least a little champagne would be nice). We were there just after 8 and it had filled up immediately, so we had minimal wait. But, it is rare that I am up and ready to eat at 8 am on a Saturday. I saw where they are opening a new location in west midtown and hope that opens up more seats at the Edgewood location. We'll see...

Coley W.

Thumbs Up is one of the area's top brunch spots. Lines are looooong on the weekends and on sunny weekday afternoons. But the food is worth the wait.

Andrea M.

I absolutely love this place!!! I eat breakfast here very often and my friends from out of town are HOOKED!! Everytime they visit we eat breakfast here. The prices are reasonable the chicken sausage is to die for and service is actually very good considering how busy they always are! Most times you do have to wait for a table but its well worth the wait. Also for those that don't know u have to pay in cash so make sure you hit the ATM before you get there if not they have one in the restaurant!

Amber M.

-1 star for freezing temperature in the diner +4 stars for a solid breakfast, great coffee, friendly near telepathic service and rich menu. On the advice of a fellow Yelper I tried Thumbs Up Diner mid-week rather than on a busy weekend morning. I was STAR

Tiana M.

OMG, the food, the food, did I say the food! I went here to catch up with a girlfriend on Mother's day. I ordered the Greek scramble, no eggs substitute tofu, and a side of veggie sausage. She ordered the veggie bagel and some other southwestern style plate with spuds, guacamole, salsa, sausage and more. I sampled her veggie bagel which came with fresh red onion, cream cheese, feta cheese, and pepperoncini...YUM YUM YUM!!! My Greek scramble was also terrific and I added fresh jalapenos on the side to give it an extra kick! The service was not that great as our server never came back to check on us and we had to 'find her' each time we needed more water or anything extra. Otherwise the place was clean, and the food was awesome. It's on Edgewood and it's a diner so not the best ambiance, but what do you expect? I'd go back in a heart beat, especially for to go. Please be advised that they don't accept debit or credit cards though...cash only!

aimee l.

best diner around. they're fast. they're consistent over the years. they're delicious!

Nia W.

My favorite Breakfast Place in the World...i discovered it when i first moved to Atlanta to attend college..not sure if my uncle took me first or the guy i was dating at the time but i always heard about it..and then i finally went one sunday morning...and yes it was super crowded but its well worth it. The service is amazing...the people are so friendly..its on a cute and quiet corner in the Edgewood neighborhood. Love their Buckwheat Pancakes...i always recommend it to people when they head to Atlanta. Just got back atlanta yesterday it was must on my list of things to do in Atlanta. Great place, great food...good service... but the wait is kinda long especially on Sundays....but well worth it.

Joi M.

I love this place... cool location... great food. This is the type of restaurant that you go for brunch after a night of drunkenness or a long night of parties. You will run into local ATLiens, cute guys, or just cool hip people in general. Great breakfast food and the fried potatoes are to die for. Great wait staff. The East Point location is cool too.

Lindsay T.

WOW! Everything was good but DON'T miss out on the pancakes! They were out of this world. We order 1 for everyone to share because we each order a full breakfast on our own, we ended up fighting over the pancake. We had to wait about an hour but it was well worth it. My boyfriend is a breakfast snob, he usually only eats homemade syrup, and he said it was the best he'd ever had. Don't miss out!

Jaymes H.

chicken n waffles. yup, that hit the spot. cures all ur hungover roadtrippin needs.

stacey h.

Pretty good. Was good food for the price and my daughter was happy, which means it had to be good cause she is picky

Julie C.

what is going on? all of my normal hotspots are letting me down. i am a die hard thumbs up fan.....they are normally my go to breakfast spot....the only other place i crave is the cafeteria at piedmont hospital, cuz where else can i get two pancakes and three pieces of bacon for under 3 bucks? but still....this last breakfast at thumbs up has me boycotting this location for sure. i got an omelette....chicken sausage, goat cheese and tomato. thought omelettes were supposed to be light, fluffy and yellow.....not thick and BROWN. bleech. everyone else that ordered with me had the same brown eggs. where is the love thumbs up? my goat cheese was just a thumb sized hunk of cheese jammed inbetween either side of my omelette, and the chicken sausage ended up being about 6 rough hewn chunks of dry leathery meat. i hate to give them up....but i think its thumbs down for edgewood and marietta st. all the way.

J. D.

This is a great little diner in the middle of a gentrifying neighborhood. As a general rule I stay away on weekend brunch hours, the small restaurant cannot handle the crowds or volume of food served. The mostly home style comfort dishes are pretty good. I suspect part of the popularity here is that the place is truly independent and not another slick, clean, and modern franchise or chain. Although other locations are planned, so hopefully they will hold on to the original's charm.

M P.

pretty amazing place. We showed up with a group of 6 at lunch time and it took a while to get seated - but the waiter kept us amused and updated while he finished up other tables. Food was great - vegetarian options in Georgia!! - and everyone found something they liked. Big portions for not big prices. Definitely will return next time I'm in the area.

duane m.

While the food is pretty good, I am not the biggest fan of breakfast food; which leads me to my rating. Um, the wait is, let me see how to say this nicely... FOREVER!!!! We waited 2 full hours for Brunch. That's right... 2 full hours!! NOTHING is that good. While what I got I was definitely pleased with, I don't see myself going back because the wait was so insane. To top it all off, our waitress was kind of rude, and gave us a snide look every time we asked for something. I am sure that there are people that will swear by this place... I am one who will swear at it.

P H.

Good place with a nice vibe and some very delicious Catfish for breakfast. We must have been lucky because there was no line and we sat right down friendly service and delicious coffee.

c. l.

YESYESYES!!!!!!!!! ok to sum up Thumbs Up: Good-good food. GREAT-GREAT prices. Friendly staff (most of the time)... Seriously, you can have a FULL breakfast meal for under $6-7... so for first-timers, you could start with the pancake, regular (there's a healthier buckwheat one, but it tastes just a lil' too healthy for me... howEVER, my "healthier" friends swear by it)... then there's my absolute favorite menu item: CHICKEN SAUSAGE LINK.... oh YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! loves it... the eggs are made to order (and they REALLY make em exactly how you ask for it)... the french toast is delish too. It's MASSIVE, so don't be greedy and order 2... just start with one, and when you SEE how LARGE it is (plate-sized), you'll thank me for my wisdom;-)... then there's the Catfish... farmraised. battered and fried up... very well-seasoned... you can't go wrong here... And of course there's a "dinner" menu that boasts a BIG-FAT-HEARTY burger with fries... impeccable diner cuisine;-)... On the many occasions that I've dined at Thumbs Up, I don't think I've ever seen anyone spend over $12... and that $12 was more-or-less a 3-course breakfast;-)... Cons: the line can be redicules at times and they don't accept reservations... but it is SO worth the wait... they also won't seat incomplete parties, so make sure your folk are PUNCTUAL! ... and IF at all possible, ask to be seated in Cavanique's section... best waitress EVER... her job is actually an artform;-)... final CONs: they close at 3pm and it's ca$h only, but there's an atm on site...

Brittni B.

Really amazing food. My fiance and I traveled to Atlanta for his birthday and we ate here every morning. I am happy his family member suggested this place.

Jola Z.

Great place! I live very close, so decided to check it out since I kept reading about it as one of the best breakfast places in Atlanta. I decided to order a take out. I was there in 15 mins and the food was ready (it was a week day). I ordered The Skillet Heap ($7.69) with additional ham ($1.69). It was very good. The potatoes are great, but I wish they would peel the potatoes though. I kind of had to do it myself while eating because I don't like the skin. Then I ordered the Basa Catfish Fillet ($4.99) which was huge and very good; grits ($1.69)- good, and ham, egg, and cheese on a white toast ($3.98)- also good (maybe the bread needs to be toasted a little more). The next day I ordered shrimp and grits ($11.49) with the cajun seasoning on the side because I can't eat spicy food. They were good!! Overall I like the place a lot; people working there are very nice. The restaurant is cash only, but they have an ATM ($2.50 fee- didn't have to use it, but asked in case I need it in the future). I wish the place was open longer than 3 P.M. because I could eat breakfast all day long :) Thank you, Thumbs up!

Vicki N.

This review is not based on their food. Sunday brunch was definitely hectic, and I understand wait-times can be long (45 minutes), but I was confused as to why other groups were being seated before us even though we came before them. It wasn't really a matter of # because those groups had 3-4 while my group had 3. We even said yes for the countertop tables (if any were available), and a 3-person group, who arrived well after us, were seated at the countertop a full 15 minutes before we decided to leave. There was also a woman next to me who was extremely impatient because she had been waiting an hour. I recommend steering clear of here during weekend brunch.

Dalton S.

The food is delicious. All locations serve up the best breakfast ever. However, it's a pain to get into in the weekends. Tip: get there early or eat a snack if you're hungry. There will be a wait. Cash only.

Thea M.

Gotta give it A FIVE! Two "Thumbs Up"! I tried the French toast for the first time. It was SO GOOD! Also had catfish, side of spuds and grits (don't judge me... I was hungry). Everything was delicious!

Wayne W.

Walked in and it was extremely packed. People were standing outside and inside the place. I ended up sitting at the bar which was cool. I could've sat down earlier but I didn't want the seat closest to the door so I let an older woman go in front of me. I ordered turkey bacon, eggs with cheese, grits, and a piece of french toast. All was good. The only reason I didn't give this place 5 starts is because they don't have fried chicken wings for the chicken and waffles combo only smoked. Other than that, I could appreciate the fact that they realize everyone doesn't eat pork or red meat. That's fantastic! My waitress was very cool and took care of me. The meal was priced decent. Had to make a trip here after everyone said this was the place to eat breakfast. Glad I knocked this one off the list! Remember to sign in when you first walk in and also to bring cash because it is a cash only restaurant unless you want to be at the mercy of their ATM located on site! Cheers!!

Zewditu D.

I have been to a couple of the Thumbs Up Diner locations by this point. Overall, what I like about them is that the food is definitely quality diner food at a great price point. We went on a Sunday and boy was there a wait (apparently this is typical). This diner/location is very popular apparently. There is some lot parking, but you may have to park on the street depending on how busy it is. I usually do not order french toast at restaurants because they tend not to cook it right (imho), so I order pancakes. Add on eggs, grits, bacon. The food is great and the service is just fine. Now that I live on this side of town, I expect that I will revisit multiple times.

Kelly G.

CASH ONLY. Atm inside if necessary. Very homely interior, classic diner space. Booths, tables and counter seating alike. Great portions - had an omlette (w salmon, spinach and cream cheese) with the biscuit. Was stuffed by the end of the meal! The jam/compote thing was dense and perfectly sweet. Free coffee refills. Staff was attentive and friendly. Parking was easy for an early Mon morning breakfast, but I can easily see it getting packed.

Suzanne W.

This place gets 4 stars because of the service alone... Which is pretty good btw. As for the food.. It's a 3 Before I get into food... This is a CASH ONLY place... But fret not... There's an ATM inside that only charges bout 2 bucks. The signs are everywhere... Yet... My nonobservant ass missed them all. Haha. Luckily, my friend pointed it out. Ok... Back to the food. I orders the chicken strips and waffles with a side of cheese grits. I didn't enjoy the grits as much.. May be the cheese they're using.. I don't know. As for the chicken strips... They were dry as heck. The waffles and eggs were perf. Although I had those two indifference's.. I'd go back. The food, atmosphere, and workers there were all very comforting. No idea why... But it just felt so homey. So.. Yeah.. I'd definitely go back.

Chrissy P.

Thank you Cameron for a making our first experience Amazing. We will be back for sure.

Frank S.

This became a "goto" place for me on my recent longer say in Atlanta. great options, heavy on old charm and a welcome feel from the rocken staff. They have daily specials on the board as you walk in. But except to wait on weekends for breakfast - but well worth the wait.

Jodie P.

OMG!!!! Words would be remiss in its ability to describe how amazing the food and service is here. They've mastered it!

Scott T.

Some of the best (and heaviest) blueberry pancakes I've ever had. Also had bacon, eggs, and fresh OJ - all great. We went at 10am and didn't have to wait very long, maybe 5 minutes. But when we left the line was much longer, probably closer to 20-30 minutes. Great food and well worth a 10-15 minute wait. Service was great.

Ashley H.

This place is absolutely TO DIE FOR! First of all, my friend and I were staying in Atlanta for the weekend for a dance conference. I'm an Atlanta frequenter and had somehow never heard about this wonderful place. We went for lunch on a Saturday, I got the skillet heap with bacon, zucchini, cheese etc. If you look at my picture and your mouth doesn't water, something's gotta be wrong! Haha. So that was so delicious, along with toast and orange juice, it was a great and I mean GREAT start to my busy afternoon. We were actually in a hurry that day, and our waitress was not only fast but so nice and full of warm welcomes and hospitality. We went back the next afternoon, and the only thing different was the crowd and the fact that this time my friend and I opted to share a piece of French toast... A single piece is huge!! I am guilty of getting the same dish though on Sunday, I could not resist. And I normally don't ever get the same thing anywhere. It was possibly the greatest diner food I've ever had the pleasure of eating. I've been back twice now, and have every intention of going back. This is definitely a hidden gem for the locals. It's normally pretty packed on Sunday's, but nothing outrageous. If you're looking for "quick" just don't go on a Sunday. (P.s.-it was so good that even though there was a 5k race ensuing on Sunday while we were trying to get down that particular road, we had to wait 30 minutes just to get to a parking place. That's how pumped we were about eating there again!) Hope this is helpful! I recommend 110%.

A-V H.

Quickly got upset with myself for this being my first time here. Breakfast was excellent. Service was quick and friendly. Cant wait to go back!

Lisa D.

Love the service. The food is always great. The staff makes you feel right at home. The prices are good too. I send or take all of my friends.

David H.

This thumbs up location really needs to learn to follow the wait list and stop seating people based on how much they complain. I witnessed two parties come in well after us with the same number of people and get seated before us. After waiting for 45 minutes we finally left. The food looked good that I saw there but wasn't about to give them my business.

Patty A.

I really enjoyed this place. THe Staff accommodated our group of 9 pretty quickly. I ordered 2 of the specials for that day. For me the strawberry French toast with a side of 2 sunny side eggs and for my son the banana pecan pancakes. I was so glad I only ordered 1 slice of the toast because it was really big. I absolutely loved it. It was soft and delicious. My sons pancakes were amaze balls! Loved the taste of the pecans in there. Coffee was great and service was fast and friendly. Place looked clean and the bathrooms were very well maintained. The food got there pretty quickly considering we were a large group. The only thing I didn't like is that it is a cash only place however, there is an ATM conveniently located in the back by the bathrooms that charged us a small fee to withdraw.

Kenneth S.

Parking was a little tricky but totally worth it. Service was great, food came out fast, and was delicious!

Racheal M.

I had the eggs w/ cheese, a pancake, applewood bacon (which was the most delicious bacon I've ever had at an restaurant) and 3 whole smoked chicken wings. I give the food a 5 but the entire time I was there flies were flying and 1 even landed on my pancake. Other than the flies flying I would recommend this place!

Fee A.

I fell in love the first time I went here and must say that everything from the fish and grits to the chicken and waffles are delicious. The staff is very friendly and aim to please. I can honestly say this is the spot to go to when you're looking for some good eating with a southern hospitality environment. The only thing I object to is that the business does not accept electronic payments. So make sure to carry cash or use the ATM on site. I give Two thumbs up!!!

Sharron H.

While waiting for our table we was looking at the menu and I was getting more and more excited about eating there. I must say the excitement quickly went away once I started to eat. 1st I would like to say my Husband enjoyed his food (The Skillet Heap) and he had no complaints, he gives it a Thumbs Up!! On the other hand me I can't say the same. Ok, 1st the water tasted like sink/river water!! My catfish was over cooked and not seasoned, the potatoes was horrible under cooked and had no season....guess it's a rule they have NO SEASONING on the food. My grits was not mmmnnn good. But with all that said my waffle was GRRREEEAAAATT!!!!! If I'm in town again I will definitely give them another chance and order something else, the menu is so big I'm sure I will find something I like!!!

Tracy W.

I went here on a mid-morning to get some breakfast and try and to patch things up with the __! I know right...and I must say...he maybe back in because the breakfast was Oooooh sooooooo goood! Yup, thats all it takes ..is a little QT time and Food...and you back in like flinn...hehehehe.... I had the veggie omelet (just was not in the mood for meat-don't get me wrong I will eat a piggie in a min....lol!) but the veggie was prefect and he had the waffles..I did get a taste of that and it was ooooh sooo good as well...thick & rich...both dishes came with a side of fresh fruit and fresh squeezed OJ or juice of your choice. I went on a Sunday and it was a mid-to-high crowd. The wait was not very long, maybe we just lucked up. We grab a table outside to enjoy the light breeze before this ATL hott hits my curls! HA! Thumbs Up was pretty cool...

Jeff M.

I love breakfast. I've gone here several times, and I still don't get it. The food is pretty good, but not anything earth-shattering. Often crowded. Long wait. Not the best neighborhood. If you want breakfast, there's nothing wrong with this place. If you want an awesome or great breakfast, look elsewhere. This place is aptly named, if based on a two-thumb rating system.

steven c.

I feel like Atlanta has become a Flying Biscuit town. Me, I'd take Thumbs up any day. The Heap is the best breakfast deal I've found. Served on a skillet, it's hard to finish for $5.95. Cream cheese special, amazing as well. I don't think you'll walk out of here saying, "wow this food is so much better." But if you come back a handful of times you'll see what I'm saying. Although it is now a chain, it still has character. The waitstaff and cooks all have nicknames for each other, and when their shift is over they all eat the food. If that doesn't say anything, then I don't know what does.

Lesly S.

Apparently there are some people in this world who were allowed to grow up without ever having grits, and I've made it my mission to put an end to it. Since I seem to work with most of these people, I threw them all in a car and drive them to Thumbs Up for a huge bowl of cheese grits, STAT! Fried catfish and grits. Are you kidding me? I've turned this meal into a ritual everytime I'm in Atlanta, which isn't nearly enough now that I know about Thumbs Up. A few years ago on recommendations from a concierge and a friend I tried it with family, and we still talk about it. There is always a wait, the staff is mostly nice (sometimes snarky) but for me, its all about that amazingly deliciously fried fish (so light and not greasy I can hardly stand it), with some grits on the side, and that big cup of half coffee/half hot choc. with whipped cream. And yes, my colleagues are now grit fans. My work is done until the next time.

Roxie H.

Favorite Breakfast spots of all time! Tasty cat fish and grits. Get there early if you can though. A little busy but worth the wait! Haven't found a spot yet that can out shine them...so 2 THUMBS UP!

Falicia G.

No thanks! This spot didn't do it for me. My stomach woke me up begging for breakfast so I headed here because of the rave reviews. We were expecting a wait because the parking was packed. We were told 30 to 40 minutes but ended up waiting for more than an hour. When we asked the hostess about how much longer it would be she said she "looked" for us but didn't see us so gave our table away! WHAT?!?! You're restaurant isn't really that big (my apartment's bigger) and you didn't see me? C'mon now! You can't mess with my food. I was about to BITE her, I was so hungry. After she realized her mistake she told us a table was opening up soon and it'd be 10 minutes. We waited another half an hour only to get up and leave because she never sat us. Arriving at a restaurant and waiting for a table is not uncommon. But, waiting nearly 2 hours to eat and watching people who arrived after you get seated is incredibly annoying. I will not be going back and I don't recommend you do either. It's just not worth it.

Peter K.

The food here in one word is superb. On my first visit I had the Yukon omelet with smoked salmon, spinach, and cream cheese. The flavors are delicate and work perfectly together. Don't forget to order a side of their home made biscuits, flaky and fresh. On a subsequent visit to the west mid-town location I had the chicken & waffles. The dish comes with 4 golden chicken tenders and a waffle, in other words, foodgasim. Be prepared to pay with cash as they do not accept check/credit cards, also expect very long waits during the weekend rush.

Yeme T.

I have yet to try a stand out dish here. I get my usual eggs and french toast. It runs be about $5 which def is not bad. This place is always crowded. And dont even think about getting in and out on the weekend during breakfast hours. Food is consistant in taste and pricing is reasonable.

David P.

Our service was terrible. We waited forever and then I politely told the waiter we had a meeting and were in a hurry. Then we waited forever. Had to get the food to go. The food was ok but by then the experience was ruined.

Sarah T.

The fact that I can walk to Thumbs Up Diner, but I choose to get in my car to drive and wait in line at Flying Biscuit, or Radial is proof that this place isn't as memorable as it's immediate competition. I've had two good meals here, but nothing too outstanding. Pretty standard. The service was great, and I love the Fourth Ward location, but it's just not a favorite breakfast spot of mine; what can say? I'll definitely give it another chance though...

Cloe G.

This is my FAVORITE breakfast spot!! I love the food here. Everytime I have gone I have had to wait something like 20 mins or more but its sooo worth it. Not to mention the prices are great. The only thing is you have to pay with cash and it your not a regular the atm gets you on a $3 service fee. wth?!!!

Brittany S.

The best French Toast I've ever had in my life (Besides mom's of course :) They lose a star because of the wait (1-2 hours), but after I got my plate, all was forgotten (Plus you can go shopping at Laced Up or P Valentine boutique right across the street while you wait). My cousin made her own omelette and got turkey, but I think she was under the impression that she was going to have turkey sausage meat and not white turkey meat. She didn't really like it. My mom ordered the salmon and goat cheese (I think it was goat cheese) omelette; she loves weird food. But I tried it and it was really, really good. On a nice Sunday after church (or any other day for that matter), I definitely recommend Thumbs Up. Just make sure you have the whole day ahead of you.

Heddy K.

Extremely popular breakfast joint, very much NY style diner. The coffee is killer (but I'm biased). I always order omeletes and they are BIG and tasty. They do serve a good lunch and a good lunch option if you work in downtown. They don't take credit cards, so be sure to take cash.

Ron R.

The pancakes Jacinta served me were as sweet as her... Warning! If youve got "The Sugar" do not order these....They will put you in a happy coma...... Everyone was friendly and attentive....

Mrs. T M.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!! The food was excellent! Best cheese eggs I have had to date!!!! Definitely a thumbs up!!!

Kevin A.

All atmosphere. I'm not quite sure why this place keeps packing in customers. I've been there four times now, and none of the visits was anything to write home about. (It's one of those places where I'm disappointed every time, but I keep going back because I assume that all those other people must know something that I don't.) The food wouldn't be bad if it was a cheap, dirty diner with no wait, but I expect a little more out of a place that looks like this. I keep trying omelettes, and I keep getting something that resembles leathery fried eggs mixed with vegetables. The Southern breakfast fare hasn't been too hot, either. Biscuits are just passable, and the grits were obviously cooked with little or no salt. (Which is fine if you're used to Cream of Wheat, but they're not Southern grits.) If you factor in having to wait an hour for this, I'd give them something closer to two stars. I hate being odd man out, but I don't see what the big deal is with this place. There are other breakfast places that do a better job.

Byron J.

Good food, friendly service, didn't have to wait too long though I heard it gets packed as the day goes on. I'm a fan and I'm coming back next time I'm in the ATL; even though they are cash only - there's an ATM in the back by the restrooms.

J C.

On my first visit to Thumbs Up the first thing I thought was...what are all these people doing outside? Then I realized they were waiting in line. For a diner? What the...man, let's go to Flying Biscuit or something!... After being convinced to be patient (I was HUNGRY) I began to look at the crowd and realize...these are BEAUTIFUL people. Something about the locals that frequent that spot...not just beautiful as in stylish & trendy kind of way but people (especially the ladies) who are very comfortable with themselves and others. People watching helped pass the time and running into Laced Up across the street. We got in and sat at the bar. I ordered the Catfish and grits with a sweet tea. I wanted to run back there and slap all the cooks-that stuff was sooooo good. My wife got the french toast...fluffy, thick and also ridiculously good. On top of all that, the bill only came up to, like $20. Now every out-of-towner who wants to hook up for breakfast gets escorted to Thumbs Up. It's so gratifying to see them make the same revelations as I did the first time around. Good food. Good people. Happy JC. Peace.

Nikolai C.

Good, but still overrated. Why do so many people want to wait in line for an hour for what is essentially simple breakfast food. I like it just as much as anyone else, but I think people are trying to come to see the occasional celebrity. The prices are still decent if you're not in the mood for making breakfast/brunch but I can make the same things at home. It's worth a look for a visitor though. As for locals, make your own stuff and spend time at home.

Vy A.

There's something enjoyable about going to a place on a lazy weekend morning and waiting in line for breakfast with newspaper in hand. I like this place, and although I will admit they lack in consistency, it is my favorite breakfast diner in Atlanta. The staff is lively. There is one guy there who works behind the counter who makes the best cheese grits, but I haven't seen him in a long time. I'm a fan of this place, although I will warn that the food hasn't been as good as it used to be. Great prices but bring cash.

VeraLee V.

Breakfast items are very good. Southwestern Eggs, with black beans and fresh pico in a tortilla, are especially well done. They make their own fruit preserves, which are outstanding and go great on their whole wheat biscuits. They also smoke their chicken and turkey themselves. The smoked chicken salad is delicious, either in a melt sandwich or as a build-your-own blue plate over a green salad. The fried catfish tacos are the best fish tacos I've had anywhere. If you don't want to wait, then come at off-peak hours. And the all cash thing isn't a big deal-- there's an ATM on the premises if you forget.

Malloy M.

Epic food and a great price!

Robert M.

As I sit here on a Sunday morning with a bowl of cereal in front of me, I am longing for the Thumbs Up Diner. This is the only place I will ever wait in line for breakfast food in Atlanta. Want to make some money? Open up a decent breakfast place in Atlanta because we seem starved for them, a line everywhere. Anyway, put your name on the list and expect to wait upwards to an hour depending on when you arrive. Hint...if you are not snobbish about sitting at the counter, your wait will be a lot shorter. Personally, I like meat products in the morning. Steak and eggs, pork chops and eggs (Waffle House), you name the meat product, I'm good to go for breakfast. At Thumbs up, I get the Steak and Eggs and I subsitute the hash browns for a bowl of grits. I feel these are the best grits in Atlanta, they aren't runny! Then, you also get a biscuit to complete your meal. I love their biscuits too, I think the Flying Biscuit is way overrated. Bring cash or use their ATM in the back, no credit cards here my friends.

A L.

The food was solidly decent diner breakfast food, which is exactly what we wanted. But honestly, given the ginormous crowd and the time we'd waited, I kind of expected my breakfast to come dripping with liquid gold. So that's kind of that: it's a perfectly decent, even GOOD brunch place that we probably won't frequent very often because we're impatient. And the limited hours pretty much guarantee that the only times we'd be able to go will be the crazy-crowded times.

Maura N.

I really like this place a lot! Yeah, there are some issues that need addressing but for the money, there isn't a comparable restaurant in the Decatur area. I've heard Thumbs Up gets a thumbs down when it comes to service and I can't understand that at all. Every time I've been there with my wife, we've been greeted right away and served quite soon after that. I think the portions could be a lot bigger for what you pay for but the quality of the food sort of offsets that. The pancakes and waffles are fan-flipping-tastic, the biscuits are huge and tasty (if somewhat dry), the homemade preserves are... oh my goddddd! GREAT, in other words! They make their own homemade pickles (Yum!) and their lunch menu is not too shabby. I have to give a shout out to servers Ray and Geoffrey. They rock!

Justin H.

Pretty good and reliable source for breakfast. I've walked away unsatisfied once or twice, but all in all a good joint. The service is always good and your food comes out fast.

Joe K.

I had just arrived into Atlanta with my father and godfather and we wanted a breakfast spot. This place got great reviews and they were definitely warranted. I loved the atmosphere and the food was really good. I'd definitely go back again.

Logan V.

Man was this place worth the wait. I had an excellent, made to order, turkey/chicken skillet. What was particularly impressive, was that I couldn't finish it, incredible as it was, and I was starving from the night before. Definitely recommend hitting this place up if you're around the 4th Ward for breakfast.

Rebecca K.

Their Portland Scramble w/sausage is so good that I actually daydreamed about it! I've also fallen in love with their buckwheat waffle. They beat every other breakfast place in town!

Cory F.

Now, I've taken to reviewing a lot of eating establishments in the area, and diners are my favorite... but this diner gets the biggest, well, Thumbs Up. (Not my most clever literary moment, I'm aware. It's been a long day, people. Stay with me.) My castmates and I decided to hit up Thumbs Up this past Sunday morning, and I was warned that we'd have a while to wait. This, I must say, was an understatement, and the only reason for the four vs. five-star rating... though really, all the wait proves is that the place is fantastically popular, and for good reason! And another thing, before I move on. The place is very accomodating to its avid fans who wait outside for the long haul; if you ask for a coffee, they'll cheerfully serve it to you before you sit, so you can take it outside, sip away and chat with your fellow meal-seekers until your table is available. You can take menus outside as well, so you can constructively spend your time perusing their appetizing menu and choosing what you'd like to have once you get inside. Now THAT's service. So, we're finally seated, and our insanely-busy-but-completely-on-top-of-it waitress immediately gives us a coffee warmup and asks if we're ready to order. Boy, are we! I order an omelette with zucchini and goat cheese, two items I rarely get to put in an omelette, and so I am elated. When another person joins our party unexpectedly, there is no exasperation or rolling of the eyes to be found, just the same efficient service and congeniality we've already experienced. Extra points. My omelette was amazing. Fluffy, the zucchini just right, not soggy or overcooked, with plenty of cheese but not too much. The biscuit, with blueberry preserves (which looked and tasted like homemade), was to die for, and the coffee just kept on comin'. IMPORTANT NOTE: Some of you may hate this, but since I knew about it beforehand, it wasn't that big of a deal to me: Thumbs Up only takes cash. There is an ATM on hand for those who didn't know or forgot to get some on the way, but it of course charges a fee, so remember, BRING CASH! So aside from the wait (which is kinda the Catch-22 of any popular place) and the cash thing (not really a biggie), you win, Thumbs Up. You so win.

Eden M.

This is where I tried chicken and waffles for the first time, and thanks to them, I'm now an addict. I don't love the wait (like everyone else), but it's superlative food and a lovely, lively setting for brunch. Two thumbs up and a chicken wing!

garbanzo b.

An Atlanta Institution with fabulous breakfast foods.. unfortunately I finally went to this place during my last month in the south. Good stuff...

Koku K.

I'm not even a breakfast person really, but Thumbs Up is definitely what's up. Outside of Chick-Fil-A and Waffle House (no, seriously) Thumbs Up is the one place my taste buds crave when I'm in the A. The lines are ridiculous, but if you can convince your party to get there super early, you'll be seated soon enough. Sitting at the 'bar' is kind of awkward, I much prefer a booth or a table. The food is really good. I think everyone should go at least once, but again the lines are out of control, so it's probably not something you'd want to tackle every weekend. I love the wheat pancakes and fruit compote. Yum...

Michelle B.

I was introduced to this place a couple of years ago by an xbf...got rid of him, but I still come back! Like other reviewers, be forewarned and come early on the weekends. The hoodies here start lining up at about 9am...Hello! Everyone should know that ANY restaurant that serves a god brekkie is gonna be slammed come Saturday or Sunday! I come during the week for two reasons: no chance of running into the ex, and I can sit at the counter and bullshit with the regulars and the hot waiter with the hot dreds. Plus I can take my time ordering, which is always a challenge here...just working thru the many selections you can add to The Heap will take you a month of Sundays. So many different combos it leaves me breathless! I'd come here for the hash browns, well done, of course, alone! The chicken and waffles and the steak and eggs are also great, and I have to say I prefer the biscuits here to that "other" place that thinks their biscuits rule. Maybe it's just me, but while I like my biscuits to stand up to the gravy with some texture, I don't want them so hard I could use them for doorstops, ahem! The challah French toast is HUGE and just yummy and you get your own little bottle of syrup. There are, pardon the pun, HEAPS of veggie items on both the breakfast and lunch menu if that's your thing, and they all sound good. Plus I can always count on enough left over for lunch and the prices are reasonable enough for me to buy the homeless guy outside a biscuit sandwich on my way out. The only reason I don't give 5 stars is the parking thing, but I always try to beat the crowd. I know there are multiple locations, and i just found the one on Marietta, but there's something about this location that I like...and did I mention that this is the only place that's gotten me to eat catfish since I left Mississippi 5 years ago?

Jimmy G.

About a 25 minute wait for a table for Sunday brunch (not too bad) and great service. I had the Yukon omelette (salmon, spinach, and cream cheese) and my friend had "The Heap". Delicious, but cooked slightly on the heavy side for me. All things considered, a very good experience.

Tiffany K.

Two of my friends raved about this place so I finally joined them one Saturday. When I arrived, I was kinda shocked because of the size and ticked off at the growing line just to get in. However, my mood quickly changed once I ordered and received my food. Wow!! Talk about delicious. I ordered the pancakes, bacon and potatoes. The potatoes were mixed with onions and peppers and were totally delicious. Definitely my new breakfast spot.

F H.

Best french toast I've ever had! We just got an order of french toast with scrambled eggs and bacon. The bacon was nice and crispy and had a hint of maple, which I love! The eggs were your standard scrambled eggs - nothing too fancy, but they were still good. The french toast was made with nice, fresh, thick bread and was done just right - still crispy around the edges, perfect amount of powdered sugar - and I almost didn't need maple syrup. My husband doesn't eat breakfast and doesn't even like most breakfast foods, but he took one bite of french toast and said, "We are going to have to come back here." They don't take credit cards, so be prepared with cash. The chicken and waffles are great as well. The portions here are huuuuge, so go hungry and be ready to wait for a table.

Vincent V.

The food is great, but not worth waiting half your Saturday morning for. I always wonder how the crowds sitting on the benches outside can put up with the long wait, I certainly don't have that kind of patience. I'll just keep driving on past Thumbs Up and head to Cafe 458 instead when I'm brunching in the area. On weekdays, Thumbs Up is a great experience. There's almost never a wait for a seat, and no one hurries you if you're reading a newspaper after your meal and refilling on the large cups of coffee. I usually build my own omelet here, I've also had the french toast a couple of times. I have yet to hear of anyone complaining about their food, just how long they had to wait before they could sit down and order it.

Lady W.

This is a great place to eat plus see a few stars from your favorite TV shows. We original wanted to go to Gladys Knights but they were closed. So we heard about Thumps Up having breakfast food. We had a small wait but we was with friends which made us a group of 6 with one child so we were OK with waiting. We were seated in the back witch was great cause we get loud. The only problems is that the only accept cash but the got an ATM for us no cash carriers. It is a small dinner with good breakfast food. While we waited on our food two celebrities came in from the TBS show House of Payne. and yes we took pics with them..lol..eveybody was full or more like stuffed. Will return with more friends soon..

Renee J.

We went there this morning. I got the Chicken and Waffles. The chicken (4 chicken tenders) was seasoned well. They seemed homemade rather than frozen tenders that they just heat up or deep fry. I got eggs sunnyside up again good. The waffle was good not the best I ever had but good. It was sweet without syrup and it tasted like a cake donut. I thought that was interesting. We had a lovely waitress, named Jacinta. She was as friendly as could be. I look forward to going here again.

Shonda K.

I finally got a chance to try this place. I have passed before and have seen lines like people waiting for a Prince concert and said He** no. But I went on a weekday (mid morning), no line and was seated right away. I figure this will be the way to do it, to avoid the long wait. I refuse to stand on line for food, I don't care how good it is. The service was good and friendly. l had french toast (so, so good!!), an omelette with lots of veggies and bacon. This was a good breakfast. Thumbs up! I couldn't resist:)

Jodie B.

Favorite brunch spot of all time. The food is worth the wait. Just bring a book, good friends, or a game to pass the time if you come in on a weekend day.

Lainy P.

it's horrible. don't go there. you will be one less person i have to wait in line after. yum. had the salmon and cream cheese omelette, which i thought about with that general feeling of contentment for the rest of the day. and more eye candy than one could hope for. i don't mean just hotties. i mean sweet 80 year old white man playing cards over coffee and breakfast with sweet 80 year old black man...making me wonder if i am trapped in a high budget movie set.

Sweet S.

Did you know you can order turkeys for Xmas or Thanksgiving! Got one for Christmas and it was the bomb! Great price too! They now have a separate smokehouse next to the diner and I would imagine anything there is as good as this whole turkey was. Let them do the meat so you can concentrate on the trimmings!

Jennifer L.

I seem to be generous with my fives or I've just had some really great food but this place is the bomb! It's called Thumbs Up for a reason! I've gone a few times before (when it was in Avondale Estates and recently they opened in Decatur - where Crescent Moon was) but always had gone a la carte that I remember always been good. This time I got the Greek omelet (you can't go wrong) and my friend got the chicken and waffles. It was OH SO YUMMY. The fried chicken was fresh and juicy and the waffle was light - add some syrup and it was HEAVEN. I actually had gone during the weekday right before the lunch crowd so we got in without a problem. But like any popular joint - you are going to wait if you go at peak times. The wait staff was great as well - courteous and on top of everything. I can' wait to go back - so much good food - so little stomach.

amelie l.

just went this morning. we live in the neighborhood and have been meaning to go for some time now. i had the omelette+multigrain biscuit and the hubs had the chicken+waffles. mine was good...what I expected, but then, I snuck a bite of his chicken and i have to say, it was probably the best fried chicken i've ever put past these lips. de-lish-OUS. as an aside, it seems to be quite the meeting place and the staff did a great job of accomodating people in a timely manner, i thought. i love that it seemed like a cross-section of the O4W people...a great, diverse mix. hurray for good food bringing the masses together. also, if you're a coffee person, do not count on getting a satisfying cup here. bring it with you beforehand if you like it with your breakfast.

D Z.

Thumbs up to Thumbs up. I used to hit this spot up so much that it was makin me sick. The food is off the hook and so is the wait to be seated. Overall the service is great, very good food, and you can catch sum ladies in there. A good date spot or morning after.......lol. And b4 u go....please have sum cash on hands. You bring a credit card and no hablo enlish senior......lol!!!! And, parking is a b*&^%h....get ready to do some walking. But its all good and worth it.

Cait H.

Thumbs Up was an awesome experience all around! Convenient parking. The wait was short for Saturday morning (10 minutes). The restaurant is warm and smells of delicious bacon. The atmosphere is a great infusion of 1960s diner and hip eccentricity. The menu is flexible with build your own plates, low fat, and even vegetarian/vegan options or classic American brunch. Our server was sweet and attentive. We received our food within 10 of ordering. A must try in Atlanta. Cash only facility, but they have an ATM on site.

Kate O.

We went there for lunch and, based on the reviews, we would have done better to go there for breakfast. Food was OK, service was OK. Not a fan of a cash only policy. Will try again some time for breakfast and see if it changes my opinion. Plus, an 81 on the health inspector's report is borderline bad which worries me.

Tquari H.

Pretty Solid... comfort brunch.

Tiffany W.

We had 9 people & everyone loved their food! The pancake special breakfast with a sub for French toast was awesome!!!! We found you on Yelp as we arrived at the airport! Perfect location - great service - wonderful food- great value too! Thx :)

Brittany S.

Very fast and friendly service! We went on a sunday morning and were surprised to be seated so quickly. The food was great and so was the price. The only thing to note is that they do not take cards, but they do have an ATM.

Adam H.

I love going out for breakfast, but have pretty much tried every place in my area. I rarely find a place that blows my mind, and Thumbs Up falls in line with your average breakfast joint. There was nothing on the menu that jumped out at me, so I decided to order something I've never ordered before: Chicken and Waffles. In my entire life, I have never once ordered waffles from a restaurant. I'm just not that into them. The meal came to the table and included chicken strips (very under-seasoned, but cooked well), a couple of eggs (just your normal eggs), and a waffle that made me re-think ordering waffles going forward in my life. The waffle was really light, which is always a concern of mine making me think I should give them a try at other places. The service was great too, but otherwise, the place didn't offer a lot in the way of uniqueness or something different and worth bragging about. I'd certainly go back, but with other options in the area, it probably wouldn't be my first choice when looking at breakfast options.

Nathan J.

This has to be the worst of the thumbs up there are around the area. The service is very lack luster and can be very rude actually. Food is still good but when you have to deal with all the other issues at this location you might as well just visit one of the other better locations. Hardly any parking, no seats to fit the crowds, and crappy service make this a location to avoid.

Tamaica M.

This place was packed! !!! It was about an 40 min wait....The food was good but nothing I would get out my bed and run to for breakfast. ..

Winnie G.

Breakfast today i had eggs, grits and fried catfish. Service was great and our waitress was warm and friendly but the catfish was not fried crispy and was very under seasoned. The grits were delicious! I also tried the smoked chicken wings they had a strong smoky taste very unauthentic as if it was a smoke flavoring that I found very unpleasant also feathers all over the wings very unappealing. Pricy and I won't be going back other than the sever they offer nothing original or eventful in my opinion.

Li J.

Pretty good breakfast with HUGE portions. Seems like Giant Breakfast is an Atlanta standard. I went with a bunch of friends and had a good old time. There were some really loud men near us, but we weren't bothered too much. Service was good - poor waitress was working so hard. Prices are reasonable borderline cheap. Food is a-okay. Nothing really special but I would definitely consider revisiting the place.

JD L.

Pleasantly surprised with this place. Wait was only 20 minutes on a Saturday at 10 am. Service was great! My coffee mug was always full! I got the fish and grits and smoked wings as this is what the waitress recommended. Would definitely come back next time I'm in town. It is CASH ONLY!

Ryan L.

Had a wonderful first experience here. The food was amazing and and the servers were very friendly. The restaurant had a great vibe that was very reminiscent of an old diner, but with much more personality. The menu had a similar quality - nothing was unfamiliar, but everything had a nice twist to it, or was at least done with a level of care that made it exceptional. I'm really excited to go back here in the near future.

Jon P.

What? You only except cash? That is Thumb's Up, and despite its antiquated way of doing business, it's really a standout in the breakfast / brunch arena in the East side of Atlanta. If you come in on the weekends, prepare to wait, this place is packed, especially after folks from area churches bombard this place. If you love good, basic breakfast food, no one can compare to Thumb's Up. The food offerings aren't earth shattering, but they are the familiar breakfast and brunch items we are all used to, and they are just better here. My recommendation - THE HEAP. The Heap is potatoes, onions, green peppers, cheese, eggs, and your choice of meat. Wow it's heaven served in a black skillet. Also try their flapjacks - they aren't like the Bluebirds, but a close second. Service is hit or miss, the wait staff is usually bombarded with tables and you don't get over the top service - they do get the job done however. If you are looking for a great breakfast / brunch, look no further than Thumb's Up..

Richard T.

This was my favorite restaurant in the ATL. I got a skillet of some sort. I don't remember what it was called, but I remembered it had potatoes and scrambled eggs. I also got side of biscuits and gravy. Every bite was amazing. The grits, so buttery and the biscuit so fluffy. The service was so polite and the prices were low.

Alexander M.

A group of my friends decided to have Sunday brunch here and I must say I was pleasantly surprised!! I saw some really yummy selections but after about 10 mins looking at the menu I went ahead with "The Skillet Heap" made with a mixtures of potatoes different meats cheese and egg whites on top! A lot going on in that skillet and for the price you can't best it! Can't wait to go back and try more! I only wish they offered mimosas!

Tai D.

Great food! This place made me understand what it means when they say "don't hurt yourself" when you're getting ready to eat. There is not much parking space, but this is a great little find. This is in the Old Fourth Ward so it's in a good place to be if you have visitors from out of town. There are many historical sites to visit nearby.

Mary S.

This place has great quality food! However the 30+ minute wait and the confusing "sign-in-yourself" hostess left something to be wanted for. For some unknown reason the place is cash only....which in 2015 is pretty outdated. Aside from that the chicken salad patty melt had a beautiful blend of smokey on their marble rye bread. Maybe I'll come back on a not so busy day.

Isabella S.

Best neighborhood breakfast anywhere! Bring cash or be forced to use the pricey ATM on-site, and be prepared to wait a while for a table, ANY day of the week... but honestly, it's worth the inconvenience AND the wait. If you're really in a hurry, sit at the counter. I LOVE the skillet meals, piled high with spinach, broccoli, eggs, onions, potatoes, applewood-smoked bacon and sour cream, but those are a few of MANY choices. Be careful, it's enough food for two meals ;) Also not to be missed- the catfish, the biscuits, the HUGE pancakes, and on and on and on. Even great salads! Cav is the best, don't care how long it takes, I wait for her table because I appreciate great customer service, but the staff here is great. The noise level tends to be high, be prepared. I feel lucky to live within walking distance so I don't have to worry about parking. But if you must park, there is a small lot adjacent, and some street parking. If you want convenience, go to the Waffle House. If you want great food, go to Thumbs Up Diner.

Steve J.

What a debacle of a diner never Have I left a place after being seated before I had the opportunity to order ....I doubt they noticed my party even left. Smh

Jenny C.

Get the heap with smoked chicken, scrambled eggs and a biscuit. Done. Enough for two people. And if you don't get that get the chicken and waffles with a side of eggs and request the 'real maple syrup' it will cost extra but is worth it.

Dr. Shannon W.

Most places serve fried chicken and waffles, but can you say SMOKED chicken and waffles! It was the best ever - some of the best smoked meat I've had! Cheerful, friendly servers, delicious food, and great prices equal a guaranteed return trip from me!

Miss C.

Great food @ a good price. Parking available. Plenty of variety on the menu. We ate breakfast here after mass & had a nice experience. The service was prompt & friendly. The coffee was delicious & served in a large mug. I would definitely dine here again. The thing that put this place over the top for me was the numerous healthy options & the pure maple syrup. I would rename it to the 2 Thumbs Up Diner!

Jasmine L.

I absolutely love this place the portions are enough to get you full and the service is always superb even though most of the time it's a little wait it's worth it! Go with an empty stomach

Gladys N.

Delicious breakfast very good price build your own omelet or build your own breakfast good choices great pancakes Lou's coffe is a must!!!

Matt A.

Awesome place! The Wife and I went here for sunday breakfast after moving all day Saturday. Even though the place is packed (for a good reason!) the wait was short, and we were at our table in arround 10 minutes. We both ordered the Chicken and Waffles, and were completely satisfied! Our server, Shelly, was very busy but still took very good care of us and her other tables. Great service, great food, and great prices! 5 Stars all the way!

Darome B.

Very dissapointed! I heard all they hype but the experience was not good at all! For starters the servers don't smile and seem like they don't want to be there. I guess True Southern Hospitality is really dead and gone. Next the Coffee was really bad, the pancakes were muddy(had to take em back) and last but not least the menu. They charge for each individual item. Why not have alacarte's i.e Egg,Bacon, Hashbrown and Toast! Come on now? I'm sticking with Orginal Pancakes off CheshireBridge and Lindbergh or J. Christophers And cash only??......thats nuts! Thumbs up?........Thumbs down. I'd start with better customer service guys.........a smile! People notice this if not we move on the next palce that can provide that.

John P.

Two thumbs up! Ok, I felt like I was the last person to know about this place. I enjoyed the tasty breakfast and it was the perfect amount of food that filled me up and kept me wanting to have some of every plate that I saw walking by going to other tables! I'll be back... I went, you should go!

Samantha H.

I live walking distance so I stop by often to grab a bite to eat. The place is ALWAYS packed, but the staff is always friendly which is highly important. I usually grab a coffee which is hot and good and I am partial to the sassy scramble-salmon, cream cheese, grilled onions, and spices scrambled with eggs. Its delicious. Its almost $10 (cash only) bucks but its good.

Chris B.

I sat down for lunch at 1:00. I got an ice tea. I waited five or six minutes. I asked a waiter at the counter where I was sitting who would take my order. He told me someone would be right with me. I waited another ten minutes. The place was not crowded. The staff was disinterested. I paid for my ice tea and split. Oh and they are cash only. The food looked ok but I wouldn't know as no one bothered to ask if I wanted any. Annoyed and hungry.

Carrie M.

Great food! Had an egg white omelet with chicken sausage....Great service as well! Cash only but they have an atm. Had to wait a few minutes to be seated but it was well worth it. And the multigrain biscuits are amazing!!

michael g.

Always a line, but worth the wait. Great coffee, cover all the breakfast staples, but do yourself a favor and try a special. They have some creative and inventive things on the menu that are well worth the risk. They do various scrambles and skillets, all great. Also do a great job of vegan and low-fat options. They also have an option to get real maple syrup, spoil yourself for $0 .99 and get it. Thumbs up needs a vestibule (thesaurus alert) or other device to keep the cold air out. My advice, sit far from the door. Be careful, cash only.

Braden W.

RULE ONE: Cash Only! RULE TWO: See rule one. This is a great breakfast/lunch place that serves until three pm. There is parking just east of the building. Turn in and find a space behind the building. I had an omelet with muffin and grits. My dad had a waffle. Both were delicious and better than expected. Even the whole grain waffle was hot and moist! Heck, even the coffee was good! This is smack in the middle of what's turning out to be a great corridor in Atlanta. Three blocks east: Beltline (still under construction). A few blocks west: Streetcar! (Nearly complete!) So... If you're a visitor I recommend this place for breakfast. Get out of downtown/midtown and visit the real Atlanta! Then, take a walk to see the Krog Street Tunnel, MLK memorial, or other places in this area. Ear here and be happy... And bring cash!!

Tonya S.

I love breakfast and there plates are very hearty. I would recommend every driving through or visiting ATL to have an appetite the food is delicious, they have really good chicken sausages.

Michelle A.

This place is a regular spot for my boyfriend and me. The service is good, the food rocks, and the prices are dirt cheap! Be prepared to wait when you come, but it'll be worth it. Bring cash!!!

Jamillah C.

The food was ok, temperature could have been better and the size of my pancake was for a baby but all in all I would give them another try

will c.

Oh boy I really really like this place the food is surprisingly very good it looks good and it taste good, okay I'm addicted French toast with whip cream and strawberries sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar.

Angel S.

I was very impressed. I had pancakes, eggs and sausage. Everything was delicious. My mom had the Belgian waffle w/ pecans. She enjoyed her meal as well. The staff was also quite friendly. Very pleasant experience at this location.

Dee C.

Thought I'd have my Birthday brunch here, glad I had done so. I arrived after noon. The wait wasn't as long, service was great, food delicious and fulfilling. The sweet tea was sooo good! Didn't have to add sugar. I ordered the "build your plate", with bacon, potatoes and a pecan pancake (not waffle). I'll be back.

Susan M.

Went for breakfast on a recommendation from the hotel. It was about 1.5 miles away but well worth the hike. I ordered the Sassy Scramble - scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, cream cheese and onions. One of the best breakfasts I have ever had!! The service was great as well - fast and friendly. I wish I could go back tomorrow. Cash only!

Christelle D.

I laughed when my boyfriend said he HAD to take me to Thumbs Up while we were in ATL. Since eating there, I've apologized to him for laughing - this place is no joke! Food is amazing! We went for breakfast on a Friday morning and the full-to-the-brim parking lot and patrons waiting outside were my first clue that this is the place to be. We were expecting a long wait but opted to sit at the bar. Our waitress was super sweet, attentive and patient as I fumbled over what to order. He immediately ordered 2 "Uptowns" - (real Southern) sweet tea & lemonade heaven in a glass. Since having an Uptown, I crave it constantly - too bad I'm back in NY. He went with the Fried Catfish & Grits - I chose the Chicken & Waffle. I'd never tried catfish for breakfast before and it was cooked perfectly. We both left extremely satisfied and I have one more ATL gem to add to my list of faves! Thanks for a true taste of southern hospitality, Thumbs Up!

Ion H.

Why does an amazing place with amazing food, and amazing employees, get only three stars from me?...because of one HORRID customer service detail: it's a cash only restaurant! That added $5 to my visit there because I had to use that ATM they have on premises, which slapped me with the obvious charges...bad, bad business for letting that happen to your clients! Bad! Ok, now that I vented... I love good quality Southern food, and that's what they serve. I love the waffles, they're special, they're huge. I love the smoked wings. I love the service (there's a lady there that even remembers my baby's name, and that's a very "Southern hospitality" detail). So we eat there in spite of the dinosaur still roaming around in the back of their restaurant...that HORRID, selfish, gritty...ATM machine! Fair prices, you hear me Thumbs Up...they're fair...so don't you kick the ATM out and raise the prices on me or else I'll take another star away from my review! There!

Ravonda W.

I'm not a big breakfast fan but this place is great..we went on Memorial day and waiting about an hour but it was definitely worth it..just remember its cash only!...they do have an atm in the back though...the portions were good..our waiter was nice...definitely a spot to go to when you're Atlanta!

Randy R.

Oh wow...this place is sooo good. Solid diner fare, good portions, tasty food. The prices are quite reasonable and the staff was extraordinarily attentive and sweet. Will definitely be back.

Katie C.

Its a pretty nice, cozy and super affordable breakfast place, wait time is pretty reasonable with the quality of food thy serve. The server was decent, not too ghetto nor rude. Love the cheese grits although not the best I've had. They could've improved it better by making the texture a little smoother. The sassy scrambles were pretty good, the taste of smoked salmon in it was just right. pancakes were not as good as other reviewers commented, would've tried their waffles or French toasts instead, because they look fabulous from other tables :D the only downside about this place - CASH ONLY....

Sally P.

Thumbs Up seems to have a strange saga. Growing up in Decatur, I went to a Thumbs Up Diner downtown with my mom quite often. It was kind of a cramped whole in the wall location. I remember the name changing to "Crescent Moon", and then a location change, and then another Crescent Moon location added at Northlake Mall, which is now closed. So no idea what is going on with that. Obviously I have fond memories of the original Thumbs Up because when I moved in to the O4W/Cabbagetown area and drove past the Edgewood location I was like HOLD UP. BREAKFAST. IS. NOW. I have been many times since then. And it always seems to be a sunny warm day outside when I go, so I don't have to be cold or uncomfortable when I wait. Ahhhh serendipity. ANYWAY. On to the actual restaurant. When you go between breakfast/brunch/lunch hours, especially on the weekends, be prepared to wait. I always do and it feels agonizingly long. But this is a five star review- so you know it's going to be worth it. When you do get seated, you're comfortable. Lots of booths and squishy diner counter seats. I always get a few of the same items when I go. I know I should experiment a little, but what items I have had are so amazing that I just crave them and break down and get them again. They are: - Sassy Scramble: Chopped onions, fresh herbs, cream cheese and eggs. I love cheese and eggs but melty cream cheese on eggs is amazing. ADD THE SALMON. They chop everything up bite size so you could conceivably shovel it into your mouth and bypass the whole knife and fork thing. - SPUDS: Semi-fried breakfast potatoes with some onions and herbs. Like hashbrowns except nowhere near bordering the line of questionably pre-frozen. With or without cheese is great. Ketchup them. If you can't finish them they are still good the next morning. Or later- because I doubt you'll be able to pass them up as a snack. - French Toast: Huge. Not the best but certainly delectable. One slice is enough to satiate my sweets-for-breakfast craving. - Bagel sandwich thing (??)- Bagel of your choice PACKED with fresh veggies. Yes they are FRESH. (Add the salmon!!). Nice twist on the bagel and lox thing. Soooo good and satisfying. The last time I was there I got fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. I'm guessing it probably was "fresh-squeezed" because I have never had store bought grapefruit juice that was that tart. Not for the faint of heart but still very, very good. The staff is always great. They are helpful, efficient and have never gotten an order wrong. They don't stick around too long besides the customary check-up after you get your food, but they are busy busy. Downsides to this place: It's cash only, and people gripe about that. I'm not really sure why they do this, nor do I care, but there is an ATM in the back. I don't particularly care for the whole wheat biscuits. They're dry. All in all. I love this place. Every time it is 100% worth the food bloat and coma that comes with a traditional American breakfast. Even better than I remembered growing up :)

Rebecca O.

True southern breakfast. I've only been to the O4W location, so I'm not sure how the others compare in busyness. But for this location, just know that you may have to wait a while to be seated, and then wait a long time for food. If you live close by, it might just be better to get it to go. The service is pretty much equivalent to another other diner. The servers are busy but efficient, but their goal is to turn the table over quickly.

Kimberly J.

This place holds it own as a descent diner serving brunch and lunch. The prices are competitive for what they offer and they do a good job churning out your typical diner fare. I've had better but I've also had worse. My server was great, regularly checked in and could not have been more polite and cheery. My one grip is the hosting could use a serious upgrade - they have everyone wait to be seated, which is fine by me, but then they seat you by saying: take the booth in the back (which is what the party before us was told) or sit over there at that small table on the left. What? If we've waited 20 minutes to be seated, couldn't you at least actually seat us by showing us to our table rather than giving us directions to it? My French toast was delish but the side of bacon was definitely cheap and chewy, nothing like what you think of when you read the menu description of Applewood smoked bacon. Get your bacon fix elsewhere!

Adrienne T.

Unremarkable. Yep, that's pretty much it. Absolutely nothing special about the food here. We didn't have to wait to be seated; had we waited longer than two minutes, I would have been incredibly ticked off about this whole dining experience. Really. So, again- unremarkable (and kinda pricey as well). Go somewhere else, do Silver Skillet instead.

Khadejah J.

Came here for lunch the day after my birthday and was not satisfied! We had to seat ourselves and none of the tables where wiped cleaned. Our waitress took forever to bring the menus so we could order. Once we finally ordered we waited atleast 30min before our food came out. Once we received our food it was COLD! The omelet had too much cheese in it to the point where I pulled a big slab of cheese off the eggs. We seen our waitress twice during the whole time and wasn't given a chance to ask for anything. My boyfriend wanted a glass of water and I wanted some jam. She was too busy being a cook, hostess, and waitress. Definitely will NOT be back.

Misty B.

First time here, and definitely wont be my last. When I got here the line was out the door and onto the side walk... pretty good indication it's going to be great. The wait was long, 45 minutes (on a Saturday) but worth it. The coffee was smooth, strong but not to strong, the waiters are exceptionally nice and go above and beyond to make sure you're happy. I decided to get the chicken strips, waffle, eggs, with a side of gravy and biscuits just because I wanted the whole experience, I was told I got it. The chicken and waffles are out of this world amazing, the flavor was to die for, chicken was very moist and the waffle was pretty grand size for one person. I have to say though, I was not impressed with the biscuits or gravy. The biscuits were dry and the gravy was not flavored at all.I only picked at that because I already had enough food anyway, Overall I was very happy with my meal and do highly recommend this place to anyone.

Cam J.

Great food!!! My GF and I had to wait about 45 minutes for a booth but we passed up the chance to sit at the counter a few times so no complaints there. We both had chicken and waffles. It was outstanding and also unique because of the honey mustard they served with it. So good I stained the FUCK out of my shirt. Worth the wait and the new shirt.

Rodney N.

Went here for breakfast. Word of warning. The Pancakes are huge. Don't try to be all Paul Bunyan & think you can eat 3 of them, becuase you can't. There always seem to be a short wait here, but they really move fast. The service is great. Very attentive & quick & they will make good suggestions when asked. As stated above, the portions are huge & hot & tasty! I recomment the applewood smoked bacon as a side to whatever you get. The menu is al a carte-ish so not the cheapest meal, but not bad for downtown. The building shares a parkihng lot with Accoustix, so the parking-lot hustlers will be out in Full Force, but that is just an ATL thing. Looking for good breakfast or just tired of Waffle-HOP, then give this place a try. p.s. this place is CASH only. There is an ATM, inside, that charges 4 damn dollars, so consider yourself warned; also the cinder walls seem to have noise cancelling speakers built in that are broken. This litte place gets loud.

Dio S.

Fried fish with grits and fried chicken strips with waffle are the best things to get here. They are seasoned and fried just right. Everything else is just solid but nothing special though. It's just good old breakfast-heavy southern diner food. I guess I can understand why visitors to Atlanta would want to check this place out 'cause it does have that old Atlanta feel and these "classic" dishes. And, you know, you want to tell people back home that you went to a place where the line was long. But as a local it's not hard to quickly think up half a dozen great options in the area (close to Inman Park!). The depressingly long wait time is usually enough to make me want to go somewhere else instead.

Bianca C.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this place. I'm scared to try others. EVERYTHING is good. When I have guest in town I take them there and when they come back they say, "are we going back to the breakfast place?"

Kenny R.

A little bit of a wait, and they only take cash are pretty much my only faults with this place. And I wouldn't fault the cash only part of the business if the ATM didn't charge $3. I went with a group of 5, they are pretty serious about having your whole party there to be seated. We had a 20 minute wait, which isn't too bad, and the benches outside are pretty nice. My counterparts in this adventure were much more hungry than me, they were ordering huge skillets(heap) with potatoes, bacon, and such. Others were ordering Omelets with all kinds of goodies in them. I just went for the veggie bagel and smoked salmon. It was all I could have ever wanted at that time and place. A nice tasty bagel, sprouts, veggies, and a lovely spread. All that with the smoked salmon on top, really hit the spot. A glass of OJ on the side and I was ready for the day. My friends however looked like they all needed a nap after gorging themselves in their huge plates of food. Highly recommended, probably deserve 5 stars, but will try them again before making such a bold statement.

Gary T.

This place makes me just darn hungry you can't beat it go in hungry come out full. Bring a doggy bag

Michele T.

I was in town for the weekend and heard from people in the area to try out this restaurant. The food was really good for the affordable price. I had the skillet with eggs, chicken sausage and potatoes. The vegetables and potatoes were amazing and the eggs and wheat biscuit complimented perfectly. The reason this review didn't get 5 stars: I wish there would have been more meat in the skillet and the restaurant is isolated and out of the way. Overall, great experience and would definitely recommend for breakfast.

Stephanie O.

Had a great experience here! We sat at the bar so we didn't have to wait and Mike was our server! Great service and very delicious food. I had the "sassy scramble" which had salmon, cream cheese, and a few other things I can't remember. WOW! It was very tasty. The boy had the skillet heap...ALOT of food, and very good also! I loved their homemade jams...blueberry and pear. Yum! Be prepared to wait for a table, and also pull out dollar bills. Cash only. Will definitely be going back when we visit downtown!

Jason P.

Thumbs Up Diner is a cash-only, valet-parking-only place that serves a great breakfast. Delicious waffles, grits, and sausage. Good coffee too! Plus, you can make your own breakfast plate.

Robert F.

Great food as always. My girl had the pancakes and I was feeling adventurous, so I had the smoked wings. They were "whole" wings and they were smoked to perfection. My side was sautéed spinach and mushrooms. We both left full and satisfied as usual.

Maria S.

My first experience eating chicken and waffles and it totally rocked! (Okay, it was my husband's meal, but he shared. Bless him.) If all the waffles I ordered tasted like the ones at Thumbs Up, I'd be eating waffles all the time. The real Vermont maple syrup is a must on such a delicious waffle. Splurge! I ordered the Sassy Scramble, which is three eggs scrambled with smoked salmon, cream cheese, onions, and fresh herbs. Oh, and the biscuit. Much, much better than the ones at the Flying Biscuit. Totally yummy, but way too much food. Next time, I'll know to share. Or order better. (The OJ is freshly squeezed, and tastes it. Worth the price.) I love the neighborhood vibe of the Old Fourth Ward, and Thumbs Up feels like a cool Atlanta breakfast spot. Faux-brick walls, gleaming metal bar stools, lumpy leather booths, and local kitschy art for sale on the walls. I've only eaten there during the week, in the early morning, when there are no lines to stress out about. (I don't like to wait for breakfast food, no matter how good it is.) Service is excellent, and always ready with a coffee warmer. Nice touch.

Grant M.

I love this place! I usually get the Buckwheat Waffle or an omelette. Great ambience and service as well. This is by far my favorite location of there's and the one I most frequent. They only except cash but there's an ATM in there.

Tangie J.

Try the catfish and grits. The catfish was very fresh and fried just right. The French toast was also good. The portions were large and the prices really reasonable. This is a cash only spot ...no plastic ;/)

Krista S.

Service was good. Food portions are huge. Coffee and food aren't that great. This place used to be a lot better, unfortunately.

Luke W.

A well kept secret, this is a cash only establishment, keeping it original. In my visit I had the chicken fingers and created my own omelet. The service was good and the good was that to be expected from a great diner. Definitely must hit this spot for breakfast before a trip back home.

Anita L.

This place rocks. Came here on vacation, and yes, it was insanely packed, but we waited a decent time and were seated at the bar. I think it would be best to avoid large groups here and just come out here with your SO or a buddy. Ordered the steak and eggs, wonderful! I also wanted a side of waffles (1 actually), but it was huge and fluffy and just wonderful. Service was fantastic, and we definitely felt welcome. I can't wait to go back to ATL just to eat breakfast here again.

Garrett W.

The food is better than a normal diner. However, not being informed about the cash only policy is not cool. We are in the 21st century were it is unacceptable to not take another form of payment in a dine in restaurant. I understand it cost a business more money to take other forms of payment but if saving money is the issue then mark up your prices. UGH a 6 dollar breakfast turned into a 10 dollar breakfast. #Collegestudent

Martie K.

Pulled pork tacos were outstanding!! The taste of freshly smoked pork amazing. Partnered with sweet potato fries!!

Andria C.

Man, I love this place. I've never been disappointed with any trip to Thumbs Up. I'm a pretty traditional breakfast eater, so I usually get bacon and eggs with some pancakes and grits. Sooo good. The pancakes are sweet and hot and their cheese grits are always satisfying. The parking at this location can be a bit of a pain. And beware, they get super busy. My advice is go get here early and grab a seat at the bar. Servers have always been extra friendly, which always makes for a more pleasant dining experience. Don't forget, all Thumbs Up locations are cash only, so come prepared.

Ki K.

Food was good... Customer Service was TERRIBLE. My husband told me that you cannot expect good service from a hole in the wall like Thumbs Up. The female hostess greeting us at the door had a very bad attitude. I asked her if we could wait on another table other than the one she was trying to sit us at and she snapped. EVERYTIME I asked her a simple question... She answered with a bad attitude coupled with sarcasm. I thought SHORTY was trying to re-inact the waitress character "Shirley" from the old sitcom, "What's Happening". The food was pretty good. But you can't enjoy your dining experience with BAD SERVICE.

Ms. B.

LOVE this place! Menu selection is great. Prices see good. Service is very down to earth & southern. This place is always busy so be prepared to wait for a table.

Aaron T.

A Must go whenever I am in Atlanta.. A Neighborhood Diner feel, mixed with An Urban Cultural Flavor. The menu Options are Great . My favorite, Catfish, Spuds, and scrambled eggs is Great for Breakfast, Brunch or Lunch. The staff is always knowledgeable and Polite. The Prices are fair and Helpings are More then enough .. Just a heads up though. They only accept Cash , and often times the wait is in excess of 2 hours. But there is an ATM on site and the food is well worth the wait. You can usually see a celeb or 2.. I love this place. You will too...

Ebony B.

This place is still rocking my socks. The eggs are still runny (easy) when asked for medium, but I deal. This place is a$$ hot a mess on the weekend and even during the week mid-morning. You'd expect to be in-and-out, but service is slow, and servers seem beleaguered. My last visit, I had a great server who was attentive and helpful. Everyone else has been pretty nightmarish--dissapearing, never returning (not even with a check) Why the 4 stars? Food is delish, and this place has been SO good for my energy. It's never short of a chance-meeting opportunity and good conversation with random strangers. I've made many a new friend dining here alone, and for that alone, Thumbs up gets the two thumbs up!

Tilia M.

I don't get it. All the hubub about this place, and it seems like a regular breakfast spot. I dunno, maybe someone can tell me what all the rave reviews are about, and I'll get that next time I'm there. Oh, and the line was absolutely insane when I went - even for Atlanta on the weekend. Oh, and you'll leave smelling like a Little Smokey, so, be prepared to wash your hair and any garments of clothing you may have been wearing thoroughly (it even got in the liner of my purse!) I WILL say though, that my grilled chicken on a toasted bagel was really, good, but, really, how can you mess that up? OH! And for the love of Bob, BRING CASH!

Joseph C.

Bad experience overall. Waitress was slow and uninterested in us. The food was mediocre at best and in some cases awful. Coffee was ok, iced tea was weak and tasted like dishwater. Waitress said she would try again and brought another glass of the same. Egg white omelet was passable, but the bagels are AWFUL!! Not a real bagel, but a roll shaped like a bagel....cream cheese was tasteless and the 3.5 oz of smoked salmon was about 2oz at most. The pancake was terrible, very pale, a hard crust on the outside and not fully cooked inside. Blech! Do not eat here...

Mick D.

The food here is good. It doesn't blow my socks off, but when it comes to breakfast, I don't always need to have my socks blown off. Sometimes some eggs and some toast is simply all I want. Sometimes I want it in the middle of the day. And I get that just fine here at Thumbs Up. Amid the "breakfast all the time options," there are some good burgers, sandwiches, soups, chili, and other things. There's also 100% real maple syrup if you want it. Oh, and the last time I checked, they only took cash.

Marty J.

If you're looking for a breakfast experience that is somewhere between WaHo and some fru fru brunch place, then Thumps Up would be that spot. It is straight up solid! I didn't really notice a difference between the Marietta Street location and this location except this location had a shorter wait. I ate on Sunday at approximately the same time at both locations. We only waited about 15 minutes to be seated, but it should be noted that we ate at the counter (first available). Rebecca R. and I both chose the "build your own breakfast" path. I opted for 2 eggs over medium, veggie sausage patties, and 2 pancakes. Rebecca R. went with chicken tenders, 2 eggs over easy, and wheat toast. The total tab came out to $24 including tax, tip, and coffee. Not bad. Cash only. Bad. They executed the eggs well. It's really hard to compare eggs from one place to another so that's all I'm gonna say about the eggs. The veggies sausage patties were delicious. You are served 2 of them and they are normal pork sausage patty size. They're very breakfasty sausagey tasting for being veggie. I'd get these again. The pancakes were big, light, and fluffy. I didn't think they were going to be as big as they were so I could've gotten away with ordering just 1, but I ate both anyway because I love pancakes. They're a step below Original Pancake House and Highland Bakery (obvi), but that doesn't mean that they weren't good because they were. They have sugar free syrup upon request if you want to keep it semi-healthy. I chose not to. The chicken tenders have to be one of the best unknown deals in Atlanta. The menu says you get 6 tenders, but I think we got 9. It was a whole lotta chicken for $4.50. If you're hungry, order these. Get a waffle too and that way you can eat chicken and waffles. Anyway, they were like chicken tenders that you would get off the kids menu somewhere. They were fresh, moist, crispy, and effing hot! I didn't try Rebecca R.'s toast, but it did a good job of sopping up the runny yolk from her eggs. Service was friendly and attentive. She happily provided a box for the mound full of uneaten chicken tenders and poured us fresh coffee cups to go. We both left feeling full, but not overly stuffed. Do yourself a favor and eat here if you want a yummy and classic breakfast.

Peter D.

So I went back to Atlanta, a good 15 lbs. fatter because of my last ATL trip. This time, I vowed not to eat myself into a coma/new pants size. And we walked into the Thumbs Up Diner (awesome name, by the way), and I asked myself, what should I order? What will definitely not be so much food that I will be in actual agony for hours after eating? So I ordered "The Heap." Because that sounded like a small portion of health food. The Heap consists of a skillet filled with their spuds (homefries, essentially), topped with jack cheese, two eggs (overeasy, in my case), and basically anything else you want to add on for a nominal fee. Toast* on the side. Since I was going healthy, I got the grilled veggies and turkey bacon. This is an tremendous, greasy, wonderful portion of food. To avoid heartburn, I doused it in Texas Pete hot sauce to the point that I finished the bottle, and the waiter brought me a new one. I ate until I was in physical pain (about 4/5 of this enormous heap), at which point I was forced to barricade myself from the skillet with all the condiments on the table, to keep me from eating any more. __________ *Instead of those little plastic packets of grape jelly and orange marmalade, here they provide jars of apple butter and fresh jam. I love the South.

Mychael W.

I've been to the Thumbs Up location on Marietta St a couple of times in the past and always had great experiences. I can't believe I'm having to give this Edgewood location 2 stars today! My wife, my sister-in-law, and I just returned from one of the worst restaurant experiences I've had in recent memory. The only reason they got 2 stars was because the food is so good! We arrived at 2:15pm and put our names on the list. There was a wait and we were seated right at 3pm. It took about 5 minutes for the server to take our drink order, 5 minutes for 2 of them to come, and another 5 for the last ice water to arrive (not sure what that was about). About 5 minutes later the server came and took our order. My wife ordered the skillet heap with applewood smoked bacon, my sister in law ordered the 3 smoked wing chicken and waffle special, and I ordered 1 slice of french toast, 1 buttermilk pancake, with 2 over easy eggs, turkey bacon, and grits. We placed our order at 3:20pm... Around 3:40, our food still hadn't come, but we saw several other diners receiving their food, eating, and leaving. On one of the rare times that our server came by our table, I caught her attention as she whisked by and asked her what was taking so long and she just apologized and said that the kitchen is backed up. As it neared closer to 4pm (closing time), we saw several of the workers preparing their own food, and a couple even sat down and ate, while we watied..and waited..and waited. Just before 4pm, I asked her again and her response was, "I'm sorry sir; the kitchen is backed up. All tickets have extreme wait times and I can't go back there and cook it for you." The only reason we didn't get up and leave at this point was because we had been in church all morning, and the only thing I'd had since 8am was a breakfast bar and a bottled water. Our food finally arrived just after 4pm and it was delicious as usual. The only weird thing about the food was that my pancake had a slight blueberry flavor (which I'm not a fan of) and I could see small blueberry marks on it, like they stacked mine on top of one or something. I still think they have some of the best pancakes in the city. It was definitely worth the wait, but not worth the lack of service. I'll never return to this location again. As much as I love the Edgewood area, I'll drive a couple of additional miles to the Marietta location. Hopefully they still value their customers there...

Marc B.

Absolutely fantastic. Service and food. Try everything. Bacon, waffles, chicken strips and omelette are my favorites

Nicky L.

It was just ok. A hearty portion but it lacked flavor. I had the fried catfish and grits with a side of spuds and the whole grain biscuit. i'm in ATL... please dont give me a healthy biscuit yuck :)

Katrina M.

The blueberry pancakes are my favorite thing from here. Yummy! The rest of the food is cooked pretty consistently, always tasting as expected. They're usually pretty busy, but if you show up right when they open, there probably won't be a wait to be seated. The services is okay, given the number of customers.The worst thing about it is that they only take cash, and while they have an atm, of course there's a $3 transaction fee for using it. So, just come prepared. I think it's worth a visit if you want food that you're pretty sure will taste good and that you won't have to wait 30+ minutes to receive, without going to ihop or waffle house.

Angela F.

Not too often can you find a place in Atlanta that serves up breakfast and brunch with a truly southern appeal. Most places want to fuse the outer limits of the world with the southern tradition of fried food, but Thumbs Up Diner decided to keep it simple. Be prepared to wait no matter what time you go, but the food is worth the wait. My companion ordered the fish and grits which to my dismay was gone before I could consume one pancake. Speaking of those sweet cakes, you should order them along with their sweetened bacon. Delicious. There's nothing on the menu that I can say would keep me away. The staff keeps your coffee cup full and the atmosphere screams bustling metropolis. Come to this joint hungry and ready to have your taste buds tickled. (I'm only giving this place 4 stars because I hate waiting over 30 minutes)

Alex C.

Not sure what the hype is about. It's sort of just a greasy diner. I might need to come back since my first time here the chicken and waffles were terrible. The chicken seemed like it was fried an hour before and the waffles seemed stale too. What's going on here Thumb's up? The constant line of people outside makes me think it's a fluke. But it's only getting two stars until further notice.

Yuko Z.

Back to Thumbs Up Dinner this morning with my night shift crews. I brought huge appetite. I ordered smoked chicken wings which was amazingly delicious. All food was so good, made me update previous review. Giving 4 stars, two Thumbs up!

Hope T.

Thumbs Up is the bees knees. The atmosphere is cozy and the establishment is quaint but the food packs a major punch. Every time I go (which is once or twice a month) I get the catfish and eggs. It comes with a hearty multi-grain biscuit, fried Basa catfish, eggs and grits. The service is speedy and the food is to die for. Thumbs Up? I give them 2!

T P.

Pancakes, that's all I ever get here. Whether plain or with pecans, I can eat the pancakes for days. Super cheap, cash only. Usually crowded, but the staff works hard to seat you asap.

Ria S.

Service and food was good. Those whole wheat biscuits are to die for. I had an egg white omelet and it was delicious and the ingredients inside were very fresh. Wish I could have went twice while visiting there.

Ashleigh P.

I can walk here, oh yes I can... but sometimes I don't... hangovers or weather are the usual culprits. I love the Thumbs Up Diner. It has become my go to brunch place. Two things - CASH ONLY CASH ONLY CASH ONLY... but there is an ATM by the toilets... not in rooms, but by the doors to them. No alcohol served, so you can't get your Mimosa on... go to Park's Edge where they have bottomless ones!!! oh yes they do Why for do I love you Thumbs Up? The pancakes/waffles/french toast are HUGE... plate sized huge. I love that the coffee cups are random and none match. I love that you can get a whole wheat biscuit. I love that they have a cream cheese and fresh herb scramble. I love their Chicken sausage. and they will let you try the soup to see if you like it... happy belly here

brad p.

The best pancakes in Atlanta. Also if you love grits (and I do) you will love Thumbs up grits. A great place to take an out of town guest to eat. Applebacon is 5 stars!!!!!!!!!

Mark C.

The issue here is this: - you have to get a plain biscuit to eat with butter and tons of fresh jam (breakfast desert) - you then feel like a fat jerk for also ordering a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit for breakfast. I *heart* this place. I spent some years over the last two decades living in real cities and this was one of the places I missed most about Atlanta. Waitstaff here is the best. Veggie bagel is money. The heap will crush any hangover. If you have idiot friends that don't like breakfast food, they can get a bbq pork sandwhich at 8am. This is the best of the three but if you are a yuppie jerk (the VW TDI wagon or 3 series in your drive way is the tell) you should probably stick to the Decatur one.

Sarah M.

I live across the street from Thumbs Up. Dangerous stuff. Advice to all: take out takes 10 minutes if you live anywhere close, send someone and then cozy up and eat your yumminess in your pajamas But, if you go to the location, you can expect excellent service and crazy crowds. I love the servers here - they hustle and do such a great job. The specials are ever changing. My favorite things are: -Chicken and Waffles - among the best - the chicken is so flavorful, juicy, crunchy -Bacon, egg & Cheese biscuit - perfect size, we pick these up on our way out of town on road trips, thick cut bacon, biscuit rocks -Cheese grits - the best in town -Pecan pancake - love how you can get one pancake here - we split one - with maple syrup this is the stuff dreams are made of -Veggie bagel - my sister doesn't eat eggs but adores this griddled bagel heaping with fresh veggies Thumbs Up is pretty much the best neighbor a girl could ever ask for. Try to beat the church crowd, or if you live nearby, take out!

Threed F.

The fish and grits were awesome. The fish was lightly breaded and the grits were fluffy and well flavored. The smoked chicken wings and waffles were a hit also. There is plenty of parking in the back and the staff is friendly and attentive. Just know it's cash only here.

Jessica O.

There is always a long wait. For amazing food, I wouldn't mind, but my french toast/eggs/bacon were very normal brunch food. While it certainly wasn't bad, when considering the wait and the food, I'd rather go some other places in Atlanta for brunch.

Sarah L.

Good greek scramble, tofu garden with eggs. coffee + fun style (sat at the bar) CASH ONLY $20 EXCELLENT BREAD!!!!

Angela D.

Came here for lunch after the national park guys at the Martin Luther King Memorial recommended it for some good soul food. It was packed, but my friend and I were determined to get some grub. Everyone was super friendly, and the hostess even offered to put my suitcase in the back locker room so I didn't have to lug it around and have it in everyone's way at my seat! yay! So I ordered the chicken and waffles and a side of grits, while my Chinese friend ordered fried catfish and grits (i told her that since we were in the south, she HAD to try them). Food was good! Surprisingly though, I've had better chicken and waffles in California (Roscoe's). The waffle was crunchy, and the chicken didn't have as much flavor or juiciness as I would have liked, but i'd have to say it was the best restaurant experience i had during my visit to Atlanta.

Ifeoma W.

I Love the Edgewood Thumb Up. Even though we had to wait, the food was scrumptious. I had the strawberry french toast, the turkey bacon and scrambled eggs and I sampled my friends potatoes ....GREAT! Love the scene. Food is fab!

Jackie H.

Thumbs Up is always packed every time I go. It's understandable. One can get a nice, solid breakfast, good service and decent prices. I'm good with that. However, I'd like them to season those omelette's up a bit. Just a bit. Still, this is definitely one of my ongoing breakfast options.

George W.

If you don't mind the wait or eating elbow to elbow at the counter then you'll be ok with this spot. The food is good and you'll eat everything because after waiting so long you will have built up a big appetite. If you're in a rush go elsewhere but if you have the time it's a good spot. Oh yeah this is the only place that I have run into that only takes cash no credit cards. Good thing that there is an ATM in the restaurant.

Will T.

Worth Skipping Church! There are some great breakfast spots in Atlanta, but Thumbs Up Diner, in a groovy industiral setting on Edgewood Ave., ranks among the best. Food portions are hearty and would leave a lumberjack patting a full and contented belly. I myself am a member of the clean plate club and couldn't finish all my food. Whole wheat biscuits have a crunchy crust but are fluffy on the inside. Topped with homemade peach preserves, better than anything your grandma made, will have you swooning. Omelets are huge, made with 3 eggs and stuffed with your choice of toppings. My only complaint is that they're a bit chintzy with the cheese in the omelets. Service is friendly and speedy, but expect to wait at least 30 minutes (or more) on a weekend morning. The turnover goes quickly, but they're just so many people waiting to get in. Omelettes and other breakfast entrees come with toast or a biscuit and the ala carte pricing can start to get a little pricy for a breakfast joint. My build your own omelet, with a side of spuds and a side of applewood bacon came to $12.37. Throw in a small orange juice and my tab was bumping $14. But who cares when it tastes this good. This is a cash only establishment, but there is an ATM on site.

Jean D.

Service is usually great and food consistent. However, getting a meal the way you want it leads to a one-on-one consultation that ends with a bunch of shrugged shoulders and head-shakes. I asked for a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit with the biscuit to the side.You would've thought I requested a gluten-free, all rye special. YOU CAN'T KEEP BREAD OFF A SANDWICH THUMBS UP EDGEWOOD? I'm taking my butt to Decatur.

Cynthia N.

I love the food and the atmosphere of this restaurant. It's a nicely-sized space - not too big, not too small. The staff is polite and efficient, and in the many times I've eaten here, I've never wondered what was taking my food so long. I only eat pancakes and bacon at this restaurant, and I've never been disappointed. I don't know what batter they use for those buttermilk pancakes but GOD they are friggin' delicious, and who can go wrong with perfectly crisped bacon. I gave Thumbs Up three stars because they have a seating policy that as a single person I find offensive. I usually go to Thumbs Up with a friend or two, but one weekday morning last month I wasn't working and decided to get some pancakes and bacon. I don't like the counter seating because it's too tight to sit comfortably, and I don't like those stools with my bum hanging over the sides and no support for my back. So I decided to wait for a table. And I waited, and waited and waited while couples and groups of three got seated before me but came in AFTER me. When I asked the hostess she said it was because she was waiting for a one-top - a small table that sat only two people. So I waited an extra 20 minutes for a table and frankly, my pancakes didn't taste as good as they usually did. Because of this policy, I won't ever go to Thumbs Up alone again, and although I love the food, I'm uncomfortable patronizing a restaurant that punishes me because I don't have a companion. In summary, the food is great, but be sure to take a friend (or be okay with a stool up your bum)!

Sheri C.

If you are looking for some good grits and eggs, this is the place to go. Other than that, I was disappointed in the flavors. The fish, pancakes and french toast were bland. I like the option of making your breakfast, so I was able to try plenty. I little dose of extra love and seasoning would go a long way at Thumbs Up!

gwen w.

Love this place for breakfast any time I'm in the ATL. Remember it accepts cash only, but does have an ATM on site.

Oscar G.

The wait was a little annoying but I wanted to come eat here for a few reasons. I love breakfast. They have plenty of healthy options. Close to my house. They don't charge extra for egg whites in the omelettes and they had a bunch of different choices for what went in the build-your-own. The buckwheat pancakes wtih pecans were excellent. I put a little of the homemade strawberry jam that's on the tables and I was really happy. great big menu and reasonably priced. service was good. it's just that wait, i wish we didn't have to go through to eat here.

Jonah K.

This place is out of this world. I have been to 2 locations, and the food is excellent always. They have a lot of interesting menu items, and most of the food is homemade. I've always had good service and getting in and out pretty quickly. I have had great omelets, scrambles, and sandwiches.

Kay W.

My BF and I read the Yelp reviews and figured since we were headed to Atlanta, why not? We are sooo glad the reviews were on-point to what we received. We ordered French toast, The Veggie Heap and Denver Omelette, plus waters. I would have gotten coffee, but could not remember what was said of the coffee. The French Toast was so yummy- lightly browned with just the right amounts of cinnamon, powdered sugar and vanilla. MMMM. :) My BF said The Veggie Heap ( cheese,potatoes, veggies and eggs) was tasty, put could go a little lighter with salt. I enjoyed my Denver omelette despite the server forgetting to make sure we got egg whites. We've heard about the long waits, but were fortunate enough to not have to wait past 15 min on a Sunday late morning/noon. It may help to say "First available" , which we did and had no problems sitting at the counter. The service was decent and the hostess is efficient, yet don't expect a sunny personality. The prices are good and we knew to come with cash in hand. There's an ATM available plus, I am sure if they were to get credit that the meal prices would go up just a bit. We will definitely head back, if not for the French Toast alone.

Henry M.

OMG... what a breakfast! You've got to be beyond perfect to make Southern food as easy as my wife's cooking -- they do it! I'll be back as often as possible.

Will P.

Food is great, servers are snarky and fast... But sometimes their popularity is also their undoing. It's just simply impossible to get a seat at certain breakfast hours. I'm waiting for them to expand again at this Edgewood location (they have a new-ish location in Decatur) and until then, it's recommended to go at off hours or suffer a 2-hour-plus wait. But when you DO, in fact, get in (consider sitting at the bar), this is one of the guiltiest, yummiest, awesome-est pleasures Atlanta has to offer. Skip the 2-hour wait at The Flying Biscuit (can someone explain why people wait so long for crappy food?) and go here - for chicken and waffles; truly yummy pancakes; amazing grits (skip the cheese... hi, overkill); or perhaps go whole hog and order "the heap," which is the quintessential indulgence of potatoes, eggs, bacon and whatever else can clog your arteries served up in an iron skillet. Parking is dicey and getting a booth is at a premium, but if you're brave enough to suffer the crowds, you're in for a rockin' treat. Just book your treadmill activity for the full week following. you'll need it.

Sherry W.

My new favorite brunch spot! Be wary of when you go though. Every time I drive by during the after-church hours, there are tons of people waiting outside this location. I prefer to go in the afternoon, around 2-3ish after a nice long morning of sleeping in on the weekend :) It's cash only here, which may explain why they keep their prices relatively low. I've always liked what I've gotten here (skillet of spuds, omelet, vegetarian bagel) and apparently the pancakes are great too. Plus, there's plenty of options and substitution to suit your dietary needs or specific cravings. Sometimes when we are super hungry, we order a serving of chicken fingers in addition to our entrees (I know, fatty alert) which is only $4-5 and super ample (great to take home as well)! I also really like how every waiter we've had has given consistently excellent service. To sum it all up, if you're looking for an affordable, filling, and guaranteed scrumptious meal, here's the place.

Deb B.

This is a *must eat* eatery! The staff is great and always nice. I've almost made my way through the entire menu... The chicken and waffles rock, but the catfish and grits are out of this world. I have family that has come through and still talks about it! The wait is a little long at times, (that seems to be in "in" thing), and it's cash only. There has to be a reason for that. I've found that the best local dives are *cash only*. The fact that Thumbs Up has several locations now, they need to get with the times. Will it stop me from going?? Heck no!!! The food is a near religious experience! Lunch also rocks! The BBQ sandwich is always a fav as well as their Reuben. Yummy!! Do not think this is a *get in, get out* place. Take your time, smell the fabulous coffee and taste the food!

Domonic B.

This, in my opinion, is one of the best breakfast chains in Atlanta. This place is always busy on the weekends...and for good reason! The food is awesome. The pancakes are huge! They always give you more than enough food and the service is always excellent. The only downer is that they don't accept debit/credit cards....only cash. This can be an inconvenience at times but it's a minor hump in the road since the food and atmosphere make up for it. I def suggest if you haven't tried Thumbs Up Diner for breakfast that you do so.

Patrick Q.

First up: Thumbs Up has great food. You will see lots of reviews stating "worth the wait!"... and it is true... I practically have a budget category in Quicken due to our family's regular weekend expenditure there. Whether you like to keep things simple (eggs, potatoes, grits, toast) or decadent (french toast!), you will probably leave satiated and ready for a return visit. My only knock (after 6 years of consistent patronage) is that I have experienced some inconsistency in preparation of some standard dishes. Perhaps the expansion to multiple locations has had some impact there. Pro tip: Hate waiting? Phone in your order. I live walking distance from this location, so that's our routine. Usually ready in 15 minutes, and 95% of the time as good as sitting down. Second pro tip: Not into huge portions? Get the heap with a couple of toppings and split it. Just be ready to fight over the biscuit! Final pro tip: Cash only. They have an ATM, but bank fees add $4 to your trip, so plan ahead and spend it on that second biscuit. PS from the neighborhood: Please, don't park on the opposite side of the street, even when you are waiting for takeout. That's a bike lane, not a waiting zone. Try parking over on Auburn Ave and enjoy a nice historical stroll.

Sarah S.

Love this place! Yes, the wait can be a pain, but once you give into that factor and focus on the food, it's great. Had great food and service today. Chicken salad melt with cheese grits on the side. The chicken salad is GREAT and the cheese grits are awesome, just wish I could have had more.

Kim O.

I would definitely come here whenever I'm in the Atlanta area!!!

Paul S.

I've always wanted to try Chicken and Waffles and finally got to this weekend! MMMmmmmm....... soooo goooood..... So the food was awesome... hands down soon to be one of my new breakfast joints. My date had "The Heap". I won for best meal, but hers was also pretty tasty. Large skillet full of potato, cheese, eggs cooked any style, peppers onions... you know... a heap. Service: Dude... get a new job. NO Buenos. I like when my server goes to the bar to take care of a pretty girl when there's already a competent female bartender working. We sat. We sat a while actually ... just waiting. Fail. I hope she turned his ass down. NOT pleased at all with my service... but I left with the salty sweet chickeny battery syrupy warm feeling and I moved on. I'll be back. Maybe the next server will help add that star I took away from this review from the crummy service. blah. mmmmm waffles....

Jada G.

I absolutely detest this location. I don't like the crowd. The wait staff sucks. Always takes too long to sit and even longer to eat. Now that they have the smokehouse next door, that smokey smell invades the room and takes the taste away from your food. I love thumbs up food, but hate this location

Andre M.

This place is great and the Chicken and Waffles is great . Just so small and tiny and not enough space. The wait can be so crazy. like 30 min or longer on a weekend.

Darryl M.

Outstanding place for breakfast. My brother took me here after worship on Sunday AM around 9:30am. Place was crowded but we didn't have to wait for a table. Pancakes were out of this world and a very large portion which I couldn't even finish (I had 2). Sausage patties were a little overcooked and definitely beefy. Bring cash with you because credit/debit cards are not accepted. They do have an ATM machine on hand though. Service was very friendly.

Traci W.

YUUUUMMMMMM-O!! so it's my birthday morning, I'm trying to recover from the previous night and realize that I am dam hungry! well, my friend had talked about this place earlier and so we headed out and I put my appetite and hunger in his hands..... And he did NOT steer me wrong! Breakfast might be my most favoritest meal and this place did not disappoint! I had the farmer's omelet (spuds, country sausage and cheese) MMM, it was a hot melty delicious feast sprinkled with just the right amount of country swine sausage :-) Only drawback was the weird multigran biscuit and marmalade?.....Personally, I need some good ol' fashioned flaky, buttery goodness. I quenched my thirst with a delicious Uptown; a tad sweet....I'm pretty sure I caught a cavity messing around with it but nonetheless, I was a smidge dehydrated and it hit the spot! Final verdict: Thumbs up......(hahaha, you saw it coming right?)

Hugh P.

Great southern food. You have to try, you won't be disappointed.

This is an excellent diner / cafe especially for breakfast. It has loads of choice, big servings, good coffee and low prices, so not surprisingly, you usually have to wait for a table. If you go when they first open on a weekday or Sunday, you can probably go right in, otherwise expect to wait. But it's worth it. If you are a visitor looking for a true taste of the South, get biscuits* rather than toast and get grits or cheese grits. Apart from that, follow your instincts. It's all good. For Brits: In America, "biscuits" are NOT cookies; think a buttery, savoury scone.

Starleigh H.

They definitely need a place like this in California! I had REAL southern food for the first time this past June when I was in ATL for a friend's birthday. The closet thing we had here in the Bay Area was Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles - but even that closed down! =( I never had grits before (can you believe it? what can I say, I'm a Cali girl) and nothing says the south like grits. I ordered fried catfish w/ a side of the grits and an over medium egg. Oh, and you can't forget the sweet tea. Who thought catfish would be so good for brunch? I'll be back for more... I plan to take more trips out there in the future!

Michelle W.

Let's begin by saying that I LIVE for Breakfast and Brunch. Sweet: French toast, eggs, home fries (or, 'Spuds' at Thumbs Up)... Oh My! My absolute favorite items on the menu are the Sassy Scramble (cream cheese with eggs? Yes!!) and the French Toast (challah!). Plus, I'm not usually a fan of catfish, but I was pleasantly surprised by the perfect flavor and crispness of the fish. And to imagine that in addition to the amazing food and service, the price is affordable to boot. Salty: Be prepared to wait. It's worth it, and I'd do it in a heartbeat. I believe great food is worth the wait. I truly hope that my excitement about this restaurant is as apparent as I'm intending.

Dru M.

It's always nice to have great brunch places close to home. Being in the mood for lunch I went with the chicken salad. Chicken was seasoned well and the salad was very fresh and more than plenty. My boyfriend decided on breakfast. He built his own omelet (egg whites, veggies and goat cheese) and got a buckwheat pancake with pecans. I didn't try the omelet, but it looked great. I did take a bite of the pancake, which I liked a lot. Overall great food and service. A few things to mention. There will be a wait. Doesn't matter what time you go...expect to wait. BUT...they are very good with turning around tables quickly. If you don't want to wait...you can always do take out. Also...they are cash only. They have an ATM though. I would suggest bringing cash just in case the ATM isn't working. Last thing...there are several things on their menu that you can only order Monday-Friday. Not really sure why, but they exist. I actually wanted to order a few of those things then noticed they were only Monday-Friday. I was a little bummed, but there are plenty of other items to pick from. I give them two "Thumbs Up". Ha. I'm a dork.

Anna S.

I'm going to be that girl everybody hates because I do NOT like this place. Long, long waits for mediocre food. Oh, and there are communal jam jars on the table. With little bits of toast in them from the people who sat at the table before you. Delicious.

Joselle C.

It was our first time to try this place and my husband and I were impressed. I always never finish a whole plate so we shared and ordered one of their specials which was the steak and eggs. As usual, american diners always serve a lot so it was just enough for us. My husband loved their steak!!! He is very particular with his steak and this one was a great one for him. Their eggs are nicely done, the bread was perfectly toasted, and the potatoes tastes great too. All in all, it's a nice breakfast place in Atlanta!

Luckie D.

No redeeming qualities, and I was hungry. They get 2 stars becasue the parking was free. The coffee was weak and flavorless, the eggs lacked seasoning and flavor as well. The grits were obviously made with water and not milk or cream and the bacon although thick sliced was also bland. Adding insult to tastebud assault they only take cash! Is it asking too much for a place to take plastic like most places?

Shaun R.

I love this place. Their chicken and waffles = amazing. The best advice I can give you is get there before the church rush on Sunday! Honestly, I've never had to wait long but we play it safe on Sundays. It's almost like a sport for me. We see if we can be dressed and get to Thumbs Up before it gets packed and then watch the line begin to form around 11 am! Being there before the line forms and making comments to my wife like "Oh, we sure made it here just in the nick of time!" is a sick pleasure I have in life. I digress, it's a great place and I always get excited when I know we're going to eat here. Oh yeah, don't order too many blueberry pancakes until you understand how big they are. Start off with one or order two and a carryout box.

P O.

our favorite breakfast joint. the heap and chicken salad sandwich are a couple dishes that stand out. one of the few places thatknow how to cook an egg. cant go wrong coming here except that you will probably have to wait for a table.

Sarah B.

Great breakfast experience. Everything from our waitress, Jasmine, to the food was excellent. Coffee, delish. Fresh strawberry waffles, scrumptious. Blueberry pancakes, heavenly. Sassy Scramble, amazing. Chicken sausage, flavorful. Fried chicken n waffles, classic. Yep, our family left Atlanta feeling satisfied and loved. Thanks for the great experience!

Antonio B.

The wait was long but it was well worth it.... Everything was good especially my French Toast!

H. H.

Food is great; avoid the coffee.

Kurt M.

Solid four stars - be back again for sure. Had the farmers omelet...ugh am I full! Big portion...great flavor. Good service.

Frank M.

My wife and I came here for breakfast - the food is very good and filling. We had the skillet heap - a skillet filled with potatoes, onions, peppers, cheese and topped with eggs. The service was very helpful and friendly.

Leslie W.

Took the former BF out for his *ahem* 40TH Birthday! breakfast brunch. Neither of us had been to Thumbs Up before, so it was easy to decide where to go. We headed for the west side location on Marietta, but I forgot about the CASH ONLY policy, so our search for an ATM led us to the Edgewood restaurant. It was around 11:30 on a Thursday at this point, so we didn't have to wait at all. Fun decor, awesome music - we sat down in a booth and I realized that the title song from Never Ending Story was playing and immediately fell in love! I ordered the loaded potato skillet thingy with veg sausage and eggs over easy. The BF had eggs, grits, and potatoes. Both were super delicious. (I was totally bummed later that day when I realized that my leftovers were still in his fridge!) Good coffee, too. Absolutely will go again! Cash in hand, of course.

Stacey F.

Haven't eaten here in almost 5 years, so was really looking forward to returning. Had to pick my OH up from the airport at a hideous hour (6:30am), so felt heading to Thumbs Up would be a great reward for my efforts. We had previously only been to Thumbs Up during their busy weekends, so it was a nice change to go for an early weekday breakfast. We arrived at 6:59am and had to wait until about 7:05pm before the door was opened. It seemed only one waitress was working, but since there were only a few of us, that was no problem. Luckily, coffee and water were quickly delivered. Both of us ordered our old favorites: the Heap for him (with added veggies) and the Cream Cheese Special for me with a side of grits (I think those USED to be included) and one piece of french toast. Considering there was only one other person in the place, it seemed to take a while for the food to come out. I have to say that some of the food did not quite live up to my fond memories: the Cream Cheese Special was a massive portion and tasty, but I would have preferred a bit less eggs and more cream cheese & herbs. The grits were a bit runnier than I remember (they were served with a spoon) and the biscuit was good, but the outside was not quite as crispy as I like. However, I could forget ALL of that after tasting the amazing french toast. Perfectly cooked with a strong cinnamon taste...I told my hubby to hurry and have a bite before I ate it all. Yummy! As usual, The Heap was a massive portion and there was quite a bit left. OH described it as 'greasy, but good greasy.' It was such a treat to visit the restaurant without the insane weekend crowds. We were able to relax without the feeling that we needed to give up the table--there were still many available when we left. I love that the coffee cups are quite large, so you don't need a refill ever other minute. Even when she was the only one working (more staff came on @ 8am), our waitress did a great job refilling the coffee, lowfat milk (which I use as creamer), and water. Our food was $23 which is about standard for breakfast--but the food is much better than 'standard.'

Yakesia T.

I really like this restaurant. The service was excellent and the location was perfect (minutes from the expressway). I enjoyed the catfish and grits plate with a hot chocolate with lots of whipped cream on top! So delicious to the last bite!

Ebony J.

What's all the hype about!?!?! First time here! Well where should I begin, for as long as the wait , 45 minutes to be seated the food could have been better along with the service. What was ordered, I ordered the Salmon, Spinach, and Cream Cheese Omlette with Spuds. The omlette was just ok and the spuds were cooked so long that there was no soft potatoe left (lol). For this particular establishment fast paced and sometimes forgetful by the waitress, please do not expect to receive world class service.

W T.

This place is probably one of my favorite diners. I decided to treat myself before the big SuperBowl Party that I was going to attend later that evening. To my surprise, when I got there, there was only 5 parties waiting in front of me. This is a first. I am usually waiting at least 30 - 40 minutes with I dine here. Once we were seated I glanced over the menu, but already knew that I wanted the catfish and grits. I decided way before I even got in the car to drive to the diner. Meal came out fairly quickly and I dived right in. It is so easy to recommend people to this restaurant if they are willing to wait for great food.

Melissa B.

Great food, big portions, reasonable prices. My man and I loved it so much that we went to this location and the Roswell one in the same weekend.

Renel F.

The food here is very good but you should expect to have a long wait if you get there before 2pm on a Sunday which is typical of any brunch/breakfast place. If you're gonna wait an hour you might as well do it here because the food is worth the wait.

Erica S.

So yummy! The catfish is amazing. I also really liked the chicken sausage and the blueberry pancake.

Makeda M.

Been to this location a couple times before and have never been disappointed. The pros are the food, especially the omelets and their french toast; the service is always fast and friendly and the kitchen is usually quick (although at my last visit, they basically shut down the kitchen because the health inspector was there. but they gave us a discount of the meal so all's well that ends at half off!) The cons are the wait, the parking situation and the cash only policy. but none of these overshadow the great food.

Angie S.

OMG, THE BEST breakfast/lunch spot in Atlanta. The food is delectable (rubs stomach)! I had the plate sized pancake & all you need is one. They are light & fluffy & wonderful! Service is great! Love this place!

Katrina D.

Following a few more visits to Thumbs Up Diner, I am confident to say it is an amazing breakfast spot. The Tofu and Veggies (tamari style Tofu topping a bed of uncooked spinach and steamed broccolli) is a perfect meal with an added order of Spud potatoes. Additionally, it is more moderately priced than other spots in Atlanta. Just be prepared to potentially wait a little while for a table, or you could opt for counter seating.

Austin S.

After reading multiple reviews on Yelp, it seems to me that people always rate food, staff, wait time, restaurant presentation and price. So I'll use the rating stars to rate each category. I feel like Edgewood is an eccentric part of Atlanta. While some parts are being redeveloped with modern yuppinism, the rest are still empty and worn down but vintage at the same time. The Thumbs Up diner is located on Edgewood on a small building with few other businesses. The inside of the restaurant is in typical diner layout, but with less neons and chromes. The brick walls and darker lighting enhances the overall feel of the restaurants. +1 The bathroom was clean, floor was clean, table was clean... you get the idea. The wait was short. It was 3 of us at 8:30AM on Saturday and we were able to sit down after 10 minutes. Waitstaff was friendly and informative about the cash only rules. +1 star As we sat in our booth, we were greeted with the true southern hospitality. Friendly waitress helped us throughout our breakfast with speedy service and a great smile. She made sure that our cups were full, food was delicious, and casual but professional at the same time. +1 star I ordered chicken and waffles, and it was everything I wanted it to be. The waffle was moist and warm and chicken fingers were fried to perfection. Crispy outside, juicy inside.... I could literally eat this everyday. I think the size of the chicken fingers were slightly disappointing (4 small chicken strips), but I guess this is one of those quality rules over quantity. Their apple jelly was freaking awesome, too! (I think it was apple...) Last the price was suitable for what you get. You can check out their website to find the prices. Just make sure that you have cash! +1 Overall, I definitely liked it. I would certainly go back to this place to get some more chicken and their delicious apple jelly.

Quin W.

I went here for the first time a few weeks ago. I went again for my post NYE hangover cure the next day. The food was delicious both times. I've had the steak and eggs and the chicken melt. I can do without the chicken melt, the bread was soggy, but I will more than likely be back for the steak. I will say I've tried to go back a few times however, I do not have the patience for the long wait.

Melvin A.

Usually pretty good.

Yonnie B.

Food is cheap, fresh and tasty. My sauteed spinach and mushrooms with the side of smoked salmon, egg and whole wheat biscuit was cooked carefully. Not greasy, not overdone. Was it generous? Yes mama! Service is friendly and unpretentious. Vibe is warm and honest. Excellent value for money. My favorite combination of strengths. Perfect 5.

Rob P.

Great breakfast.

Lauren H.

I got the Yukon omelet which has cream cheese, spinach, and smoked salmon. Cream cheese with eggs is brilliant! My boyfriend ordered chicken and waffles, and they were the best we've ever had. Cash only!

M A.

This place is incredible. The lines are always out the door by 8:00am at this location, so arrive early if you're in a rush. The breakfast is amazing and can be ordered a la carte to create your perfect morning meal. The cheese grits, the heap, and the waffles are some of the favorites. I've woken up extra early many times to drive to the nearest location to my work and dine before heading off (this Edgewood location used to be my morning spot before a job swap). It's well worth the 7:00am wake-up call! A restaurant isn't just about the food experience, though. The waitstaff and cooks here won't leave you wishing you'd never shown up. They are always friendly and attentive without being annoying. It can be a bit more difficult to snag their attention when the place is filled to the brim with patrons, but it's never too much of a hassle. Do note that all locations are cash only and can have very limited parking or seating. They also close right after lunch and do not offer dinner, so do keep that in mind as well! I believe seating is limited to 6 per table, and while the staff is more than happy to try and seat a large party near one another, they won't break the 6 person table limit. To sum it up: Thumbs Up deserves two big thumbs up for being one of the best spots in the city to get breakfast.

Brooks S.

I first waited to eat at Thumbs up for over an hour and a half - I asked my friend Geoff if it was really worth it - and it really was! Granted the wait to eat isn't the most enticing thing about going to Thumbs Up or the parking situation, but the food makes it 5 stars as well as the atmosphere. Yummy hot breakfast food is my favorite and again this is one of those places where my stomach isn't big enough for everything on the menu. However, the creature of habit I am... I go for the Cream Cheese Eggs EVERY time I'm there. I've also had my friend Misty, my mother, and my brother wanting it every time they come to town. My mom knows I like it so much, last week for my birthday she sent me $10 in my card for "Birthday Breakfast at Thumbs Up" the only sad part was she couldn't join me. Coffee, cheese grits, biscuit, sausage and a pecan pancake make this breakfast complete. (Didn't I tell you I try to eat too much?) Don't forget your cash, because you can't use your credit card and the ATM there charges a fun little fee.

Joe S.

Have to say - been living on town almost 15 years now, and breakfast at Thumbs Up is still my favorite in town. Two things do it for me here - we LOVE the servers. They are always super friendly and never miss a beat. The other is the food - I have never had a bad meal here, and the Portland Scramble is still my favorite. I used to love the Southern Scramble, which has not been on the menu in a while, but they will cook it for me if the ingredients are back there. We've tried Stone Soup (which I also really like) and West Egg (sorry to say it - was cool and hip before the big move, and now just feels like is more of a scene than restaurant), and always come back here. The cash-only part is a bit of a drag, but kudos to the owners for taking a stand on not paying those crazy fees associated with credit cards. By the looks of the place on a sunday am, it doesn't seem to bother anyone else either!

Bobbin W.

I've been wanting to try Thumbs Up for a while but haven't been willing to wait an hour for a seat on the weekends. I took the day off and finally had an opportunity to eat lunch there--and satiate my appetite immediately. I found it odd that the establishment only accepts cash; although there is an ATM in the back of the eatery, I still think taking only cash in this day and age is redunk. I ordered the Greek omelette--while the eggs, feta cheese, onions, tomato, spinach and olives were fresh and delicious, I thought the dish was more like a scramble than an omelette. I'm glad to finally have eaten at this Atlanta breakfast staple. My meal was solid, but I'd rather go to Ria's when I'm next craving egg.

Germaine C.

I walked into this place with my Macbook in hand expecting a run of the mill breakfast nook where I could score some WiFi and eat some toast. Oh well. There is no WiFi, no one had a laptop and the Food here is goot, goot, goot. Even at an early hour patrons were outside awaiting tables. Thumbs up does brisk business so a little wait time is to be expected.(as I found out) Inside is airy and welcoming. The servers are all cheerful folks in that classic southern way. The seated diners were an eclectic mix of Young Professionals, Bohemian types and Couples with young Children. As for the Food, the Biscuits, the Biscuits, the Goddamn Buttermilk Biscuits!! They arrive piping hot, fresh from the Oven. Nice!!! I went for the 'build your omelette' option and was very pleased when a fluffy, perfectly cooked Egg White Omelette arrived stuffed with Goat Cheese, Button Mushrooms and Applewood smoked Sausage(trust me, this combo worked.) I left 'Thumps Up' very satisfied, knowing that I would be back whenever I landed in GA again and the opportunity presented itself.

J. J.

The Atlanta Bicycle Campaign meets here once a month for its commuter breakfast. The bike-friendly owners cover the cost of the coffee for the ABC breakfast, so they're jake in my book. The breakfast biscuits are portioned and priced just right. The heaping skillets you'll only be able to scarf half of. And the chicken and waffles dish is rocket fuel, but you'll have to order real maple syrup at extra cost. Bring CASH. These folks wanna see your green, not your plastic. The ATM charges 3$ transaction fee. It's robbery, and a reason I'll usually skip Thumb's Up. This coupled with the fact they offer no biscuits and gravy on the menu are minor annoyances in an otherwise solid diner.

Frank M.

First of all it's great they do breakfast, not enough breakfast joints in Atl (I'm not including McDonald's or microwave king). The food is good here but partly because you wait so long to be seated, then served, that you're starving by the time you get the first fork full of food in your mouth (remember, hunger is the best gravy). The service is slightly sub par, but unfortunately that's common. I'd recommend this place if you're not in a hurry.

Leah T.

This place gets five stars from me for being a.) SUPER friendly, b.) cheap, and c.) yum. Yes, you have to pay in cash. Yes, you have to time your visit just right or else you'll be waiting a long time. But for early-birds like me and the mister, who also live just down the street, it's a truly great breakfast spot with some of the nicest servers ever. I love the extensive a-la-carte-ness, the spuds are awesome, and I adore the fluffy biscuits. I also love the cozy atmosphere. AND the fact that it is open at 7:00 a.m. Cuz that's when I'm hungry.

D G.

I absolutely love this place. The food is great and reasonably priced. Definitely try the the spuds. I like that there are no extra charge for egg whites and there is a variety of meat offerings from chicken, turkey, and pork sausage or bacon. The waiting list is a bit old school, you put your name in a notebook but it gets the job done when sitting people at tables. There is usually seating at the bar which is great too for two people. This is a great chill spot for breakfast! Note that they only take cash. I am adding some comment to my original review of this restaurant. I went on May 30th at 10AM. I parked at the parking lot on the side opposite side of the restaurant and my car was broken into and goods were stolen. After speaking with the police, I was told that vandalism is common in that neighborhood and area. 100 car break ins per week. So although the food is good, it is NOT in a safe nor secure location. Beware of your surroundings in that area. I will no longer go there but I will try the Marietta Street location. The fact that there is no cameras and the crime is high in the area is enough for me to stay away so I suggest you do the same. Don't give up your safety for good food.

Kamika K.

Went here on my visit to Atlanta at the high recommendation of my cousin. I told her I really wanted some good breakfast and this place did not disappoint. The location was clean, the staff were super nice, and the line which I hear is normally super long was only a line of 4 (including us). But the food...the food was just what I was looking for. Pecan pancakes, soft scrambled eggs with American cheese, applewood bacon, and well cooked - did I say well cooked grits. I normally put lots of butter and sugar on my grits but didn't need too they already had a good creamy well-buttered taste to them. I'm always shocked when a restaurant is able to make good grits. An extra star for the grits. Now if I could only talk my cousin into going back two days in a row...

Kori M.

This place is really good. Too bad it's super small and always crowded. Doesn't matter though. I'm hooked now. That Greek scramble put it on me and now I'm an addict. I will share one particularly frustrating experience that I had which made me question my love for this place... I walked in put my name down for party of three and waited...and waited...and waited...and waited. I see that my name is close. Now the lady who had been seating people had been doing a very good job. Then she got busy. Uh oh. So this guy starts seating people. Ok so let's do the math ok? So there are three open tables. Two two seaters and one booth. There are two party of twos in front of my party of three. So where should everyone go??? Figure it out yet? I hope you did because he sure didn't. He sat the party of two at a two seater and then a party of two at the booth. then that leaves my party of three...oh wait now we can't sit down because there is only an empty two seater table. I tried to explain the error of his ways but he completely blew me off and then proceeded to seat two to three other party of twos who came in after me. By this time I'm FURIOUS. But oh no...he wasn't done yet. Then he calls a party of three whose name was after mine on the list and I about lost it! I stopped him and told him that he keeps passing over my name. Then he apologizes and hugs me! He hugs me! It was very condescending. I really wanted to slap him but then I'd have to deal with APD (and we know how crazy they are). Then he finally seats us. Although I found this situation to be very ridiculous and upsetting I've decided that I won't let it get between me and my Greek scramble. So take my advice and monitor that damn wait list. You wait right there until you are seated because they obviously aren't organized as far as hostessing goes.

Eric D.

I was in the ATL last month for a week on business, I checked out a few places in the ATL on yelp and Triple D from the food network as this place was aired a while back. We were staying at the Hilton downtown and this place was about 2 miles away! Now when I'm out of town I love walking around the city checking things out, for those of you who haven't been to to Atlanta, typical big city, in the South with its share of shady/sketchy areas! So I get the address from yelp and head out on my 4th day in the ATL, walking to get to this place could be scary for some, there are some real sketchy types lingering around, homeless, crack babies, you name it, I saw it!! The neighborhood in general looked very run down, deserted and many of the street side store front tenant spaces were abandoned. Definitely a sign of the current economic times in an area on the out skirts of a big city. So once I got through the mean, dark streets of Bosnia, I mean Atlanta, and arrived at Thumps Up, I knew I was in a place of greatness!!!!! A very cozy and quaint little Southern Diner! I approached the bar counter and grabbed a seat on the bar stool! I was solo, so I definitely hit the counter. Right away the help asked me what I would like to drink, the usual coffee and H2O to start! After reading all the reviews in yelp and seeing the episode on triple D, I decided to go for the "Heap" a large skillet with delicious potatoes, topped with your choice of meat, I chose the country sausage, then topped with eggs and cheese and this thing was huge and delicious and the scratch made biscuit that was absolutely amazing as was there house made jam!! I also ordered a pancake on the side as I heard they were excellent and let me tell you, these pancakes were no joke!!! Very light and fluffy yet had a very cakey flavor, absolutely delicious!!! This place was so good, that I told my associate about it and we hit this place the next day, day 5 and our last day in ATL. I warned him about the walk to get here and suggested he leave his wallet in the room, I did, I put cash in my sock!! Hey they only take cash no credit cards, even though I'm 6ft, 215 and work out, spar and train like a mofo, I cant beat down a bullet! hahaha:) Seriously though we had no problems on the walk, both days! 2nd visit I ordered an Omelet with Hickory smoked bacon, onions, avo and cheese, My boy David ordered an omelet too! These babies were so fresh, light and fluffy, again DELICIOUS!! they came with Potatoes and we ordered a side of their homemade french toast that was of this world!!! Hand down, yet Thumps up, this place has the greatest breakfast ever!! Good southern scratch cooking with the best ingredients!! I can't even eat breakfast in So Cal, unless I cook it myself cause nothing can touch THE THUMPS UP DINER! Even YO Mama!

Davie C.

Just good ole Southern breakfast. You'll swear your granny was in the kitchen. They have fancy fixuns too. Cash only. ATM on site.

Matt A.

Awesome place! The Wife and I went here for sunday breakfast after moving all day Saturday. Even though the place is packed (for a good reason!) the wait was short, and we were at our table in arround 10 minutes. We both ordered the Chicken and Waffles, and were completely satisfied! Our server, Shelly, was very busy but still took very good care of us and her other tables. Great service, great food, and great prices! 5 Stars all the way!

Darome B.

Very dissapointed! I heard all they hype but the experience was not good at all! For starters the servers don't smile and seem like they don't want to be there. I guess True Southern Hospitality is really dead and gone. Next the Coffee was really bad, the pancakes were muddy(had to take em back) and last but not least the menu. They charge for each individual item. Why not have alacarte's i.e Egg,Bacon, Hashbrown and Toast! Come on now? I'm sticking with Orginal Pancakes off CheshireBridge and Lindbergh or J. Christophers And cash only??......thats nuts! Thumbs up?........Thumbs down. I'd start with better customer service guys.........a smile! People notice this if not we move on the next palce that can provide that.

John P.

Two thumbs up! Ok, I felt like I was the last person to know about this place. I enjoyed the tasty breakfast and it was the perfect amount of food that filled me up and kept me wanting to have some of every plate that I saw walking by going to other tables! I'll be back... I went, you should go!

Samantha H.

I live walking distance so I stop by often to grab a bite to eat. The place is ALWAYS packed, but the staff is always friendly which is highly important. I usually grab a coffee which is hot and good and I am partial to the sassy scramble-salmon, cream cheese, grilled onions, and spices scrambled with eggs. Its delicious. Its almost $10 (cash only) bucks but its good.

Chris B.

I sat down for lunch at 1:00. I got an ice tea. I waited five or six minutes. I asked a waiter at the counter where I was sitting who would take my order. He told me someone would be right with me. I waited another ten minutes. The place was not crowded. The staff was disinterested. I paid for my ice tea and split. Oh and they are cash only. The food looked ok but I wouldn't know as no one bothered to ask if I wanted any. Annoyed and hungry.

Carrie M.

Great food! Had an egg white omelet with chicken sausage....Great service as well! Cash only but they have an atm. Had to wait a few minutes to be seated but it was well worth it. And the multigrain biscuits are amazing!!

Adam H.

I love going out for breakfast, but have pretty much tried every place in my area. I rarely find a place that blows my mind, and Thumbs Up falls in line with your average breakfast joint. There was nothing on the menu that jumped out at me, so I decided to order something I've never ordered before: Chicken and Waffles. In my entire life, I have never once ordered waffles from a restaurant. I'm just not that into them. The meal came to the table and included chicken strips (very under-seasoned, but cooked well), a couple of eggs (just your normal eggs), and a waffle that made me re-think ordering waffles going forward in my life. The waffle was really light, which is always a concern of mine making me think I should give them a try at other places. The service was great too, but otherwise, the place didn't offer a lot in the way of uniqueness or something different and worth bragging about. I'd certainly go back, but with other options in the area, it probably wouldn't be my first choice when looking at breakfast options.

Nathan J.

This has to be the worst of the thumbs up there are around the area. The service is very lack luster and can be very rude actually. Food is still good but when you have to deal with all the other issues at this location you might as well just visit one of the other better locations. Hardly any parking, no seats to fit the crowds, and crappy service make this a location to avoid.

Tamaica M.

This place was packed! !!! It was about an 40 min wait....The food was good but nothing I would get out my bed and run to for breakfast. ..

Winnie G.

Breakfast today i had eggs, grits and fried catfish. Service was great and our waitress was warm and friendly but the catfish was not fried crispy and was very under seasoned. The grits were delicious! I also tried the smoked chicken wings they had a strong smoky taste very unauthentic as if it was a smoke flavoring that I found very unpleasant also feathers all over the wings very unappealing. Pricy and I won't be going back other than the sever they offer nothing original or eventful in my opinion.

Li J.

Pretty good breakfast with HUGE portions. Seems like Giant Breakfast is an Atlanta standard. I went with a bunch of friends and had a good old time. There were some really loud men near us, but we weren't bothered too much. Service was good - poor waitress was working so hard. Prices are reasonable borderline cheap. Food is a-okay. Nothing really special but I would definitely consider revisiting the place.

JD L.

Pleasantly surprised with this place. Wait was only 20 minutes on a Saturday at 10 am. Service was great! My coffee mug was always full! I got the fish and grits and smoked wings as this is what the waitress recommended. Would definitely come back next time I'm in town. It is CASH ONLY!

Jon P.

What? You only except cash? That is Thumb's Up, and despite its antiquated way of doing business, it's really a standout in the breakfast / brunch arena in the East side of Atlanta. If you come in on the weekends, prepare to wait, this place is packed, especially after folks from area churches bombard this place. If you love good, basic breakfast food, no one can compare to Thumb's Up. The food offerings aren't earth shattering, but they are the familiar breakfast and brunch items we are all used to, and they are just better here. My recommendation - THE HEAP. The Heap is potatoes, onions, green peppers, cheese, eggs, and your choice of meat. Wow it's heaven served in a black skillet. Also try their flapjacks - they aren't like the Bluebirds, but a close second. Service is hit or miss, the wait staff is usually bombarded with tables and you don't get over the top service - they do get the job done however. If you are looking for a great breakfast / brunch, look no further than Thumb's Up..

Richard T.

This was my favorite restaurant in the ATL. I got a skillet of some sort. I don't remember what it was called, but I remembered it had potatoes and scrambled eggs. I also got side of biscuits and gravy. Every bite was amazing. The grits, so buttery and the biscuit so fluffy. The service was so polite and the prices were low.

Alexander M.

A group of my friends decided to have Sunday brunch here and I must say I was pleasantly surprised!! I saw some really yummy selections but after about 10 mins looking at the menu I went ahead with "The Skillet Heap" made with a mixtures of potatoes different meats cheese and egg whites on top! A lot going on in that skillet and for the price you can't best it! Can't wait to go back and try more! I only wish they offered mimosas!

Tai D.

Great food! This place made me understand what it means when they say "don't hurt yourself" when you're getting ready to eat. There is not much parking space, but this is a great little find. This is in the Old Fourth Ward so it's in a good place to be if you have visitors from out of town. There are many historical sites to visit nearby.

Mary S.

This place has great quality food! However the 30+ minute wait and the confusing "sign-in-yourself" hostess left something to be wanted for. For some unknown reason the place is cash only....which in 2015 is pretty outdated. Aside from that the chicken salad patty melt had a beautiful blend of smokey on their marble rye bread. Maybe I'll come back on a not so busy day.

Isabella S.

Best neighborhood breakfast anywhere! Bring cash or be forced to use the pricey ATM on-site, and be prepared to wait a while for a table, ANY day of the week... but honestly, it's worth the inconvenience AND the wait. If you're really in a hurry, sit at the counter. I LOVE the skillet meals, piled high with spinach, broccoli, eggs, onions, potatoes, applewood-smoked bacon and sour cream, but those are a few of MANY choices. Be careful, it's enough food for two meals ;) Also not to be missed- the catfish, the biscuits, the HUGE pancakes, and on and on and on. Even great salads! Cav is the best, don't care how long it takes, I wait for her table because I appreciate great customer service, but the staff here is great. The noise level tends to be high, be prepared. I feel lucky to live within walking distance so I don't have to worry about parking. But if you must park, there is a small lot adjacent, and some street parking. If you want convenience, go to the Waffle House. If you want great food, go to Thumbs Up Diner.

Dr. Shannon W.

Most places serve fried chicken and waffles, but can you say SMOKED chicken and waffles! It was the best ever - some of the best smoked meat I've had! Cheerful, friendly servers, delicious food, and great prices equal a guaranteed return trip from me!

Miss C.

Great food @ a good price. Parking available. Plenty of variety on the menu. We ate breakfast here after mass & had a nice experience. The service was prompt & friendly. The coffee was delicious & served in a large mug. I would definitely dine here again. The thing that put this place over the top for me was the numerous healthy options & the pure maple syrup. I would rename it to the 2 Thumbs Up Diner!

Jasmine L.

I absolutely love this place the portions are enough to get you full and the service is always superb even though most of the time it's a little wait it's worth it! Go with an empty stomach

Gladys N.

Delicious breakfast very good price build your own omelet or build your own breakfast good choices great pancakes Lou's coffe is a must!!!

michael g.

Always a line, but worth the wait. Great coffee, cover all the breakfast staples, but do yourself a favor and try a special. They have some creative and inventive things on the menu that are well worth the risk. They do various scrambles and skillets, all great. Also do a great job of vegan and low-fat options. They also have an option to get real maple syrup, spoil yourself for $0 .99 and get it. Thumbs up needs a vestibule (thesaurus alert) or other device to keep the cold air out. My advice, sit far from the door. Be careful, cash only.

Katie C.

Its a pretty nice, cozy and super affordable breakfast place, wait time is pretty reasonable with the quality of food thy serve. The server was decent, not too ghetto nor rude. Love the cheese grits although not the best I've had. They could've improved it better by making the texture a little smoother. The sassy scrambles were pretty good, the taste of smoked salmon in it was just right. pancakes were not as good as other reviewers commented, would've tried their waffles or French toasts instead, because they look fabulous from other tables :D the only downside about this place - CASH ONLY....

Rodney N.

Went here for breakfast. Word of warning. The Pancakes are huge. Don't try to be all Paul Bunyan & think you can eat 3 of them, becuase you can't. There always seem to be a short wait here, but they really move fast. The service is great. Very attentive & quick & they will make good suggestions when asked. As stated above, the portions are huge & hot & tasty! I recomment the applewood smoked bacon as a side to whatever you get. The menu is al a carte-ish so not the cheapest meal, but not bad for downtown. The building shares a parkihng lot with Accoustix, so the parking-lot hustlers will be out in Full Force, but that is just an ATL thing. Looking for good breakfast or just tired of Waffle-HOP, then give this place a try. p.s. this place is CASH only. There is an ATM, inside, that charges 4 damn dollars, so consider yourself warned; also the cinder walls seem to have noise cancelling speakers built in that are broken. This litte place gets loud.

Ravonda W.

I'm not a big breakfast fan but this place is great..we went on Memorial day and waiting about an hour but it was definitely worth it..just remember its cash only!...they do have an atm in the back though...the portions were good..our waiter was nice...definitely a spot to go to when you're Atlanta!

Randy R.

Oh wow...this place is sooo good. Solid diner fare, good portions, tasty food. The prices are quite reasonable and the staff was extraordinarily attentive and sweet. Will definitely be back.

Jason P.

Thumbs Up Diner is a cash-only, valet-parking-only place that serves a great breakfast. Delicious waffles, grits, and sausage. Good coffee too! Plus, you can make your own breakfast plate.

Robert F.

Great food as always. My girl had the pancakes and I was feeling adventurous, so I had the smoked wings. They were "whole" wings and they were smoked to perfection. My side was sautéed spinach and mushrooms. We both left full and satisfied as usual.

Luke W.

A well kept secret, this is a cash only establishment, keeping it original. In my visit I had the chicken fingers and created my own omelet. The service was good and the good was that to be expected from a great diner. Definitely must hit this spot for breakfast before a trip back home.

Anita L.

This place rocks. Came here on vacation, and yes, it was insanely packed, but we waited a decent time and were seated at the bar. I think it would be best to avoid large groups here and just come out here with your SO or a buddy. Ordered the steak and eggs, wonderful! I also wanted a side of waffles (1 actually), but it was huge and fluffy and just wonderful. Service was fantastic, and we definitely felt welcome. I can't wait to go back to ATL just to eat breakfast here again.

Garrett W.

The food is better than a normal diner. However, not being informed about the cash only policy is not cool. We are in the 21st century were it is unacceptable to not take another form of payment in a dine in restaurant. I understand it cost a business more money to take other forms of payment but if saving money is the issue then mark up your prices. UGH a 6 dollar breakfast turned into a 10 dollar breakfast. #Collegestudent

Martie K.

Pulled pork tacos were outstanding!! The taste of freshly smoked pork amazing. Partnered with sweet potato fries!!

Michelle B.

I was introduced to this place a couple of years ago by an xbf...got rid of him, but I still come back! Like other reviewers, be forewarned and come early on the weekends. The hoodies here start lining up at about 9am...Hello! Everyone should know that ANY restaurant that serves a god brekkie is gonna be slammed come Saturday or Sunday! I come during the week for two reasons: no chance of running into the ex, and I can sit at the counter and bullshit with the regulars and the hot waiter with the hot dreds. Plus I can take my time ordering, which is always a challenge here...just working thru the many selections you can add to The Heap will take you a month of Sundays. So many different combos it leaves me breathless! I'd come here for the hash browns, well done, of course, alone! The chicken and waffles and the steak and eggs are also great, and I have to say I prefer the biscuits here to that "other" place that thinks their biscuits rule. Maybe it's just me, but while I like my biscuits to stand up to the gravy with some texture, I don't want them so hard I could use them for doorstops, ahem! The challah French toast is HUGE and just yummy and you get your own little bottle of syrup. There are, pardon the pun, HEAPS of veggie items on both the breakfast and lunch menu if that's your thing, and they all sound good. Plus I can always count on enough left over for lunch and the prices are reasonable enough for me to buy the homeless guy outside a biscuit sandwich on my way out. The only reason I don't give 5 stars is the parking thing, but I always try to beat the crowd. I know there are multiple locations, and i just found the one on Marietta, but there's something about this location that I like...and did I mention that this is the only place that's gotten me to eat catfish since I left Mississippi 5 years ago?

Jimmy G.

About a 25 minute wait for a table for Sunday brunch (not too bad) and great service. I had the Yukon omelette (salmon, spinach, and cream cheese) and my friend had "The Heap". Delicious, but cooked slightly on the heavy side for me. All things considered, a very good experience.

Tiffany K.

Two of my friends raved about this place so I finally joined them one Saturday. When I arrived, I was kinda shocked because of the size and ticked off at the growing line just to get in. However, my mood quickly changed once I ordered and received my food. Wow!! Talk about delicious. I ordered the pancakes, bacon and potatoes. The potatoes were mixed with onions and peppers and were totally delicious. Definitely my new breakfast spot.

F H.

Best french toast I've ever had! We just got an order of french toast with scrambled eggs and bacon. The bacon was nice and crispy and had a hint of maple, which I love! The eggs were your standard scrambled eggs - nothing too fancy, but they were still good. The french toast was made with nice, fresh, thick bread and was done just right - still crispy around the edges, perfect amount of powdered sugar - and I almost didn't need maple syrup. My husband doesn't eat breakfast and doesn't even like most breakfast foods, but he took one bite of french toast and said, "We are going to have to come back here." They don't take credit cards, so be prepared with cash. The chicken and waffles are great as well. The portions here are huuuuge, so go hungry and be ready to wait for a table.

Vincent V.

The food is great, but not worth waiting half your Saturday morning for. I always wonder how the crowds sitting on the benches outside can put up with the long wait, I certainly don't have that kind of patience. I'll just keep driving on past Thumbs Up and head to Cafe 458 instead when I'm brunching in the area. On weekdays, Thumbs Up is a great experience. There's almost never a wait for a seat, and no one hurries you if you're reading a newspaper after your meal and refilling on the large cups of coffee. I usually build my own omelet here, I've also had the french toast a couple of times. I have yet to hear of anyone complaining about their food, just how long they had to wait before they could sit down and order it.

Lady W.

This is a great place to eat plus see a few stars from your favorite TV shows. We original wanted to go to Gladys Knights but they were closed. So we heard about Thumps Up having breakfast food. We had a small wait but we was with friends which made us a group of 6 with one child so we were OK with waiting. We were seated in the back witch was great cause we get loud. The only problems is that the only accept cash but the got an ATM for us no cash carriers. It is a small dinner with good breakfast food. While we waited on our food two celebrities came in from the TBS show House of Payne. and yes we took pics with them..lol..eveybody was full or more like stuffed. Will return with more friends soon..

Renee J.

We went there this morning. I got the Chicken and Waffles. The chicken (4 chicken tenders) was seasoned well. They seemed homemade rather than frozen tenders that they just heat up or deep fry. I got eggs sunnyside up again good. The waffle was good not the best I ever had but good. It was sweet without syrup and it tasted like a cake donut. I thought that was interesting. We had a lovely waitress, named Jacinta. She was as friendly as could be. I look forward to going here again.

Shonda K.

I finally got a chance to try this place. I have passed before and have seen lines like people waiting for a Prince concert and said He** no. But I went on a weekday (mid morning), no line and was seated right away. I figure this will be the way to do it, to avoid the long wait. I refuse to stand on line for food, I don't care how good it is. The service was good and friendly. l had french toast (so, so good!!), an omelette with lots of veggies and bacon. This was a good breakfast. Thumbs up! I couldn't resist:)

Jodie B.

Favorite brunch spot of all time. The food is worth the wait. Just bring a book, good friends, or a game to pass the time if you come in on a weekend day.

Lainy P.

it's horrible. don't go there. you will be one less person i have to wait in line after. yum. had the salmon and cream cheese omelette, which i thought about with that general feeling of contentment for the rest of the day. and more eye candy than one could hope for. i don't mean just hotties. i mean sweet 80 year old white man playing cards over coffee and breakfast with sweet 80 year old black man...making me wonder if i am trapped in a high budget movie set.

Jennifer L.

I seem to be generous with my fives or I've just had some really great food but this place is the bomb! It's called Thumbs Up for a reason! I've gone a few times before (when it was in Avondale Estates and recently they opened in Decatur - where Crescent Moon was) but always had gone a la carte that I remember always been good. This time I got the Greek omelet (you can't go wrong) and my friend got the chicken and waffles. It was OH SO YUMMY. The fried chicken was fresh and juicy and the waffle was light - add some syrup and it was HEAVEN. I actually had gone during the weekday right before the lunch crowd so we got in without a problem. But like any popular joint - you are going to wait if you go at peak times. The wait staff was great as well - courteous and on top of everything. I can' wait to go back - so much good food - so little stomach.

amelie l.

just went this morning. we live in the neighborhood and have been meaning to go for some time now. i had the omelette+multigrain biscuit and the hubs had the chicken+waffles. mine was good...what I expected, but then, I snuck a bite of his chicken and i have to say, it was probably the best fried chicken i've ever put past these lips. de-lish-OUS. as an aside, it seems to be quite the meeting place and the staff did a great job of accomodating people in a timely manner, i thought. i love that it seemed like a cross-section of the O4W people...a great, diverse mix. hurray for good food bringing the masses together. also, if you're a coffee person, do not count on getting a satisfying cup here. bring it with you beforehand if you like it with your breakfast.

D Z.

Thumbs up to Thumbs up. I used to hit this spot up so much that it was makin me sick. The food is off the hook and so is the wait to be seated. Overall the service is great, very good food, and you can catch sum ladies in there. A good date spot or morning after.......lol. And b4 u go....please have sum cash on hands. You bring a credit card and no hablo enlish senior......lol!!!! And, parking is a b*&^%h....get ready to do some walking. But its all good and worth it.

Dori A.

Solid brunch with something for everybody. They have all the basics, with some twists that bring it home. I love the smoked turkey breast strips with breakfast. I like protein in the morning and it is really hard to find a lean and tasty one like this. The wheat biscuits are another nice touch. I hadn't been in a while and went this morning, ordered a la carte, and was really happy with my meal. Made me want to go home and yelp! My only turn offs are the wait and the lack of booze (at least a little champagne would be nice). We were there just after 8 and it had filled up immediately, so we had minimal wait. But, it is rare that I am up and ready to eat at 8 am on a Saturday. I saw where they are opening a new location in west midtown and hope that opens up more seats at the Edgewood location. We'll see...

Coley W.

Thumbs Up is one of the area's top brunch spots. Lines are looooong on the weekends and on sunny weekday afternoons. But the food is worth the wait.

Andrea M.

I absolutely love this place!!! I eat breakfast here very often and my friends from out of town are HOOKED!! Everytime they visit we eat breakfast here. The prices are reasonable the chicken sausage is to die for and service is actually very good considering how busy they always are! Most times you do have to wait for a table but its well worth the wait. Also for those that don't know u have to pay in cash so make sure you hit the ATM before you get there if not they have one in the restaurant!

Amber M.

-1 star for freezing temperature in the diner +4 stars for a solid breakfast, great coffee, friendly near telepathic service and rich menu. On the advice of a fellow Yelper I tried Thumbs Up Diner mid-week rather than on a busy weekend morning. I was STAR

Tiana M.

OMG, the food, the food, did I say the food! I went here to catch up with a girlfriend on Mother's day. I ordered the Greek scramble, no eggs substitute tofu, and a side of veggie sausage. She ordered the veggie bagel and some other southwestern style plate with spuds, guacamole, salsa, sausage and more. I sampled her veggie bagel which came with fresh red onion, cream cheese, feta cheese, and pepperoncini...YUM YUM YUM!!! My Greek scramble was also terrific and I added fresh jalapenos on the side to give it an extra kick! The service was not that great as our server never came back to check on us and we had to 'find her' each time we needed more water or anything extra. Otherwise the place was clean, and the food was awesome. It's on Edgewood and it's a diner so not the best ambiance, but what do you expect? I'd go back in a heart beat, especially for to go. Please be advised that they don't accept debit or credit cards though...cash only!

aimee l.

best diner around. they're fast. they're consistent over the years. they're delicious!

Nia W.

My favorite Breakfast Place in the World...i discovered it when i first moved to Atlanta to attend college..not sure if my uncle took me first or the guy i was dating at the time but i always heard about it..and then i finally went one sunday morning...and yes it was super crowded but its well worth it. The service is amazing...the people are so friendly..its on a cute and quiet corner in the Edgewood neighborhood. Love their Buckwheat Pancakes...i always recommend it to people when they head to Atlanta. Just got back atlanta yesterday it was must on my list of things to do in Atlanta. Great place, great food...good service... but the wait is kinda long especially on Sundays....but well worth it.

Joi M.

I love this place... cool location... great food. This is the type of restaurant that you go for brunch after a night of drunkenness or a long night of parties. You will run into local ATLiens, cute guys, or just cool hip people in general. Great breakfast food and the fried potatoes are to die for. Great wait staff. The East Point location is cool too.

Lindsay T.

WOW! Everything was good but DON'T miss out on the pancakes! They were out of this world. We order 1 for everyone to share because we each order a full breakfast on our own, we ended up fighting over the pancake. We had to wait about an hour but it was well worth it. My boyfriend is a breakfast snob, he usually only eats homemade syrup, and he said it was the best he'd ever had. Don't miss out!

Jaymes H.

chicken n waffles. yup, that hit the spot. cures all ur hungover roadtrippin needs.

stacey h.

Pretty good. Was good food for the price and my daughter was happy, which means it had to be good cause she is picky

Julie C.

what is going on? all of my normal hotspots are letting me down. i am a die hard thumbs up fan.....they are normally my go to breakfast spot....the only other place i crave is the cafeteria at piedmont hospital, cuz where else can i get two pancakes and three pieces of bacon for under 3 bucks? but still....this last breakfast at thumbs up has me boycotting this location for sure. i got an omelette....chicken sausage, goat cheese and tomato. thought omelettes were supposed to be light, fluffy and yellow.....not thick and BROWN. bleech. everyone else that ordered with me had the same brown eggs. where is the love thumbs up? my goat cheese was just a thumb sized hunk of cheese jammed inbetween either side of my omelette, and the chicken sausage ended up being about 6 rough hewn chunks of dry leathery meat. i hate to give them up....but i think its thumbs down for edgewood and marietta st. all the way.

J. D.

This is a great little diner in the middle of a gentrifying neighborhood. As a general rule I stay away on weekend brunch hours, the small restaurant cannot handle the crowds or volume of food served. The mostly home style comfort dishes are pretty good. I suspect part of the popularity here is that the place is truly independent and not another slick, clean, and modern franchise or chain. Although other locations are planned, so hopefully they will hold on to the original's charm.

M P.

pretty amazing place. We showed up with a group of 6 at lunch time and it took a while to get seated - but the waiter kept us amused and updated while he finished up other tables. Food was great - vegetarian options in Georgia!! - and everyone found something they liked. Big portions for not big prices. Definitely will return next time I'm in the area.

duane m.

While the food is pretty good, I am not the biggest fan of breakfast food; which leads me to my rating. Um, the wait is, let me see how to say this nicely... FOREVER!!!! We waited 2 full hours for Brunch. That's right... 2 full hours!! NOTHING is that good. While what I got I was definitely pleased with, I don't see myself going back because the wait was so insane. To top it all off, our waitress was kind of rude, and gave us a snide look every time we asked for something. I am sure that there are people that will swear by this place... I am one who will swear at it.

P H.

Good place with a nice vibe and some very delicious Catfish for breakfast. We must have been lucky because there was no line and we sat right down friendly service and delicious coffee.

c. l.

YESYESYES!!!!!!!!! ok to sum up Thumbs Up: Good-good food. GREAT-GREAT prices. Friendly staff (most of the time)... Seriously, you can have a FULL breakfast meal for under $6-7... so for first-timers, you could start with the pancake, regular (there's a healthier buckwheat one, but it tastes just a lil' too healthy for me... howEVER, my "healthier" friends swear by it)... then there's my absolute favorite menu item: CHICKEN SAUSAGE LINK.... oh YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! loves it... the eggs are made to order (and they REALLY make em exactly how you ask for it)... the french toast is delish too. It's MASSIVE, so don't be greedy and order 2... just start with one, and when you SEE how LARGE it is (plate-sized), you'll thank me for my wisdom;-)... then there's the Catfish... farmraised. battered and fried up... very well-seasoned... you can't go wrong here... And of course there's a "dinner" menu that boasts a BIG-FAT-HEARTY burger with fries... impeccable diner cuisine;-)... On the many occasions that I've dined at Thumbs Up, I don't think I've ever seen anyone spend over $12... and that $12 was more-or-less a 3-course breakfast;-)... Cons: the line can be redicules at times and they don't accept reservations... but it is SO worth the wait... they also won't seat incomplete parties, so make sure your folk are PUNCTUAL! ... and IF at all possible, ask to be seated in Cavanique's section... best waitress EVER... her job is actually an artform;-)... final CONs: they close at 3pm and it's ca$h only, but there's an atm on site...

Jola Z.

Great place! I live very close, so decided to check it out since I kept reading about it as one of the best breakfast places in Atlanta. I decided to order a take out. I was there in 15 mins and the food was ready (it was a week day). I ordered The Skillet Heap ($7.69) with additional ham ($1.69). It was very good. The potatoes are great, but I wish they would peel the potatoes though. I kind of had to do it myself while eating because I don't like the skin. Then I ordered the Basa Catfish Fillet ($4.99) which was huge and very good; grits ($1.69)- good, and ham, egg, and cheese on a white toast ($3.98)- also good (maybe the bread needs to be toasted a little more). The next day I ordered shrimp and grits ($11.49) with the cajun seasoning on the side because I can't eat spicy food. They were good!! Overall I like the place a lot; people working there are very nice. The restaurant is cash only, but they have an ATM ($2.50 fee- didn't have to use it, but asked in case I need it in the future). I wish the place was open longer than 3 P.M. because I could eat breakfast all day long :) Thank you, Thumbs up!

Vicki N.

This review is not based on their food. Sunday brunch was definitely hectic, and I understand wait-times can be long (45 minutes), but I was confused as to why other groups were being seated before us even though we came before them. It wasn't really a matter of # because those groups had 3-4 while my group had 3. We even said yes for the countertop tables (if any were available), and a 3-person group, who arrived well after us, were seated at the countertop a full 15 minutes before we decided to leave. There was also a woman next to me who was extremely impatient because she had been waiting an hour. I recommend steering clear of here during weekend brunch.

Dalton S.

The food is delicious. All locations serve up the best breakfast ever. However, it's a pain to get into in the weekends. Tip: get there early or eat a snack if you're hungry. There will be a wait. Cash only.

Thea M.

Gotta give it A FIVE! Two "Thumbs Up"! I tried the French toast for the first time. It was SO GOOD! Also had catfish, side of spuds and grits (don't judge me... I was hungry). Everything was delicious!

Wayne W.

Walked in and it was extremely packed. People were standing outside and inside the place. I ended up sitting at the bar which was cool. I could've sat down earlier but I didn't want the seat closest to the door so I let an older woman go in front of me. I ordered turkey bacon, eggs with cheese, grits, and a piece of french toast. All was good. The only reason I didn't give this place 5 starts is because they don't have fried chicken wings for the chicken and waffles combo only smoked. Other than that, I could appreciate the fact that they realize everyone doesn't eat pork or red meat. That's fantastic! My waitress was very cool and took care of me. The meal was priced decent. Had to make a trip here after everyone said this was the place to eat breakfast. Glad I knocked this one off the list! Remember to sign in when you first walk in and also to bring cash because it is a cash only restaurant unless you want to be at the mercy of their ATM located on site! Cheers!!

Brittni B.

Really amazing food. My fiance and I traveled to Atlanta for his birthday and we ate here every morning. I am happy his family member suggested this place.

Zewditu D.

I have been to a couple of the Thumbs Up Diner locations by this point. Overall, what I like about them is that the food is definitely quality diner food at a great price point. We went on a Sunday and boy was there a wait (apparently this is typical). This diner/location is very popular apparently. There is some lot parking, but you may have to park on the street depending on how busy it is. I usually do not order french toast at restaurants because they tend not to cook it right (imho), so I order pancakes. Add on eggs, grits, bacon. The food is great and the service is just fine. Now that I live on this side of town, I expect that I will revisit multiple times.

Kelly G.

CASH ONLY. Atm inside if necessary. Very homely interior, classic diner space. Booths, tables and counter seating alike. Great portions - had an omlette (w salmon, spinach and cream cheese) with the biscuit. Was stuffed by the end of the meal! The jam/compote thing was dense and perfectly sweet. Free coffee refills. Staff was attentive and friendly. Parking was easy for an early Mon morning breakfast, but I can easily see it getting packed.

Suzanne W.

This place gets 4 stars because of the service alone... Which is pretty good btw. As for the food.. It's a 3 Before I get into food... This is a CASH ONLY place... But fret not... There's an ATM inside that only charges bout 2 bucks. The signs are everywhere... Yet... My nonobservant ass missed them all. Haha. Luckily, my friend pointed it out. Ok... Back to the food. I orders the chicken strips and waffles with a side of cheese grits. I didn't enjoy the grits as much.. May be the cheese they're using.. I don't know. As for the chicken strips... They were dry as heck. The waffles and eggs were perf. Although I had those two indifference's.. I'd go back. The food, atmosphere, and workers there were all very comforting. No idea why... But it just felt so homey. So.. Yeah.. I'd definitely go back.

Chrissy P.

Thank you Cameron for a making our first experience Amazing. We will be back for sure.

Frank S.

This became a "goto" place for me on my recent longer say in Atlanta. great options, heavy on old charm and a welcome feel from the rocken staff. They have daily specials on the board as you walk in. But except to wait on weekends for breakfast - but well worth the wait.

Ashley H.

This place is absolutely TO DIE FOR! First of all, my friend and I were staying in Atlanta for the weekend for a dance conference. I'm an Atlanta frequenter and had somehow never heard about this wonderful place. We went for lunch on a Saturday, I got the skillet heap with bacon, zucchini, cheese etc. If you look at my picture and your mouth doesn't water, something's gotta be wrong! Haha. So that was so delicious, along with toast and orange juice, it was a great and I mean GREAT start to my busy afternoon. We were actually in a hurry that day, and our waitress was not only fast but so nice and full of warm welcomes and hospitality. We went back the next afternoon, and the only thing different was the crowd and the fact that this time my friend and I opted to share a piece of French toast... A single piece is huge!! I am guilty of getting the same dish though on Sunday, I could not resist. And I normally don't ever get the same thing anywhere. It was possibly the greatest diner food I've ever had the pleasure of eating. I've been back twice now, and have every intention of going back. This is definitely a hidden gem for the locals. It's normally pretty packed on Sunday's, but nothing outrageous. If you're looking for "quick" just don't go on a Sunday. (P.s.-it was so good that even though there was a 5k race ensuing on Sunday while we were trying to get down that particular road, we had to wait 30 minutes just to get to a parking place. That's how pumped we were about eating there again!) Hope this is helpful! I recommend 110%.

A-V H.

Quickly got upset with myself for this being my first time here. Breakfast was excellent. Service was quick and friendly. Cant wait to go back!

Lisa D.

Love the service. The food is always great. The staff makes you feel right at home. The prices are good too. I send or take all of my friends.

David H.

This thumbs up location really needs to learn to follow the wait list and stop seating people based on how much they complain. I witnessed two parties come in well after us with the same number of people and get seated before us. After waiting for 45 minutes we finally left. The food looked good that I saw there but wasn't about to give them my business.

Patty A.

I really enjoyed this place. THe Staff accommodated our group of 9 pretty quickly. I ordered 2 of the specials for that day. For me the strawberry French toast with a side of 2 sunny side eggs and for my son the banana pecan pancakes. I was so glad I only ordered 1 slice of the toast because it was really big. I absolutely loved it. It was soft and delicious. My sons pancakes were amaze balls! Loved the taste of the pecans in there. Coffee was great and service was fast and friendly. Place looked clean and the bathrooms were very well maintained. The food got there pretty quickly considering we were a large group. The only thing I didn't like is that it is a cash only place however, there is an ATM conveniently located in the back by the bathrooms that charged us a small fee to withdraw.

Kenneth S.

Parking was a little tricky but totally worth it. Service was great, food came out fast, and was delicious!

Jodie P.

OMG!!!! Words would be remiss in its ability to describe how amazing the food and service is here. They've mastered it!

Scott T.

Some of the best (and heaviest) blueberry pancakes I've ever had. Also had bacon, eggs, and fresh OJ - all great. We went at 10am and didn't have to wait very long, maybe 5 minutes. But when we left the line was much longer, probably closer to 20-30 minutes. Great food and well worth a 10-15 minute wait. Service was great.

Racheal M.

I had the eggs w/ cheese, a pancake, applewood bacon (which was the most delicious bacon I've ever had at an restaurant) and 3 whole smoked chicken wings. I give the food a 5 but the entire time I was there flies were flying and 1 even landed on my pancake. Other than the flies flying I would recommend this place!

Fee A.

I fell in love the first time I went here and must say that everything from the fish and grits to the chicken and waffles are delicious. The staff is very friendly and aim to please. I can honestly say this is the spot to go to when you're looking for some good eating with a southern hospitality environment. The only thing I object to is that the business does not accept electronic payments. So make sure to carry cash or use the ATM on site. I give Two thumbs up!!!

Sharron H.

While waiting for our table we was looking at the menu and I was getting more and more excited about eating there. I must say the excitement quickly went away once I started to eat. 1st I would like to say my Husband enjoyed his food (The Skillet Heap) and he had no complaints, he gives it a Thumbs Up!! On the other hand me I can't say the same. Ok, 1st the water tasted like sink/river water!! My catfish was over cooked and not seasoned, the potatoes was horrible under cooked and had no season....guess it's a rule they have NO SEASONING on the food. My grits was not mmmnnn good. But with all that said my waffle was GRRREEEAAAATT!!!!! If I'm in town again I will definitely give them another chance and order something else, the menu is so big I'm sure I will find something I like!!!

Cait H.

Thumbs Up was an awesome experience all around! Convenient parking. The wait was short for Saturday morning (10 minutes). The restaurant is warm and smells of delicious bacon. The atmosphere is a great infusion of 1960s diner and hip eccentricity. The menu is flexible with build your own plates, low fat, and even vegetarian/vegan options or classic American brunch. Our server was sweet and attentive. We received our food within 10 of ordering. A must try in Atlanta. Cash only facility, but they have an ATM on site.

Kate O.

We went there for lunch and, based on the reviews, we would have done better to go there for breakfast. Food was OK, service was OK. Not a fan of a cash only policy. Will try again some time for breakfast and see if it changes my opinion. Plus, an 81 on the health inspector's report is borderline bad which worries me.

Tquari H.

Pretty Solid... comfort brunch.

Tiffany W.

We had 9 people & everyone loved their food! The pancake special breakfast with a sub for French toast was awesome!!!! We found you on Yelp as we arrived at the airport! Perfect location - great service - wonderful food- great value too! Thx :)

Brittany S.

Very fast and friendly service! We went on a sunday morning and were surprised to be seated so quickly. The food was great and so was the price. The only thing to note is that they do not take cards, but they do have an ATM.

Ryan L.

Had a wonderful first experience here. The food was amazing and and the servers were very friendly. The restaurant had a great vibe that was very reminiscent of an old diner, but with much more personality. The menu had a similar quality - nothing was unfamiliar, but everything had a nice twist to it, or was at least done with a level of care that made it exceptional. I'm really excited to go back here in the near future.

Aaron T.

A Must go whenever I am in Atlanta.. A Neighborhood Diner feel, mixed with An Urban Cultural Flavor. The menu Options are Great . My favorite, Catfish, Spuds, and scrambled eggs is Great for Breakfast, Brunch or Lunch. The staff is always knowledgeable and Polite. The Prices are fair and Helpings are More then enough .. Just a heads up though. They only accept Cash , and often times the wait is in excess of 2 hours. But there is an ATM on site and the food is well worth the wait. You can usually see a celeb or 2.. I love this place. You will too...

Andria C.

Man, I love this place. I've never been disappointed with any trip to Thumbs Up. I'm a pretty traditional breakfast eater, so I usually get bacon and eggs with some pancakes and grits. Sooo good. The pancakes are sweet and hot and their cheese grits are always satisfying. The parking at this location can be a bit of a pain. And beware, they get super busy. My advice is go get here early and grab a seat at the bar. Servers have always been extra friendly, which always makes for a more pleasant dining experience. Don't forget, all Thumbs Up locations are cash only, so come prepared.

George W.

If you don't mind the wait or eating elbow to elbow at the counter then you'll be ok with this spot. The food is good and you'll eat everything because after waiting so long you will have built up a big appetite. If you're in a rush go elsewhere but if you have the time it's a good spot. Oh yeah this is the only place that I have run into that only takes cash no credit cards. Good thing that there is an ATM in the restaurant.

Sheri C.

If you are looking for some good grits and eggs, this is the place to go. Other than that, I was disappointed in the flavors. The fish, pancakes and french toast were bland. I like the option of making your breakfast, so I was able to try plenty. I little dose of extra love and seasoning would go a long way at Thumbs Up!

gwen w.

Love this place for breakfast any time I'm in the ATL. Remember it accepts cash only, but does have an ATM on site.

Steve J.

What a debacle of a diner never Have I left a place after being seated before I had the opportunity to order ....I doubt they noticed my party even left. Smh

Jenny C.

Get the heap with smoked chicken, scrambled eggs and a biscuit. Done. Enough for two people. And if you don't get that get the chicken and waffles with a side of eggs and request the 'real maple syrup' it will cost extra but is worth it.

Oscar G.

The wait was a little annoying but I wanted to come eat here for a few reasons. I love breakfast. They have plenty of healthy options. Close to my house. They don't charge extra for egg whites in the omelettes and they had a bunch of different choices for what went in the build-your-own. The buckwheat pancakes wtih pecans were excellent. I put a little of the homemade strawberry jam that's on the tables and I was really happy. great big menu and reasonably priced. service was good. it's just that wait, i wish we didn't have to go through to eat here.

Jonah K.

This place is out of this world. I have been to 2 locations, and the food is excellent always. They have a lot of interesting menu items, and most of the food is homemade. I've always had good service and getting in and out pretty quickly. I have had great omelets, scrambles, and sandwiches.

Kim O.

I would definitely come here whenever I'm in the Atlanta area!!!

Maria S.

My first experience eating chicken and waffles and it totally rocked! (Okay, it was my husband's meal, but he shared. Bless him.) If all the waffles I ordered tasted like the ones at Thumbs Up, I'd be eating waffles all the time. The real Vermont maple syrup is a must on such a delicious waffle. Splurge! I ordered the Sassy Scramble, which is three eggs scrambled with smoked salmon, cream cheese, onions, and fresh herbs. Oh, and the biscuit. Much, much better than the ones at the Flying Biscuit. Totally yummy, but way too much food. Next time, I'll know to share. Or order better. (The OJ is freshly squeezed, and tastes it. Worth the price.) I love the neighborhood vibe of the Old Fourth Ward, and Thumbs Up feels like a cool Atlanta breakfast spot. Faux-brick walls, gleaming metal bar stools, lumpy leather booths, and local kitschy art for sale on the walls. I've only eaten there during the week, in the early morning, when there are no lines to stress out about. (I don't like to wait for breakfast food, no matter how good it is.) Service is excellent, and always ready with a coffee warmer. Nice touch.

Grant M.

I love this place! I usually get the Buckwheat Waffle or an omelette. Great ambience and service as well. This is by far my favorite location of there's and the one I most frequent. They only except cash but there's an ATM in there.

Tangie J.

Try the catfish and grits. The catfish was very fresh and fried just right. The French toast was also good. The portions were large and the prices really reasonable. This is a cash only spot ...no plastic ;/)

Krista S.

Service was good. Food portions are huge. Coffee and food aren't that great. This place used to be a lot better, unfortunately.

Braden W.

RULE ONE: Cash Only! RULE TWO: See rule one. This is a great breakfast/lunch place that serves until three pm. There is parking just east of the building. Turn in and find a space behind the building. I had an omelet with muffin and grits. My dad had a waffle. Both were delicious and better than expected. Even the whole grain waffle was hot and moist! Heck, even the coffee was good! This is smack in the middle of what's turning out to be a great corridor in Atlanta. Three blocks east: Beltline (still under construction). A few blocks west: Streetcar! (Nearly complete!) So... If you're a visitor I recommend this place for breakfast. Get out of downtown/midtown and visit the real Atlanta! Then, take a walk to see the Krog Street Tunnel, MLK memorial, or other places in this area. Ear here and be happy... And bring cash!!

Tonya S.

I love breakfast and there plates are very hearty. I would recommend every driving through or visiting ATL to have an appetite the food is delicious, they have really good chicken sausages.

Michelle A.

This place is a regular spot for my boyfriend and me. The service is good, the food rocks, and the prices are dirt cheap! Be prepared to wait when you come, but it'll be worth it. Bring cash!!!

Jamillah C.

The food was ok, temperature could have been better and the size of my pancake was for a baby but all in all I would give them another try

will c.

Oh boy I really really like this place the food is surprisingly very good it looks good and it taste good, okay I'm addicted French toast with whip cream and strawberries sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar.

Angel S.

I was very impressed. I had pancakes, eggs and sausage. Everything was delicious. My mom had the Belgian waffle w/ pecans. She enjoyed her meal as well. The staff was also quite friendly. Very pleasant experience at this location.

Dee C.

Thought I'd have my Birthday brunch here, glad I had done so. I arrived after noon. The wait wasn't as long, service was great, food delicious and fulfilling. The sweet tea was sooo good! Didn't have to add sugar. I ordered the "build your plate", with bacon, potatoes and a pecan pancake (not waffle). I'll be back.

Susan M.

Went for breakfast on a recommendation from the hotel. It was about 1.5 miles away but well worth the hike. I ordered the Sassy Scramble - scrambled eggs with smoked salmon, cream cheese and onions. One of the best breakfasts I have ever had!! The service was great as well - fast and friendly. I wish I could go back tomorrow. Cash only!

Christelle D.

I laughed when my boyfriend said he HAD to take me to Thumbs Up while we were in ATL. Since eating there, I've apologized to him for laughing - this place is no joke! Food is amazing! We went for breakfast on a Friday morning and the full-to-the-brim parking lot and patrons waiting outside were my first clue that this is the place to be. We were expecting a long wait but opted to sit at the bar. Our waitress was super sweet, attentive and patient as I fumbled over what to order. He immediately ordered 2 "Uptowns" - (real Southern) sweet tea & lemonade heaven in a glass. Since having an Uptown, I crave it constantly - too bad I'm back in NY. He went with the Fried Catfish & Grits - I chose the Chicken & Waffle. I'd never tried catfish for breakfast before and it was cooked perfectly. We both left extremely satisfied and I have one more ATL gem to add to my list of faves! Thanks for a true taste of southern hospitality, Thumbs Up!

Ion H.

Why does an amazing place with amazing food, and amazing employees, get only three stars from me?...because of one HORRID customer service detail: it's a cash only restaurant! That added $5 to my visit there because I had to use that ATM they have on premises, which slapped me with the obvious charges...bad, bad business for letting that happen to your clients! Bad! Ok, now that I vented... I love good quality Southern food, and that's what they serve. I love the waffles, they're special, they're huge. I love the smoked wings. I love the service (there's a lady there that even remembers my baby's name, and that's a very "Southern hospitality" detail). So we eat there in spite of the dinosaur still roaming around in the back of their restaurant...that HORRID, selfish, gritty...ATM machine! Fair prices, you hear me Thumbs Up...they're fair...so don't you kick the ATM out and raise the prices on me or else I'll take another star away from my review! There!

Sally P.

Thumbs Up seems to have a strange saga. Growing up in Decatur, I went to a Thumbs Up Diner downtown with my mom quite often. It was kind of a cramped whole in the wall location. I remember the name changing to "Crescent Moon", and then a location change, and then another Crescent Moon location added at Northlake Mall, which is now closed. So no idea what is going on with that. Obviously I have fond memories of the original Thumbs Up because when I moved in to the O4W/Cabbagetown area and drove past the Edgewood location I was like HOLD UP. BREAKFAST. IS. NOW. I have been many times since then. And it always seems to be a sunny warm day outside when I go, so I don't have to be cold or uncomfortable when I wait. Ahhhh serendipity. ANYWAY. On to the actual restaurant. When you go between breakfast/brunch/lunch hours, especially on the weekends, be prepared to wait. I always do and it feels agonizingly long. But this is a five star review- so you know it's going to be worth it. When you do get seated, you're comfortable. Lots of booths and squishy diner counter seats. I always get a few of the same items when I go. I know I should experiment a little, but what items I have had are so amazing that I just crave them and break down and get them again. They are: - Sassy Scramble: Chopped onions, fresh herbs, cream cheese and eggs. I love cheese and eggs but melty cream cheese on eggs is amazing. ADD THE SALMON. They chop everything up bite size so you could conceivably shovel it into your mouth and bypass the whole knife and fork thing. - SPUDS: Semi-fried breakfast potatoes with some onions and herbs. Like hashbrowns except nowhere near bordering the line of questionably pre-frozen. With or without cheese is great. Ketchup them. If you can't finish them they are still good the next morning. Or later- because I doubt you'll be able to pass them up as a snack. - French Toast: Huge. Not the best but certainly delectable. One slice is enough to satiate my sweets-for-breakfast craving. - Bagel sandwich thing (??)- Bagel of your choice PACKED with fresh veggies. Yes they are FRESH. (Add the salmon!!). Nice twist on the bagel and lox thing. Soooo good and satisfying. The last time I was there I got fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. I'm guessing it probably was "fresh-squeezed" because I have never had store bought grapefruit juice that was that tart. Not for the faint of heart but still very, very good. The staff is always great. They are helpful, efficient and have never gotten an order wrong. They don't stick around too long besides the customary check-up after you get your food, but they are busy busy. Downsides to this place: It's cash only, and people gripe about that. I'm not really sure why they do this, nor do I care, but there is an ATM in the back. I don't particularly care for the whole wheat biscuits. They're dry. All in all. I love this place. Every time it is 100% worth the food bloat and coma that comes with a traditional American breakfast. Even better than I remembered growing up :)

Rebecca O.

True southern breakfast. I've only been to the O4W location, so I'm not sure how the others compare in busyness. But for this location, just know that you may have to wait a while to be seated, and then wait a long time for food. If you live close by, it might just be better to get it to go. The service is pretty much equivalent to another other diner. The servers are busy but efficient, but their goal is to turn the table over quickly.

Kimberly J.

This place holds it own as a descent diner serving brunch and lunch. The prices are competitive for what they offer and they do a good job churning out your typical diner fare. I've had better but I've also had worse. My server was great, regularly checked in and could not have been more polite and cheery. My one grip is the hosting could use a serious upgrade - they have everyone wait to be seated, which is fine by me, but then they seat you by saying: take the booth in the back (which is what the party before us was told) or sit over there at that small table on the left. What? If we've waited 20 minutes to be seated, couldn't you at least actually seat us by showing us to our table rather than giving us directions to it? My French toast was delish but the side of bacon was definitely cheap and chewy, nothing like what you think of when you read the menu description of Applewood smoked bacon. Get your bacon fix elsewhere!

Adrienne T.

Unremarkable. Yep, that's pretty much it. Absolutely nothing special about the food here. We didn't have to wait to be seated; had we waited longer than two minutes, I would have been incredibly ticked off about this whole dining experience. Really. So, again- unremarkable (and kinda pricey as well). Go somewhere else, do Silver Skillet instead.

Khadejah J.

Came here for lunch the day after my birthday and was not satisfied! We had to seat ourselves and none of the tables where wiped cleaned. Our waitress took forever to bring the menus so we could order. Once we finally ordered we waited atleast 30min before our food came out. Once we received our food it was COLD! The omelet had too much cheese in it to the point where I pulled a big slab of cheese off the eggs. We seen our waitress twice during the whole time and wasn't given a chance to ask for anything. My boyfriend wanted a glass of water and I wanted some jam. She was too busy being a cook, hostess, and waitress. Definitely will NOT be back.

Misty B.

First time here, and definitely wont be my last. When I got here the line was out the door and onto the side walk... pretty good indication it's going to be great. The wait was long, 45 minutes (on a Saturday) but worth it. The coffee was smooth, strong but not to strong, the waiters are exceptionally nice and go above and beyond to make sure you're happy. I decided to get the chicken strips, waffle, eggs, with a side of gravy and biscuits just because I wanted the whole experience, I was told I got it. The chicken and waffles are out of this world amazing, the flavor was to die for, chicken was very moist and the waffle was pretty grand size for one person. I have to say though, I was not impressed with the biscuits or gravy. The biscuits were dry and the gravy was not flavored at all.I only picked at that because I already had enough food anyway, Overall I was very happy with my meal and do highly recommend this place to anyone.

Cam J.

Great food!!! My GF and I had to wait about 45 minutes for a booth but we passed up the chance to sit at the counter a few times so no complaints there. We both had chicken and waffles. It was outstanding and also unique because of the honey mustard they served with it. So good I stained the FUCK out of my shirt. Worth the wait and the new shirt.

Dio S.

Fried fish with grits and fried chicken strips with waffle are the best things to get here. They are seasoned and fried just right. Everything else is just solid but nothing special though. It's just good old breakfast-heavy southern diner food. I guess I can understand why visitors to Atlanta would want to check this place out 'cause it does have that old Atlanta feel and these "classic" dishes. And, you know, you want to tell people back home that you went to a place where the line was long. But as a local it's not hard to quickly think up half a dozen great options in the area (close to Inman Park!). The depressingly long wait time is usually enough to make me want to go somewhere else instead.

Bianca C.

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this place. I'm scared to try others. EVERYTHING is good. When I have guest in town I take them there and when they come back they say, "are we going back to the breakfast place?"

Kenny R.

A little bit of a wait, and they only take cash are pretty much my only faults with this place. And I wouldn't fault the cash only part of the business if the ATM didn't charge $3. I went with a group of 5, they are pretty serious about having your whole party there to be seated. We had a 20 minute wait, which isn't too bad, and the benches outside are pretty nice. My counterparts in this adventure were much more hungry than me, they were ordering huge skillets(heap) with potatoes, bacon, and such. Others were ordering Omelets with all kinds of goodies in them. I just went for the veggie bagel and smoked salmon. It was all I could have ever wanted at that time and place. A nice tasty bagel, sprouts, veggies, and a lovely spread. All that with the smoked salmon on top, really hit the spot. A glass of OJ on the side and I was ready for the day. My friends however looked like they all needed a nap after gorging themselves in their huge plates of food. Highly recommended, probably deserve 5 stars, but will try them again before making such a bold statement.

Gary T.

This place makes me just darn hungry you can't beat it go in hungry come out full. Bring a doggy bag

Michele T.

I was in town for the weekend and heard from people in the area to try out this restaurant. The food was really good for the affordable price. I had the skillet with eggs, chicken sausage and potatoes. The vegetables and potatoes were amazing and the eggs and wheat biscuit complimented perfectly. The reason this review didn't get 5 stars: I wish there would have been more meat in the skillet and the restaurant is isolated and out of the way. Overall, great experience and would definitely recommend for breakfast.

Stephanie O.

Had a great experience here! We sat at the bar so we didn't have to wait and Mike was our server! Great service and very delicious food. I had the "sassy scramble" which had salmon, cream cheese, and a few other things I can't remember. WOW! It was very tasty. The boy had the skillet heap...ALOT of food, and very good also! I loved their homemade jams...blueberry and pear. Yum! Be prepared to wait for a table, and also pull out dollar bills. Cash only. Will definitely be going back when we visit downtown!

Ebony B.

This place is still rocking my socks. The eggs are still runny (easy) when asked for medium, but I deal. This place is a$$ hot a mess on the weekend and even during the week mid-morning. You'd expect to be in-and-out, but service is slow, and servers seem beleaguered. My last visit, I had a great server who was attentive and helpful. Everyone else has been pretty nightmarish--dissapearing, never returning (not even with a check) Why the 4 stars? Food is delish, and this place has been SO good for my energy. It's never short of a chance-meeting opportunity and good conversation with random strangers. I've made many a new friend dining here alone, and for that alone, Thumbs up gets the two thumbs up!

Tilia M.

I don't get it. All the hubub about this place, and it seems like a regular breakfast spot. I dunno, maybe someone can tell me what all the rave reviews are about, and I'll get that next time I'm there. Oh, and the line was absolutely insane when I went - even for Atlanta on the weekend. Oh, and you'll leave smelling like a Little Smokey, so, be prepared to wash your hair and any garments of clothing you may have been wearing thoroughly (it even got in the liner of my purse!) I WILL say though, that my grilled chicken on a toasted bagel was really, good, but, really, how can you mess that up? OH! And for the love of Bob, BRING CASH!

Joseph C.

Bad experience overall. Waitress was slow and uninterested in us. The food was mediocre at best and in some cases awful. Coffee was ok, iced tea was weak and tasted like dishwater. Waitress said she would try again and brought another glass of the same. Egg white omelet was passable, but the bagels are AWFUL!! Not a real bagel, but a roll shaped like a bagel....cream cheese was tasteless and the 3.5 oz of smoked salmon was about 2oz at most. The pancake was terrible, very pale, a hard crust on the outside and not fully cooked inside. Blech! Do not eat here...

Mick D.

The food here is good. It doesn't blow my socks off, but when it comes to breakfast, I don't always need to have my socks blown off. Sometimes some eggs and some toast is simply all I want. Sometimes I want it in the middle of the day. And I get that just fine here at Thumbs Up. Amid the "breakfast all the time options," there are some good burgers, sandwiches, soups, chili, and other things. There's also 100% real maple syrup if you want it. Oh, and the last time I checked, they only took cash.

brad p.

The best pancakes in Atlanta. Also if you love grits (and I do) you will love Thumbs up grits. A great place to take an out of town guest to eat. Applebacon is 5 stars!!!!!!!!!

Ifeoma W.

I Love the Edgewood Thumb Up. Even though we had to wait, the food was scrumptious. I had the strawberry french toast, the turkey bacon and scrambled eggs and I sampled my friends potatoes ....GREAT! Love the scene. Food is fab!

Jackie H.

Thumbs Up is always packed every time I go. It's understandable. One can get a nice, solid breakfast, good service and decent prices. I'm good with that. However, I'd like them to season those omelette's up a bit. Just a bit. Still, this is definitely one of my ongoing breakfast options.

Marty J.

If you're looking for a breakfast experience that is somewhere between WaHo and some fru fru brunch place, then Thumps Up would be that spot. It is straight up solid! I didn't really notice a difference between the Marietta Street location and this location except this location had a shorter wait. I ate on Sunday at approximately the same time at both locations. We only waited about 15 minutes to be seated, but it should be noted that we ate at the counter (first available). Rebecca R. and I both chose the "build your own breakfast" path. I opted for 2 eggs over medium, veggie sausage patties, and 2 pancakes. Rebecca R. went with chicken tenders, 2 eggs over easy, and wheat toast. The total tab came out to $24 including tax, tip, and coffee. Not bad. Cash only. Bad. They executed the eggs well. It's really hard to compare eggs from one place to another so that's all I'm gonna say about the eggs. The veggies sausage patties were delicious. You are served 2 of them and they are normal pork sausage patty size. They're very breakfasty sausagey tasting for being veggie. I'd get these again. The pancakes were big, light, and fluffy. I didn't think they were going to be as big as they were so I could've gotten away with ordering just 1, but I ate both anyway because I love pancakes. They're a step below Original Pancake House and Highland Bakery (obvi), but that doesn't mean that they weren't good because they were. They have sugar free syrup upon request if you want to keep it semi-healthy. I chose not to. The chicken tenders have to be one of the best unknown deals in Atlanta. The menu says you get 6 tenders, but I think we got 9. It was a whole lotta chicken for $4.50. If you're hungry, order these. Get a waffle too and that way you can eat chicken and waffles. Anyway, they were like chicken tenders that you would get off the kids menu somewhere. They were fresh, moist, crispy, and effing hot! I didn't try Rebecca R.'s toast, but it did a good job of sopping up the runny yolk from her eggs. Service was friendly and attentive. She happily provided a box for the mound full of uneaten chicken tenders and poured us fresh coffee cups to go. We both left feeling full, but not overly stuffed. Do yourself a favor and eat here if you want a yummy and classic breakfast.

Peter D.

So I went back to Atlanta, a good 15 lbs. fatter because of my last ATL trip. This time, I vowed not to eat myself into a coma/new pants size. And we walked into the Thumbs Up Diner (awesome name, by the way), and I asked myself, what should I order? What will definitely not be so much food that I will be in actual agony for hours after eating? So I ordered "The Heap." Because that sounded like a small portion of health food. The Heap consists of a skillet filled with their spuds (homefries, essentially), topped with jack cheese, two eggs (overeasy, in my case), and basically anything else you want to add on for a nominal fee. Toast* on the side. Since I was going healthy, I got the grilled veggies and turkey bacon. This is an tremendous, greasy, wonderful portion of food. To avoid heartburn, I doused it in Texas Pete hot sauce to the point that I finished the bottle, and the waiter brought me a new one. I ate until I was in physical pain (about 4/5 of this enormous heap), at which point I was forced to barricade myself from the skillet with all the condiments on the table, to keep me from eating any more. __________ *Instead of those little plastic packets of grape jelly and orange marmalade, here they provide jars of apple butter and fresh jam. I love the South.

Mychael W.

I've been to the Thumbs Up location on Marietta St a couple of times in the past and always had great experiences. I can't believe I'm having to give this Edgewood location 2 stars today! My wife, my sister-in-law, and I just returned from one of the worst restaurant experiences I've had in recent memory. The only reason they got 2 stars was because the food is so good! We arrived at 2:15pm and put our names on the list. There was a wait and we were seated right at 3pm. It took about 5 minutes for the server to take our drink order, 5 minutes for 2 of them to come, and another 5 for the last ice water to arrive (not sure what that was about). About 5 minutes later the server came and took our order. My wife ordered the skillet heap with applewood smoked bacon, my sister in law ordered the 3 smoked wing chicken and waffle special, and I ordered 1 slice of french toast, 1 buttermilk pancake, with 2 over easy eggs, turkey bacon, and grits. We placed our order at 3:20pm... Around 3:40, our food still hadn't come, but we saw several other diners receiving their food, eating, and leaving. On one of the rare times that our server came by our table, I caught her attention as she whisked by and asked her what was taking so long and she just apologized and said that the kitchen is backed up. As it neared closer to 4pm (closing time), we saw several of the workers preparing their own food, and a couple even sat down and ate, while we watied..and waited..and waited. Just before 4pm, I asked her again and her response was, "I'm sorry sir; the kitchen is backed up. All tickets have extreme wait times and I can't go back there and cook it for you." The only reason we didn't get up and leave at this point was because we had been in church all morning, and the only thing I'd had since 8am was a breakfast bar and a bottled water. Our food finally arrived just after 4pm and it was delicious as usual. The only weird thing about the food was that my pancake had a slight blueberry flavor (which I'm not a fan of) and I could see small blueberry marks on it, like they stacked mine on top of one or something. I still think they have some of the best pancakes in the city. It was definitely worth the wait, but not worth the lack of service. I'll never return to this location again. As much as I love the Edgewood area, I'll drive a couple of additional miles to the Marietta location. Hopefully they still value their customers there...

Marc B.

Absolutely fantastic. Service and food. Try everything. Bacon, waffles, chicken strips and omelette are my favorites

Nicky L.

It was just ok. A hearty portion but it lacked flavor. I had the fried catfish and grits with a side of spuds and the whole grain biscuit. i'm in ATL... please dont give me a healthy biscuit yuck :)

Katrina M.

The blueberry pancakes are my favorite thing from here. Yummy! The rest of the food is cooked pretty consistently, always tasting as expected. They're usually pretty busy, but if you show up right when they open, there probably won't be a wait to be seated. The services is okay, given the number of customers.The worst thing about it is that they only take cash, and while they have an atm, of course there's a $3 transaction fee for using it. So, just come prepared. I think it's worth a visit if you want food that you're pretty sure will taste good and that you won't have to wait 30+ minutes to receive, without going to ihop or waffle house.

Angela F.

Not too often can you find a place in Atlanta that serves up breakfast and brunch with a truly southern appeal. Most places want to fuse the outer limits of the world with the southern tradition of fried food, but Thumbs Up Diner decided to keep it simple. Be prepared to wait no matter what time you go, but the food is worth the wait. My companion ordered the fish and grits which to my dismay was gone before I could consume one pancake. Speaking of those sweet cakes, you should order them along with their sweetened bacon. Delicious. There's nothing on the menu that I can say would keep me away. The staff keeps your coffee cup full and the atmosphere screams bustling metropolis. Come to this joint hungry and ready to have your taste buds tickled. (I'm only giving this place 4 stars because I hate waiting over 30 minutes)

Alex C.

Not sure what the hype is about. It's sort of just a greasy diner. I might need to come back since my first time here the chicken and waffles were terrible. The chicken seemed like it was fried an hour before and the waffles seemed stale too. What's going on here Thumb's up? The constant line of people outside makes me think it's a fluke. But it's only getting two stars until further notice.

Yuko Z.

Back to Thumbs Up Dinner this morning with my night shift crews. I brought huge appetite. I ordered smoked chicken wings which was amazingly delicious. All food was so good, made me update previous review. Giving 4 stars, two Thumbs up!

Hope T.

Thumbs Up is the bees knees. The atmosphere is cozy and the establishment is quaint but the food packs a major punch. Every time I go (which is once or twice a month) I get the catfish and eggs. It comes with a hearty multi-grain biscuit, fried Basa catfish, eggs and grits. The service is speedy and the food is to die for. Thumbs Up? I give them 2!

T P.

Pancakes, that's all I ever get here. Whether plain or with pecans, I can eat the pancakes for days. Super cheap, cash only. Usually crowded, but the staff works hard to seat you asap.

Ria S.

Service and food was good. Those whole wheat biscuits are to die for. I had an egg white omelet and it was delicious and the ingredients inside were very fresh. Wish I could have went twice while visiting there.

Ashleigh P.

I can walk here, oh yes I can... but sometimes I don't... hangovers or weather are the usual culprits. I love the Thumbs Up Diner. It has become my go to brunch place. Two things - CASH ONLY CASH ONLY CASH ONLY... but there is an ATM by the toilets... not in rooms, but by the doors to them. No alcohol served, so you can't get your Mimosa on... go to Park's Edge where they have bottomless ones!!! oh yes they do Why for do I love you Thumbs Up? The pancakes/waffles/french toast are HUGE... plate sized huge. I love that the coffee cups are random and none match. I love that you can get a whole wheat biscuit. I love that they have a cream cheese and fresh herb scramble. I love their Chicken sausage. and they will let you try the soup to see if you like it... happy belly here

Mark C.

The issue here is this: - you have to get a plain biscuit to eat with butter and tons of fresh jam (breakfast desert) - you then feel like a fat jerk for also ordering a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit for breakfast. I *heart* this place. I spent some years over the last two decades living in real cities and this was one of the places I missed most about Atlanta. Waitstaff here is the best. Veggie bagel is money. The heap will crush any hangover. If you have idiot friends that don't like breakfast food, they can get a bbq pork sandwhich at 8am. This is the best of the three but if you are a yuppie jerk (the VW TDI wagon or 3 series in your drive way is the tell) you should probably stick to the Decatur one.

Sarah M.

I live across the street from Thumbs Up. Dangerous stuff. Advice to all: take out takes 10 minutes if you live anywhere close, send someone and then cozy up and eat your yumminess in your pajamas But, if you go to the location, you can expect excellent service and crazy crowds. I love the servers here - they hustle and do such a great job. The specials are ever changing. My favorite things are: -Chicken and Waffles - among the best - the chicken is so flavorful, juicy, crunchy -Bacon, egg & Cheese biscuit - perfect size, we pick these up on our way out of town on road trips, thick cut bacon, biscuit rocks -Cheese grits - the best in town -Pecan pancake - love how you can get one pancake here - we split one - with maple syrup this is the stuff dreams are made of -Veggie bagel - my sister doesn't eat eggs but adores this griddled bagel heaping with fresh veggies Thumbs Up is pretty much the best neighbor a girl could ever ask for. Try to beat the church crowd, or if you live nearby, take out!

Threed F.

The fish and grits were awesome. The fish was lightly breaded and the grits were fluffy and well flavored. The smoked chicken wings and waffles were a hit also. There is plenty of parking in the back and the staff is friendly and attentive. Just know it's cash only here.

Jessica O.

There is always a long wait. For amazing food, I wouldn't mind, but my french toast/eggs/bacon were very normal brunch food. While it certainly wasn't bad, when considering the wait and the food, I'd rather go some other places in Atlanta for brunch.

Sarah L.

Good greek scramble, tofu garden with eggs. coffee + fun style (sat at the bar) CASH ONLY $20 EXCELLENT BREAD!!!!

Angela D.

Came here for lunch after the national park guys at the Martin Luther King Memorial recommended it for some good soul food. It was packed, but my friend and I were determined to get some grub. Everyone was super friendly, and the hostess even offered to put my suitcase in the back locker room so I didn't have to lug it around and have it in everyone's way at my seat! yay! So I ordered the chicken and waffles and a side of grits, while my Chinese friend ordered fried catfish and grits (i told her that since we were in the south, she HAD to try them). Food was good! Surprisingly though, I've had better chicken and waffles in California (Roscoe's). The waffle was crunchy, and the chicken didn't have as much flavor or juiciness as I would have liked, but i'd have to say it was the best restaurant experience i had during my visit to Atlanta.

Will T.

Worth Skipping Church! There are some great breakfast spots in Atlanta, but Thumbs Up Diner, in a groovy industiral setting on Edgewood Ave., ranks among the best. Food portions are hearty and would leave a lumberjack patting a full and contented belly. I myself am a member of the clean plate club and couldn't finish all my food. Whole wheat biscuits have a crunchy crust but are fluffy on the inside. Topped with homemade peach preserves, better than anything your grandma made, will have you swooning. Omelets are huge, made with 3 eggs and stuffed with your choice of toppings. My only complaint is that they're a bit chintzy with the cheese in the omelets. Service is friendly and speedy, but expect to wait at least 30 minutes (or more) on a weekend morning. The turnover goes quickly, but they're just so many people waiting to get in. Omelettes and other breakfast entrees come with toast or a biscuit and the ala carte pricing can start to get a little pricy for a breakfast joint. My build your own omelet, with a side of spuds and a side of applewood bacon came to $12.37. Throw in a small orange juice and my tab was bumping $14. But who cares when it tastes this good. This is a cash only establishment, but there is an ATM on site.

Jean D.

Service is usually great and food consistent. However, getting a meal the way you want it leads to a one-on-one consultation that ends with a bunch of shrugged shoulders and head-shakes. I asked for a bacon, egg and cheese biscuit with the biscuit to the side.You would've thought I requested a gluten-free, all rye special. YOU CAN'T KEEP BREAD OFF A SANDWICH THUMBS UP EDGEWOOD? I'm taking my butt to Decatur.

Cynthia N.

I love the food and the atmosphere of this restaurant. It's a nicely-sized space - not too big, not too small. The staff is polite and efficient, and in the many times I've eaten here, I've never wondered what was taking my food so long. I only eat pancakes and bacon at this restaurant, and I've never been disappointed. I don't know what batter they use for those buttermilk pancakes but GOD they are friggin' delicious, and who can go wrong with perfectly crisped bacon. I gave Thumbs Up three stars because they have a seating policy that as a single person I find offensive. I usually go to Thumbs Up with a friend or two, but one weekday morning last month I wasn't working and decided to get some pancakes and bacon. I don't like the counter seating because it's too tight to sit comfortably, and I don't like those stools with my bum hanging over the sides and no support for my back. So I decided to wait for a table. And I waited, and waited and waited while couples and groups of three got seated before me but came in AFTER me. When I asked the hostess she said it was because she was waiting for a one-top - a small table that sat only two people. So I waited an extra 20 minutes for a table and frankly, my pancakes didn't taste as good as they usually did. Because of this policy, I won't ever go to Thumbs Up alone again, and although I love the food, I'm uncomfortable patronizing a restaurant that punishes me because I don't have a companion. In summary, the food is great, but be sure to take a friend (or be okay with a stool up your bum)!

Kay W.

My BF and I read the Yelp reviews and figured since we were headed to Atlanta, why not? We are sooo glad the reviews were on-point to what we received. We ordered French toast, The Veggie Heap and Denver Omelette, plus waters. I would have gotten coffee, but could not remember what was said of the coffee. The French Toast was so yummy- lightly browned with just the right amounts of cinnamon, powdered sugar and vanilla. MMMM. :) My BF said The Veggie Heap ( cheese,potatoes, veggies and eggs) was tasty, put could go a little lighter with salt. I enjoyed my Denver omelette despite the server forgetting to make sure we got egg whites. We've heard about the long waits, but were fortunate enough to not have to wait past 15 min on a Sunday late morning/noon. It may help to say "First available" , which we did and had no problems sitting at the counter. The service was decent and the hostess is efficient, yet don't expect a sunny personality. The prices are good and we knew to come with cash in hand. There's an ATM available plus, I am sure if they were to get credit that the meal prices would go up just a bit. We will definitely head back, if not for the French Toast alone.

Henry M.

OMG... what a breakfast! You've got to be beyond perfect to make Southern food as easy as my wife's cooking -- they do it! I'll be back as often as possible.

Will P.

Food is great, servers are snarky and fast... But sometimes their popularity is also their undoing. It's just simply impossible to get a seat at certain breakfast hours. I'm waiting for them to expand again at this Edgewood location (they have a new-ish location in Decatur) and until then, it's recommended to go at off hours or suffer a 2-hour-plus wait. But when you DO, in fact, get in (consider sitting at the bar), this is one of the guiltiest, yummiest, awesome-est pleasures Atlanta has to offer. Skip the 2-hour wait at The Flying Biscuit (can someone explain why people wait so long for crappy food?) and go here - for chicken and waffles; truly yummy pancakes; amazing grits (skip the cheese... hi, overkill); or perhaps go whole hog and order "the heap," which is the quintessential indulgence of potatoes, eggs, bacon and whatever else can clog your arteries served up in an iron skillet. Parking is dicey and getting a booth is at a premium, but if you're brave enough to suffer the crowds, you're in for a rockin' treat. Just book your treadmill activity for the full week following. you'll need it.

Sherry W.

My new favorite brunch spot! Be wary of when you go though. Every time I drive by during the after-church hours, there are tons of people waiting outside this location. I prefer to go in the afternoon, around 2-3ish after a nice long morning of sleeping in on the weekend :) It's cash only here, which may explain why they keep their prices relatively low. I've always liked what I've gotten here (skillet of spuds, omelet, vegetarian bagel) and apparently the pancakes are great too. Plus, there's plenty of options and substitution to suit your dietary needs or specific cravings. Sometimes when we are super hungry, we order a serving of chicken fingers in addition to our entrees (I know, fatty alert) which is only $4-5 and super ample (great to take home as well)! I also really like how every waiter we've had has given consistently excellent service. To sum it all up, if you're looking for an affordable, filling, and guaranteed scrumptious meal, here's the place.

Deb B.

This is a *must eat* eatery! The staff is great and always nice. I've almost made my way through the entire menu... The chicken and waffles rock, but the catfish and grits are out of this world. I have family that has come through and still talks about it! The wait is a little long at times, (that seems to be in "in" thing), and it's cash only. There has to be a reason for that. I've found that the best local dives are *cash only*. The fact that Thumbs Up has several locations now, they need to get with the times. Will it stop me from going?? Heck no!!! The food is a near religious experience! Lunch also rocks! The BBQ sandwich is always a fav as well as their Reuben. Yummy!! Do not think this is a *get in, get out* place. Take your time, smell the fabulous coffee and taste the food!

Domonic B.

This, in my opinion, is one of the best breakfast chains in Atlanta. This place is always busy on the weekends...and for good reason! The food is awesome. The pancakes are huge! They always give you more than enough food and the service is always excellent. The only downer is that they don't accept debit/credit cards....only cash. This can be an inconvenience at times but it's a minor hump in the road since the food and atmosphere make up for it. I def suggest if you haven't tried Thumbs Up Diner for breakfast that you do so.

Patrick Q.

First up: Thumbs Up has great food. You will see lots of reviews stating "worth the wait!"... and it is true... I practically have a budget category in Quicken due to our family's regular weekend expenditure there. Whether you like to keep things simple (eggs, potatoes, grits, toast) or decadent (french toast!), you will probably leave satiated and ready for a return visit. My only knock (after 6 years of consistent patronage) is that I have experienced some inconsistency in preparation of some standard dishes. Perhaps the expansion to multiple locations has had some impact there. Pro tip: Hate waiting? Phone in your order. I live walking distance from this location, so that's our routine. Usually ready in 15 minutes, and 95% of the time as good as sitting down. Second pro tip: Not into huge portions? Get the heap with a couple of toppings and split it. Just be ready to fight over the biscuit! Final pro tip: Cash only. They have an ATM, but bank fees add $4 to your trip, so plan ahead and spend it on that second biscuit. PS from the neighborhood: Please, don't park on the opposite side of the street, even when you are waiting for takeout. That's a bike lane, not a waiting zone. Try parking over on Auburn Ave and enjoy a nice historical stroll.

Sarah S.

Love this place! Yes, the wait can be a pain, but once you give into that factor and focus on the food, it's great. Had great food and service today. Chicken salad melt with cheese grits on the side. The chicken salad is GREAT and the cheese grits are awesome, just wish I could have had more.

Paul S.

I've always wanted to try Chicken and Waffles and finally got to this weekend! MMMmmmmm....... soooo goooood..... So the food was awesome... hands down soon to be one of my new breakfast joints. My date had "The Heap". I won for best meal, but hers was also pretty tasty. Large skillet full of potato, cheese, eggs cooked any style, peppers onions... you know... a heap. Service: Dude... get a new job. NO Buenos. I like when my server goes to the bar to take care of a pretty girl when there's already a competent female bartender working. We sat. We sat a while actually ... just waiting. Fail. I hope she turned his ass down. NOT pleased at all with my service... but I left with the salty sweet chickeny battery syrupy warm feeling and I moved on. I'll be back. Maybe the next server will help add that star I took away from this review from the crummy service. blah. mmmmm waffles....

Jada G.

I absolutely detest this location. I don't like the crowd. The wait staff sucks. Always takes too long to sit and even longer to eat. Now that they have the smokehouse next door, that smokey smell invades the room and takes the taste away from your food. I love thumbs up food, but hate this location

Andre M.

This place is great and the Chicken and Waffles is great . Just so small and tiny and not enough space. The wait can be so crazy. like 30 min or longer on a weekend.

Darryl M.

Outstanding place for breakfast. My brother took me here after worship on Sunday AM around 9:30am. Place was crowded but we didn't have to wait for a table. Pancakes were out of this world and a very large portion which I couldn't even finish (I had 2). Sausage patties were a little overcooked and definitely beefy. Bring cash with you because credit/debit cards are not accepted. They do have an ATM machine on hand though. Service was very friendly.

Traci W.

YUUUUMMMMMM-O!! so it's my birthday morning, I'm trying to recover from the previous night and realize that I am dam hungry! well, my friend had talked about this place earlier and so we headed out and I put my appetite and hunger in his hands..... And he did NOT steer me wrong! Breakfast might be my most favoritest meal and this place did not disappoint! I had the farmer's omelet (spuds, country sausage and cheese) MMM, it was a hot melty delicious feast sprinkled with just the right amount of country swine sausage :-) Only drawback was the weird multigran biscuit and marmalade?.....Personally, I need some good ol' fashioned flaky, buttery goodness. I quenched my thirst with a delicious Uptown; a tad sweet....I'm pretty sure I caught a cavity messing around with it but nonetheless, I was a smidge dehydrated and it hit the spot! Final verdict: Thumbs up......(hahaha, you saw it coming right?)

Hugh P.

Great southern food. You have to try, you won't be disappointed.

This is an excellent diner / cafe especially for breakfast. It has loads of choice, big servings, good coffee and low prices, so not surprisingly, you usually have to wait for a table. If you go when they first open on a weekday or Sunday, you can probably go right in, otherwise expect to wait. But it's worth it. If you are a visitor looking for a true taste of the South, get biscuits* rather than toast and get grits or cheese grits. Apart from that, follow your instincts. It's all good. For Brits: In America, "biscuits" are NOT cookies; think a buttery, savoury scone.

Starleigh H.

They definitely need a place like this in California! I had REAL southern food for the first time this past June when I was in ATL for a friend's birthday. The closet thing we had here in the Bay Area was Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles - but even that closed down! =( I never had grits before (can you believe it? what can I say, I'm a Cali girl) and nothing says the south like grits. I ordered fried catfish w/ a side of the grits and an over medium egg. Oh, and you can't forget the sweet tea. Who thought catfish would be so good for brunch? I'll be back for more... I plan to take more trips out there in the future!

Michelle W.

Let's begin by saying that I LIVE for Breakfast and Brunch. Sweet: French toast, eggs, home fries (or, 'Spuds' at Thumbs Up)... Oh My! My absolute favorite items on the menu are the Sassy Scramble (cream cheese with eggs? Yes!!) and the French Toast (challah!). Plus, I'm not usually a fan of catfish, but I was pleasantly surprised by the perfect flavor and crispness of the fish. And to imagine that in addition to the amazing food and service, the price is affordable to boot. Salty: Be prepared to wait. It's worth it, and I'd do it in a heartbeat. I believe great food is worth the wait. I truly hope that my excitement about this restaurant is as apparent as I'm intending.

Dru M.

It's always nice to have great brunch places close to home. Being in the mood for lunch I went with the chicken salad. Chicken was seasoned well and the salad was very fresh and more than plenty. My boyfriend decided on breakfast. He built his own omelet (egg whites, veggies and goat cheese) and got a buckwheat pancake with pecans. I didn't try the omelet, but it looked great. I did take a bite of the pancake, which I liked a lot. Overall great food and service. A few things to mention. There will be a wait. Doesn't matter what time you go...expect to wait. BUT...they are very good with turning around tables quickly. If you don't want to wait...you can always do take out. Also...they are cash only. They have an ATM though. I would suggest bringing cash just in case the ATM isn't working. Last thing...there are several things on their menu that you can only order Monday-Friday. Not really sure why, but they exist. I actually wanted to order a few of those things then noticed they were only Monday-Friday. I was a little bummed, but there are plenty of other items to pick from. I give them two "Thumbs Up". Ha. I'm a dork.

Anna S.

I'm going to be that girl everybody hates because I do NOT like this place. Long, long waits for mediocre food. Oh, and there are communal jam jars on the table. With little bits of toast in them from the people who sat at the table before you. Delicious.

Joselle C.

It was our first time to try this place and my husband and I were impressed. I always never finish a whole plate so we shared and ordered one of their specials which was the steak and eggs. As usual, american diners always serve a lot so it was just enough for us. My husband loved their steak!!! He is very particular with his steak and this one was a great one for him. Their eggs are nicely done, the bread was perfectly toasted, and the potatoes tastes great too. All in all, it's a nice breakfast place in Atlanta!

Luckie D.

No redeeming qualities, and I was hungry. They get 2 stars becasue the parking was free. The coffee was weak and flavorless, the eggs lacked seasoning and flavor as well. The grits were obviously made with water and not milk or cream and the bacon although thick sliced was also bland. Adding insult to tastebud assault they only take cash! Is it asking too much for a place to take plastic like most places?

Shaun R.

I love this place. Their chicken and waffles = amazing. The best advice I can give you is get there before the church rush on Sunday! Honestly, I've never had to wait long but we play it safe on Sundays. It's almost like a sport for me. We see if we can be dressed and get to Thumbs Up before it gets packed and then watch the line begin to form around 11 am! Being there before the line forms and making comments to my wife like "Oh, we sure made it here just in the nick of time!" is a sick pleasure I have in life. I digress, it's a great place and I always get excited when I know we're going to eat here. Oh yeah, don't order too many blueberry pancakes until you understand how big they are. Start off with one or order two and a carryout box.

P O.

our favorite breakfast joint. the heap and chicken salad sandwich are a couple dishes that stand out. one of the few places thatknow how to cook an egg. cant go wrong coming here except that you will probably have to wait for a table.

Sarah B.

Great breakfast experience. Everything from our waitress, Jasmine, to the food was excellent. Coffee, delish. Fresh strawberry waffles, scrumptious. Blueberry pancakes, heavenly. Sassy Scramble, amazing. Chicken sausage, flavorful. Fried chicken n waffles, classic. Yep, our family left Atlanta feeling satisfied and loved. Thanks for the great experience!

Antonio B.

The wait was long but it was well worth it.... Everything was good especially my French Toast!

H. H.

Food is great; avoid the coffee.

Kurt M.

Solid four stars - be back again for sure. Had the farmers omelet...ugh am I full! Big portion...great flavor. Good service.

Frank M.

My wife and I came here for breakfast - the food is very good and filling. We had the skillet heap - a skillet filled with potatoes, onions, peppers, cheese and topped with eggs. The service was very helpful and friendly.

Leslie W.

Took the former BF out for his *ahem* 40TH Birthday! breakfast brunch. Neither of us had been to Thumbs Up before, so it was easy to decide where to go. We headed for the west side location on Marietta, but I forgot about the CASH ONLY policy, so our search for an ATM led us to the Edgewood restaurant. It was around 11:30 on a Thursday at this point, so we didn't have to wait at all. Fun decor, awesome music - we sat down in a booth and I realized that the title song from Never Ending Story was playing and immediately fell in love! I ordered the loaded potato skillet thingy with veg sausage and eggs over easy. The BF had eggs, grits, and potatoes. Both were super delicious. (I was totally bummed later that day when I realized that my leftovers were still in his fridge!) Good coffee, too. Absolutely will go again! Cash in hand, of course.

Stacey F.

Haven't eaten here in almost 5 years, so was really looking forward to returning. Had to pick my OH up from the airport at a hideous hour (6:30am), so felt heading to Thumbs Up would be a great reward for my efforts. We had previously only been to Thumbs Up during their busy weekends, so it was a nice change to go for an early weekday breakfast. We arrived at 6:59am and had to wait until about 7:05pm before the door was opened. It seemed only one waitress was working, but since there were only a few of us, that was no problem. Luckily, coffee and water were quickly delivered. Both of us ordered our old favorites: the Heap for him (with added veggies) and the Cream Cheese Special for me with a side of grits (I think those USED to be included) and one piece of french toast. Considering there was only one other person in the place, it seemed to take a while for the food to come out. I have to say that some of the food did not quite live up to my fond memories: the Cream Cheese Special was a massive portion and tasty, but I would have preferred a bit less eggs and more cream cheese & herbs. The grits were a bit runnier than I remember (they were served with a spoon) and the biscuit was good, but the outside was not quite as crispy as I like. However, I could forget ALL of that after tasting the amazing french toast. Perfectly cooked with a strong cinnamon taste...I told my hubby to hurry and have a bite before I ate it all. Yummy! As usual, The Heap was a massive portion and there was quite a bit left. OH described it as 'greasy, but good greasy.' It was such a treat to visit the restaurant without the insane weekend crowds. We were able to relax without the feeling that we needed to give up the table--there were still many available when we left. I love that the coffee cups are quite large, so you don't need a refill ever other minute. Even when she was the only one working (more staff came on @ 8am), our waitress did a great job refilling the coffee, lowfat milk (which I use as creamer), and water. Our food was $23 which is about standard for breakfast--but the food is much better than 'standard.'

Yakesia T.

I really like this restaurant. The service was excellent and the location was perfect (minutes from the expressway). I enjoyed the catfish and grits plate with a hot chocolate with lots of whipped cream on top! So delicious to the last bite!

Ebony J.

What's all the hype about!?!?! First time here! Well where should I begin, for as long as the wait , 45 minutes to be seated the food could have been better along with the service. What was ordered, I ordered the Salmon, Spinach, and Cream Cheese Omlette with Spuds. The omlette was just ok and the spuds were cooked so long that there was no soft potatoe left (lol). For this particular establishment fast paced and sometimes forgetful by the waitress, please do not expect to receive world class service.

W T.

This place is probably one of my favorite diners. I decided to treat myself before the big SuperBowl Party that I was going to attend later that evening. To my surprise, when I got there, there was only 5 parties waiting in front of me. This is a first. I am usually waiting at least 30 - 40 minutes with I dine here. Once we were seated I glanced over the menu, but already knew that I wanted the catfish and grits. I decided way before I even got in the car to drive to the diner. Meal came out fairly quickly and I dived right in. It is so easy to recommend people to this restaurant if they are willing to wait for great food.

Melissa B.

Great food, big portions, reasonable prices. My man and I loved it so much that we went to this location and the Roswell one in the same weekend.

Renel F.

The food here is very good but you should expect to have a long wait if you get there before 2pm on a Sunday which is typical of any brunch/breakfast place. If you're gonna wait an hour you might as well do it here because the food is worth the wait.

Erica S.

So yummy! The catfish is amazing. I also really liked the chicken sausage and the blueberry pancake.

Makeda M.

Been to this location a couple times before and have never been disappointed. The pros are the food, especially the omelets and their french toast; the service is always fast and friendly and the kitchen is usually quick (although at my last visit, they basically shut down the kitchen because the health inspector was there. but they gave us a discount of the meal so all's well that ends at half off!) The cons are the wait, the parking situation and the cash only policy. but none of these overshadow the great food.

Angie S.

OMG, THE BEST breakfast/lunch spot in Atlanta. The food is delectable (rubs stomach)! I had the plate sized pancake & all you need is one. They are light & fluffy & wonderful! Service is great! Love this place!

Katrina D.

Following a few more visits to Thumbs Up Diner, I am confident to say it is an amazing breakfast spot. The Tofu and Veggies (tamari style Tofu topping a bed of uncooked spinach and steamed broccolli) is a perfect meal with an added order of Spud potatoes. Additionally, it is more moderately priced than other spots in Atlanta. Just be prepared to potentially wait a little while for a table, or you could opt for counter seating.

Austin S.

After reading multiple reviews on Yelp, it seems to me that people always rate food, staff, wait time, restaurant presentation and price. So I'll use the rating stars to rate each category. I feel like Edgewood is an eccentric part of Atlanta. While some parts are being redeveloped with modern yuppinism, the rest are still empty and worn down but vintage at the same time. The Thumbs Up diner is located on Edgewood on a small building with few other businesses. The inside of the restaurant is in typical diner layout, but with less neons and chromes. The brick walls and darker lighting enhances the overall feel of the restaurants. +1 The bathroom was clean, floor was clean, table was clean... you get the idea. The wait was short. It was 3 of us at 8:30AM on Saturday and we were able to sit down after 10 minutes. Waitstaff was friendly and informative about the cash only rules. +1 star As we sat in our booth, we were greeted with the true southern hospitality. Friendly waitress helped us throughout our breakfast with speedy service and a great smile. She made sure that our cups were full, food was delicious, and casual but professional at the same time. +1 star I ordered chicken and waffles, and it was everything I wanted it to be. The waffle was moist and warm and chicken fingers were fried to perfection. Crispy outside, juicy inside.... I could literally eat this everyday. I think the size of the chicken fingers were slightly disappointing (4 small chicken strips), but I guess this is one of those quality rules over quantity. Their apple jelly was freaking awesome, too! (I think it was apple...) Last the price was suitable for what you get. You can check out their website to find the prices. Just make sure that you have cash! +1 Overall, I definitely liked it. I would certainly go back to this place to get some more chicken and their delicious apple jelly.

Quin W.

I went here for the first time a few weeks ago. I went again for my post NYE hangover cure the next day. The food was delicious both times. I've had the steak and eggs and the chicken melt. I can do without the chicken melt, the bread was soggy, but I will more than likely be back for the steak. I will say I've tried to go back a few times however, I do not have the patience for the long wait.

Melvin A.

Usually pretty good.

Yonnie B.

Food is cheap, fresh and tasty. My sauteed spinach and mushrooms with the side of smoked salmon, egg and whole wheat biscuit was cooked carefully. Not greasy, not overdone. Was it generous? Yes mama! Service is friendly and unpretentious. Vibe is warm and honest. Excellent value for money. My favorite combination of strengths. Perfect 5.

Rob P.

Great breakfast.

Lauren H.

I got the Yukon omelet which has cream cheese, spinach, and smoked salmon. Cream cheese with eggs is brilliant! My boyfriend ordered chicken and waffles, and they were the best we've ever had. Cash only!

M A.

This place is incredible. The lines are always out the door by 8:00am at this location, so arrive early if you're in a rush. The breakfast is amazing and can be ordered a la carte to create your perfect morning meal. The cheese grits, the heap, and the waffles are some of the favorites. I've woken up extra early many times to drive to the nearest location to my work and dine before heading off (this Edgewood location used to be my morning spot before a job swap). It's well worth the 7:00am wake-up call! A restaurant isn't just about the food experience, though. The waitstaff and cooks here won't leave you wishing you'd never shown up. They are always friendly and attentive without being annoying. It can be a bit more difficult to snag their attention when the place is filled to the brim with patrons, but it's never too much of a hassle. Do note that all locations are cash only and can have very limited parking or seating. They also close right after lunch and do not offer dinner, so do keep that in mind as well! I believe seating is limited to 6 per table, and while the staff is more than happy to try and seat a large party near one another, they won't break the 6 person table limit. To sum it up: Thumbs Up deserves two big thumbs up for being one of the best spots in the city to get breakfast.

Brooks S.

I first waited to eat at Thumbs up for over an hour and a half - I asked my friend Geoff if it was really worth it - and it really was! Granted the wait to eat isn't the most enticing thing about going to Thumbs Up or the parking situation, but the food makes it 5 stars as well as the atmosphere. Yummy hot breakfast food is my favorite and again this is one of those places where my stomach isn't big enough for everything on the menu. However, the creature of habit I am... I go for the Cream Cheese Eggs EVERY time I'm there. I've also had my friend Misty, my mother, and my brother wanting it every time they come to town. My mom knows I like it so much, last week for my birthday she sent me $10 in my card for "Birthday Breakfast at Thumbs Up" the only sad part was she couldn't join me. Coffee, cheese grits, biscuit, sausage and a pecan pancake make this breakfast complete. (Didn't I tell you I try to eat too much?) Don't forget your cash, because you can't use your credit card and the ATM there charges a fun little fee.

Joe S.

Have to say - been living on town almost 15 years now, and breakfast at Thumbs Up is still my favorite in town. Two things do it for me here - we LOVE the servers. They are always super friendly and never miss a beat. The other is the food - I have never had a bad meal here, and the Portland Scramble is still my favorite. I used to love the Southern Scramble, which has not been on the menu in a while, but they will cook it for me if the ingredients are back there. We've tried Stone Soup (which I also really like) and West Egg (sorry to say it - was cool and hip before the big move, and now just feels like is more of a scene than restaurant), and always come back here. The cash-only part is a bit of a drag, but kudos to the owners for taking a stand on not paying those crazy fees associated with credit cards. By the looks of the place on a sunday am, it doesn't seem to bother anyone else either!

Bobbin W.

I've been wanting to try Thumbs Up for a while but haven't been willing to wait an hour for a seat on the weekends. I took the day off and finally had an opportunity to eat lunch there--and satiate my appetite immediately. I found it odd that the establishment only accepts cash; although there is an ATM in the back of the eatery, I still think taking only cash in this day and age is redunk. I ordered the Greek omelette--while the eggs, feta cheese, onions, tomato, spinach and olives were fresh and delicious, I thought the dish was more like a scramble than an omelette. I'm glad to finally have eaten at this Atlanta breakfast staple. My meal was solid, but I'd rather go to Ria's when I'm next craving egg.

Germaine C.

I walked into this place with my Macbook in hand expecting a run of the mill breakfast nook where I could score some WiFi and eat some toast. Oh well. There is no WiFi, no one had a laptop and the Food here is goot, goot, goot. Even at an early hour patrons were outside awaiting tables. Thumbs up does brisk business so a little wait time is to be expected.(as I found out) Inside is airy and welcoming. The servers are all cheerful folks in that classic southern way. The seated diners were an eclectic mix of Young Professionals, Bohemian types and Couples with young Children. As for the Food, the Biscuits, the Biscuits, the Goddamn Buttermilk Biscuits!! They arrive piping hot, fresh from the Oven. Nice!!! I went for the 'build your omelette' option and was very pleased when a fluffy, perfectly cooked Egg White Omelette arrived stuffed with Goat Cheese, Button Mushrooms and Applewood smoked Sausage(trust me, this combo worked.) I left 'Thumps Up' very satisfied, knowing that I would be back whenever I landed in GA again and the opportunity presented itself.

J. J.

The Atlanta Bicycle Campaign meets here once a month for its commuter breakfast. The bike-friendly owners cover the cost of the coffee for the ABC breakfast, so they're jake in my book. The breakfast biscuits are portioned and priced just right. The heaping skillets you'll only be able to scarf half of. And the chicken and waffles dish is rocket fuel, but you'll have to order real maple syrup at extra cost. Bring CASH. These folks wanna see your green, not your plastic. The ATM charges 3$ transaction fee. It's robbery, and a reason I'll usually skip Thumb's Up. This coupled with the fact they offer no biscuits and gravy on the menu are minor annoyances in an otherwise solid diner.

Frank M.

First of all it's great they do breakfast, not enough breakfast joints in Atl (I'm not including McDonald's or microwave king). The food is good here but partly because you wait so long to be seated, then served, that you're starving by the time you get the first fork full of food in your mouth (remember, hunger is the best gravy). The service is slightly sub par, but unfortunately that's common. I'd recommend this place if you're not in a hurry.

Leah T.

This place gets five stars from me for being a.) SUPER friendly, b.) cheap, and c.) yum. Yes, you have to pay in cash. Yes, you have to time your visit just right or else you'll be waiting a long time. But for early-birds like me and the mister, who also live just down the street, it's a truly great breakfast spot with some of the nicest servers ever. I love the extensive a-la-carte-ness, the spuds are awesome, and I adore the fluffy biscuits. I also love the cozy atmosphere. AND the fact that it is open at 7:00 a.m. Cuz that's when I'm hungry.

D G.

I absolutely love this place. The food is great and reasonably priced. Definitely try the the spuds. I like that there are no extra charge for egg whites and there is a variety of meat offerings from chicken, turkey, and pork sausage or bacon. The waiting list is a bit old school, you put your name in a notebook but it gets the job done when sitting people at tables. There is usually seating at the bar which is great too for two people. This is a great chill spot for breakfast! Note that they only take cash. I am adding some comment to my original review of this restaurant. I went on May 30th at 10AM. I parked at the parking lot on the side opposite side of the restaurant and my car was broken into and goods were stolen. After speaking with the police, I was told that vandalism is common in that neighborhood and area. 100 car break ins per week. So although the food is good, it is NOT in a safe nor secure location. Beware of your surroundings in that area. I will no longer go there but I will try the Marietta Street location. The fact that there is no cameras and the crime is high in the area is enough for me to stay away so I suggest you do the same. Don't give up your safety for good food.

Kamika K.

Went here on my visit to Atlanta at the high recommendation of my cousin. I told her I really wanted some good breakfast and this place did not disappoint. The location was clean, the staff were super nice, and the line which I hear is normally super long was only a line of 4 (including us). But the food...the food was just what I was looking for. Pecan pancakes, soft scrambled eggs with American cheese, applewood bacon, and well cooked - did I say well cooked grits. I normally put lots of butter and sugar on my grits but didn't need too they already had a good creamy well-buttered taste to them. I'm always shocked when a restaurant is able to make good grits. An extra star for the grits. Now if I could only talk my cousin into going back two days in a row...

Sarah T.

The fact that I can walk to Thumbs Up Diner, but I choose to get in my car to drive and wait in line at Flying Biscuit, or Radial is proof that this place isn't as memorable as it's immediate competition. I've had two good meals here, but nothing too outstanding. Pretty standard. The service was great, and I love the Fourth Ward location, but it's just not a favorite breakfast spot of mine; what can say? I'll definitely give it another chance though...

Cloe G.

This is my FAVORITE breakfast spot!! I love the food here. Everytime I have gone I have had to wait something like 20 mins or more but its sooo worth it. Not to mention the prices are great. The only thing is you have to pay with cash and it your not a regular the atm gets you on a $3 service fee. wth?!!!

Kori M.

This place is really good. Too bad it's super small and always crowded. Doesn't matter though. I'm hooked now. That Greek scramble put it on me and now I'm an addict. I will share one particularly frustrating experience that I had which made me question my love for this place... I walked in put my name down for party of three and waited...and waited...and waited...and waited. I see that my name is close. Now the lady who had been seating people had been doing a very good job. Then she got busy. Uh oh. So this guy starts seating people. Ok so let's do the math ok? So there are three open tables. Two two seaters and one booth. There are two party of twos in front of my party of three. So where should everyone go??? Figure it out yet? I hope you did because he sure didn't. He sat the party of two at a two seater and then a party of two at the booth. then that leaves my party of three...oh wait now we can't sit down because there is only an empty two seater table. I tried to explain the error of his ways but he completely blew me off and then proceeded to seat two to three other party of twos who came in after me. By this time I'm FURIOUS. But oh no...he wasn't done yet. Then he calls a party of three whose name was after mine on the list and I about lost it! I stopped him and told him that he keeps passing over my name. Then he apologizes and hugs me! He hugs me! It was very condescending. I really wanted to slap him but then I'd have to deal with APD (and we know how crazy they are). Then he finally seats us. Although I found this situation to be very ridiculous and upsetting I've decided that I won't let it get between me and my Greek scramble. So take my advice and monitor that damn wait list. You wait right there until you are seated because they obviously aren't organized as far as hostessing goes.

Tracy W.

I went here on a mid-morning to get some breakfast and try and to patch things up with the __! I know right...and I must say...he maybe back in because the breakfast was Oooooh sooooooo goood! Yup, thats all it takes ..is a little QT time and Food...and you back in like flinn...hehehehe.... I had the veggie omelet (just was not in the mood for meat-don't get me wrong I will eat a piggie in a min....lol!) but the veggie was prefect and he had the waffles..I did get a taste of that and it was ooooh sooo good as well...thick & rich...both dishes came with a side of fresh fruit and fresh squeezed OJ or juice of your choice. I went on a Sunday and it was a mid-to-high crowd. The wait was not very long, maybe we just lucked up. We grab a table outside to enjoy the light breeze before this ATL hott hits my curls! HA! Thumbs Up was pretty cool...

Jeff M.

I love breakfast. I've gone here several times, and I still don't get it. The food is pretty good, but not anything earth-shattering. Often crowded. Long wait. Not the best neighborhood. If you want breakfast, there's nothing wrong with this place. If you want an awesome or great breakfast, look elsewhere. This place is aptly named, if based on a two-thumb rating system.

Eric D.

I was in the ATL last month for a week on business, I checked out a few places in the ATL on yelp and Triple D from the food network as this place was aired a while back. We were staying at the Hilton downtown and this place was about 2 miles away! Now when I'm out of town I love walking around the city checking things out, for those of you who haven't been to to Atlanta, typical big city, in the South with its share of shady/sketchy areas! So I get the address from yelp and head out on my 4th day in the ATL, walking to get to this place could be scary for some, there are some real sketchy types lingering around, homeless, crack babies, you name it, I saw it!! The neighborhood in general looked very run down, deserted and many of the street side store front tenant spaces were abandoned. Definitely a sign of the current economic times in an area on the out skirts of a big city. So once I got through the mean, dark streets of Bosnia, I mean Atlanta, and arrived at Thumps Up, I knew I was in a place of greatness!!!!! A very cozy and quaint little Southern Diner! I approached the bar counter and grabbed a seat on the bar stool! I was solo, so I definitely hit the counter. Right away the help asked me what I would like to drink, the usual coffee and H2O to start! After reading all the reviews in yelp and seeing the episode on triple D, I decided to go for the "Heap" a large skillet with delicious potatoes, topped with your choice of meat, I chose the country sausage, then topped with eggs and cheese and this thing was huge and delicious and the scratch made biscuit that was absolutely amazing as was there house made jam!! I also ordered a pancake on the side as I heard they were excellent and let me tell you, these pancakes were no joke!!! Very light and fluffy yet had a very cakey flavor, absolutely delicious!!! This place was so good, that I told my associate about it and we hit this place the next day, day 5 and our last day in ATL. I warned him about the walk to get here and suggested he leave his wallet in the room, I did, I put cash in my sock!! Hey they only take cash no credit cards, even though I'm 6ft, 215 and work out, spar and train like a mofo, I cant beat down a bullet! hahaha:) Seriously though we had no problems on the walk, both days! 2nd visit I ordered an Omelet with Hickory smoked bacon, onions, avo and cheese, My boy David ordered an omelet too! These babies were so fresh, light and fluffy, again DELICIOUS!! they came with Potatoes and we ordered a side of their homemade french toast that was of this world!!! Hand down, yet Thumps up, this place has the greatest breakfast ever!! Good southern scratch cooking with the best ingredients!! I can't even eat breakfast in So Cal, unless I cook it myself cause nothing can touch THE THUMPS UP DINER! Even YO Mama!

Davie C.

Just good ole Southern breakfast. You'll swear your granny was in the kitchen. They have fancy fixuns too. Cash only. ATM on site.

steven c.

I feel like Atlanta has become a Flying Biscuit town. Me, I'd take Thumbs up any day. The Heap is the best breakfast deal I've found. Served on a skillet, it's hard to finish for $5.95. Cream cheese special, amazing as well. I don't think you'll walk out of here saying, "wow this food is so much better." But if you come back a handful of times you'll see what I'm saying. Although it is now a chain, it still has character. The waitstaff and cooks all have nicknames for each other, and when their shift is over they all eat the food. If that doesn't say anything, then I don't know what does.

Lesly S.

Apparently there are some people in this world who were allowed to grow up without ever having grits, and I've made it my mission to put an end to it. Since I seem to work with most of these people, I threw them all in a car and drive them to Thumbs Up for a huge bowl of cheese grits, STAT! Fried catfish and grits. Are you kidding me? I've turned this meal into a ritual everytime I'm in Atlanta, which isn't nearly enough now that I know about Thumbs Up. A few years ago on recommendations from a concierge and a friend I tried it with family, and we still talk about it. There is always a wait, the staff is mostly nice (sometimes snarky) but for me, its all about that amazingly deliciously fried fish (so light and not greasy I can hardly stand it), with some grits on the side, and that big cup of half coffee/half hot choc. with whipped cream. And yes, my colleagues are now grit fans. My work is done until the next time.

Roxie H.

Favorite Breakfast spots of all time! Tasty cat fish and grits. Get there early if you can though. A little busy but worth the wait! Haven't found a spot yet that can out shine them...so 2 THUMBS UP!

Falicia G.

No thanks! This spot didn't do it for me. My stomach woke me up begging for breakfast so I headed here because of the rave reviews. We were expecting a wait because the parking was packed. We were told 30 to 40 minutes but ended up waiting for more than an hour. When we asked the hostess about how much longer it would be she said she "looked" for us but didn't see us so gave our table away! WHAT?!?! You're restaurant isn't really that big (my apartment's bigger) and you didn't see me? C'mon now! You can't mess with my food. I was about to BITE her, I was so hungry. After she realized her mistake she told us a table was opening up soon and it'd be 10 minutes. We waited another half an hour only to get up and leave because she never sat us. Arriving at a restaurant and waiting for a table is not uncommon. But, waiting nearly 2 hours to eat and watching people who arrived after you get seated is incredibly annoying. I will not be going back and I don't recommend you do either. It's just not worth it.

Peter K.

The food here in one word is superb. On my first visit I had the Yukon omelet with smoked salmon, spinach, and cream cheese. The flavors are delicate and work perfectly together. Don't forget to order a side of their home made biscuits, flaky and fresh. On a subsequent visit to the west mid-town location I had the chicken & waffles. The dish comes with 4 golden chicken tenders and a waffle, in other words, foodgasim. Be prepared to pay with cash as they do not accept check/credit cards, also expect very long waits during the weekend rush.

Yeme T.

I have yet to try a stand out dish here. I get my usual eggs and french toast. It runs be about $5 which def is not bad. This place is always crowded. And dont even think about getting in and out on the weekend during breakfast hours. Food is consistant in taste and pricing is reasonable.

David P.

Our service was terrible. We waited forever and then I politely told the waiter we had a meeting and were in a hurry. Then we waited forever. Had to get the food to go. The food was ok but by then the experience was ruined.

Brittany S.

The best French Toast I've ever had in my life (Besides mom's of course :) They lose a star because of the wait (1-2 hours), but after I got my plate, all was forgotten (Plus you can go shopping at Laced Up or P Valentine boutique right across the street while you wait). My cousin made her own omelette and got turkey, but I think she was under the impression that she was going to have turkey sausage meat and not white turkey meat. She didn't really like it. My mom ordered the salmon and goat cheese (I think it was goat cheese) omelette; she loves weird food. But I tried it and it was really, really good. On a nice Sunday after church (or any other day for that matter), I definitely recommend Thumbs Up. Just make sure you have the whole day ahead of you.

Heddy K.

Extremely popular breakfast joint, very much NY style diner. The coffee is killer (but I'm biased). I always order omeletes and they are BIG and tasty. They do serve a good lunch and a good lunch option if you work in downtown. They don't take credit cards, so be sure to take cash.

Kevin A.

All atmosphere. I'm not quite sure why this place keeps packing in customers. I've been there four times now, and none of the visits was anything to write home about. (It's one of those places where I'm disappointed every time, but I keep going back because I assume that all those other people must know something that I don't.) The food wouldn't be bad if it was a cheap, dirty diner with no wait, but I expect a little more out of a place that looks like this. I keep trying omelettes, and I keep getting something that resembles leathery fried eggs mixed with vegetables. The Southern breakfast fare hasn't been too hot, either. Biscuits are just passable, and the grits were obviously cooked with little or no salt. (Which is fine if you're used to Cream of Wheat, but they're not Southern grits.) If you factor in having to wait an hour for this, I'd give them something closer to two stars. I hate being odd man out, but I don't see what the big deal is with this place. There are other breakfast places that do a better job.

Byron J.

Good food, friendly service, didn't have to wait too long though I heard it gets packed as the day goes on. I'm a fan and I'm coming back next time I'm in the ATL; even though they are cash only - there's an ATM in the back by the restrooms.

Rebecca K.

Their Portland Scramble w/sausage is so good that I actually daydreamed about it! I've also fallen in love with their buckwheat waffle. They beat every other breakfast place in town!

Sweet S.

Did you know you can order turkeys for Xmas or Thanksgiving! Got one for Christmas and it was the bomb! Great price too! They now have a separate smokehouse next to the diner and I would imagine anything there is as good as this whole turkey was. Let them do the meat so you can concentrate on the trimmings!

J C.

On my first visit to Thumbs Up the first thing I thought was...what are all these people doing outside? Then I realized they were waiting in line. For a diner? What the...man, let's go to Flying Biscuit or something!... After being convinced to be patient (I was HUNGRY) I began to look at the crowd and realize...these are BEAUTIFUL people. Something about the locals that frequent that spot...not just beautiful as in stylish & trendy kind of way but people (especially the ladies) who are very comfortable with themselves and others. People watching helped pass the time and running into Laced Up across the street. We got in and sat at the bar. I ordered the Catfish and grits with a sweet tea. I wanted to run back there and slap all the cooks-that stuff was sooooo good. My wife got the french toast...fluffy, thick and also ridiculously good. On top of all that, the bill only came up to, like $20. Now every out-of-towner who wants to hook up for breakfast gets escorted to Thumbs Up. It's so gratifying to see them make the same revelations as I did the first time around. Good food. Good people. Happy JC. Peace.

Nikolai C.

Good, but still overrated. Why do so many people want to wait in line for an hour for what is essentially simple breakfast food. I like it just as much as anyone else, but I think people are trying to come to see the occasional celebrity. The prices are still decent if you're not in the mood for making breakfast/brunch but I can make the same things at home. It's worth a look for a visitor though. As for locals, make your own stuff and spend time at home.

Vy A.

There's something enjoyable about going to a place on a lazy weekend morning and waiting in line for breakfast with newspaper in hand. I like this place, and although I will admit they lack in consistency, it is my favorite breakfast diner in Atlanta. The staff is lively. There is one guy there who works behind the counter who makes the best cheese grits, but I haven't seen him in a long time. I'm a fan of this place, although I will warn that the food hasn't been as good as it used to be. Great prices but bring cash.

Ron R.

The pancakes Jacinta served me were as sweet as her... Warning! If youve got "The Sugar" do not order these....They will put you in a happy coma...... Everyone was friendly and attentive....

Mrs. T M.

ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!!! The food was excellent! Best cheese eggs I have had to date!!!! Definitely a thumbs up!!!

VeraLee V.

Breakfast items are very good. Southwestern Eggs, with black beans and fresh pico in a tortilla, are especially well done. They make their own fruit preserves, which are outstanding and go great on their whole wheat biscuits. They also smoke their chicken and turkey themselves. The smoked chicken salad is delicious, either in a melt sandwich or as a build-your-own blue plate over a green salad. The fried catfish tacos are the best fish tacos I've had anywhere. If you don't want to wait, then come at off-peak hours. And the all cash thing isn't a big deal-- there's an ATM on the premises if you forget.

Malloy M.

Epic food and a great price!

Robert M.

As I sit here on a Sunday morning with a bowl of cereal in front of me, I am longing for the Thumbs Up Diner. This is the only place I will ever wait in line for breakfast food in Atlanta. Want to make some money? Open up a decent breakfast place in Atlanta because we seem starved for them, a line everywhere. Anyway, put your name on the list and expect to wait upwards to an hour depending on when you arrive. Hint...if you are not snobbish about sitting at the counter, your wait will be a lot shorter. Personally, I like meat products in the morning. Steak and eggs, pork chops and eggs (Waffle House), you name the meat product, I'm good to go for breakfast. At Thumbs up, I get the Steak and Eggs and I subsitute the hash browns for a bowl of grits. I feel these are the best grits in Atlanta, they aren't runny! Then, you also get a biscuit to complete your meal. I love their biscuits too, I think the Flying Biscuit is way overrated. Bring cash or use their ATM in the back, no credit cards here my friends.

A L.

The food was solidly decent diner breakfast food, which is exactly what we wanted. But honestly, given the ginormous crowd and the time we'd waited, I kind of expected my breakfast to come dripping with liquid gold. So that's kind of that: it's a perfectly decent, even GOOD brunch place that we probably won't frequent very often because we're impatient. And the limited hours pretty much guarantee that the only times we'd be able to go will be the crazy-crowded times.

Maura N.

I really like this place a lot! Yeah, there are some issues that need addressing but for the money, there isn't a comparable restaurant in the Decatur area. I've heard Thumbs Up gets a thumbs down when it comes to service and I can't understand that at all. Every time I've been there with my wife, we've been greeted right away and served quite soon after that. I think the portions could be a lot bigger for what you pay for but the quality of the food sort of offsets that. The pancakes and waffles are fan-flipping-tastic, the biscuits are huge and tasty (if somewhat dry), the homemade preserves are... oh my goddddd! GREAT, in other words! They make their own homemade pickles (Yum!) and their lunch menu is not too shabby. I have to give a shout out to servers Ray and Geoffrey. They rock!

Justin H.

Pretty good and reliable source for breakfast. I've walked away unsatisfied once or twice, but all in all a good joint. The service is always good and your food comes out fast.

Joe K.

I had just arrived into Atlanta with my father and godfather and we wanted a breakfast spot. This place got great reviews and they were definitely warranted. I loved the atmosphere and the food was really good. I'd definitely go back again.

Logan V.

Man was this place worth the wait. I had an excellent, made to order, turkey/chicken skillet. What was particularly impressive, was that I couldn't finish it, incredible as it was, and I was starving from the night before. Definitely recommend hitting this place up if you're around the 4th Ward for breakfast.

Cory F.

Now, I've taken to reviewing a lot of eating establishments in the area, and diners are my favorite... but this diner gets the biggest, well, Thumbs Up. (Not my most clever literary moment, I'm aware. It's been a long day, people. Stay with me.) My castmates and I decided to hit up Thumbs Up this past Sunday morning, and I was warned that we'd have a while to wait. This, I must say, was an understatement, and the only reason for the four vs. five-star rating... though really, all the wait proves is that the place is fantastically popular, and for good reason! And another thing, before I move on. The place is very accomodating to its avid fans who wait outside for the long haul; if you ask for a coffee, they'll cheerfully serve it to you before you sit, so you can take it outside, sip away and chat with your fellow meal-seekers until your table is available. You can take menus outside as well, so you can constructively spend your time perusing their appetizing menu and choosing what you'd like to have once you get inside. Now THAT's service. So, we're finally seated, and our insanely-busy-but-completely-on-top-of-it waitress immediately gives us a coffee warmup and asks if we're ready to order. Boy, are we! I order an omelette with zucchini and goat cheese, two items I rarely get to put in an omelette, and so I am elated. When another person joins our party unexpectedly, there is no exasperation or rolling of the eyes to be found, just the same efficient service and congeniality we've already experienced. Extra points. My omelette was amazing. Fluffy, the zucchini just right, not soggy or overcooked, with plenty of cheese but not too much. The biscuit, with blueberry preserves (which looked and tasted like homemade), was to die for, and the coffee just kept on comin'. IMPORTANT NOTE: Some of you may hate this, but since I knew about it beforehand, it wasn't that big of a deal to me: Thumbs Up only takes cash. There is an ATM on hand for those who didn't know or forgot to get some on the way, but it of course charges a fee, so remember, BRING CASH! So aside from the wait (which is kinda the Catch-22 of any popular place) and the cash thing (not really a biggie), you win, Thumbs Up. You so win.

Eden M.

This is where I tried chicken and waffles for the first time, and thanks to them, I'm now an addict. I don't love the wait (like everyone else), but it's superlative food and a lovely, lively setting for brunch. Two thumbs up and a chicken wing!

garbanzo b.

An Atlanta Institution with fabulous breakfast foods.. unfortunately I finally went to this place during my last month in the south. Good stuff...

Koku K.

I'm not even a breakfast person really, but Thumbs Up is definitely what's up. Outside of Chick-Fil-A and Waffle House (no, seriously) Thumbs Up is the one place my taste buds crave when I'm in the A. The lines are ridiculous, but if you can convince your party to get there super early, you'll be seated soon enough. Sitting at the 'bar' is kind of awkward, I much prefer a booth or a table. The food is really good. I think everyone should go at least once, but again the lines are out of control, so it's probably not something you'd want to tackle every weekend. I love the wheat pancakes and fruit compote. Yum...

Ki K.

Food was good... Customer Service was TERRIBLE. My husband told me that you cannot expect good service from a hole in the wall like Thumbs Up. The female hostess greeting us at the door had a very bad attitude. I asked her if we could wait on another table other than the one she was trying to sit us at and she snapped. EVERYTIME I asked her a simple question... She answered with a bad attitude coupled with sarcasm. I thought SHORTY was trying to re-inact the waitress character "Shirley" from the old sitcom, "What's Happening". The food was pretty good. But you can't enjoy your dining experience with BAD SERVICE.

Ms. B.

LOVE this place! Menu selection is great. Prices see good. Service is very down to earth & southern. This place is always busy so be prepared to wait for a table.