Don't miss oyster happy hour from 5-6 on weekdays! Great deal on high quality, fresh oysters. Daily punch is just $5 per glass or $20 for a pitcher. Makes a great combo! Get there early for a good spot at the oyster bar.
My wife and I have celebrated her past 4 birthdays here and love this place! Incredible food/service and a very inviting atmosphere. Highly recommend!
I visited this place for a friend recommendation, love seafood but was not sure about what to expect. First started with starters and found that Spanish Octopus was an explosive experience of flavors on my mouth!! Did Black Bass, Tartar and Salmon Crudo, all amazing experiences, but recommend to leave the octopus to the end due it's flavor will override the rest Later did Maine Lobster Roll... that was heaven!!! Perfect cooked, flavors came like a rollercoaster ending with an amazing Lime Pie... This restaurant is a whole experience that you can not miss!
A special occasion place with very good seafood choices. One of the best in the Midtown area.
Nice atmosphere, food was good but service could have been better & drink orders took to long to get to table
Have been to this place twice now and my husband and I love it! We have only been here for their happy hours for the oysters. We love oysters and so far the have the cleanest oysters. The servers were very nice both times! We also had their happy hours drinks as well and it was also good and consistent both times as well! Love this place! Will stop by again for sure if we have time!
We finally got reservations to the Optimist over the holiday season. They have a bar that you can sit at and order food and drinks. We had a drink here before the dining room opened. Once inside, service was excellent. We ordered one course at a time and had a leisurely meal. Fresh oysters, She crab soup were good. Lobster roll had too much dill for me to recommend it. Our entrees were snapper, swordfish, and steak. They were all good but not exceptional. Nice wine list, a lot of French wines. The open dining room had a lot of energy. I would go back for a special occasion.
Great overall experience, would recommend. The scallops were large and perfectly seared with the centers being warm and not under or over cooked. The cauliflower side was interesting, but still very delicious.
One of the best lobster rolls I've had in GA. The location also just became a lot more accessible with the addition of the new protected bike Lanes that run from downtown to West Midtown. There was a little bit of a wait, but the hostess let us well informed which was appreciated.
Best seafood place in the A!! Ask for Topher or Paulo
I went here with friends for my birthday and I had a wonderful time the service was stellar and the food was delicious. I had the halibut and it was seasoned perfectly I really enjoyed it. 5 Stars
Food was good, however the seats by the bar area are aweful. Make sure yoye in the main dining room if its cold outside.
Great service. Scallops were awesome. Really cool space. Would definitely go again.
Loved the beef tartare and heirloom tomatoes........absolutely delish!!!
Went to this restaurant since 2016 for my gf (now my fiance) birthday. We come for her birthday celebration just between two of us for quality time for few reasons:
1. This restaurant has always been and remains to be courteous to their customers
2. Food remains and continues to be great in presentation and taste
-presentation appears to be changing/tweaked each visit
3. Desert is safe, effective, tasty
4. Good wine selection
5. Good coffee, black is fine. No sugar/cream needed
My Recommendation to new:
1. Enjoy
2. Just use the valet (reason noted below)
3. Octane is right behind it, but coffee here is exceptional. Besides, its a pain to drive a block and find a parking
-i dont recommend walking over, traffic light and a lot of young drivers. I seen few close pedestrian vs car . I dont think anyone wants to be that pedestrian.
My review factors in cost. And yes. Food i have tried in all my visit thus far has been worth.
The atmosphere, the staff and the food are all top notch. The food is clean tasting and delicious. I would highly recommend the octopus and the oysters. Facility is clean and nicely decorated. There is no dress code, jeans and a nice shirt are fine. Staff is knowledgeable and asked if there were any food allergies (something someone with allergies greatly appreciates). Will go back again.
Great service. Amazing food. Perfect environment. Unfortunately, dirty bathrooms.
My top spot for delicious seafood. i like it here, excellent food & service. there was fast, efficient, and courteous service. prices are reasonable. food is similar to a place in san francisco i liked.
Would absolutely recommend trying out this place. Awesome atmosphere, yummy dishes, awesome customer service. They never disappoint.
Only had the happy hour oysters but they were fresh. Atmosphere was relaxed and staff was very friendly and attentive
It does not get better than this! The food is exquisite, the atmosphere is great and the service can't be beat! Such a phenomenal experience - we had a really great server who just made our night. If you can get over to this restaurant it is definitely a must!
Home made rolls. Home made saltines. The gest oysters so far this year. And the Bronzini to tie for. All in a casual, neighborhood restaurant.
This has to be one the best date spots in the city. The food and drinks are amazing!
The food was amazing. The drinks are great. Ask for Leslie as your server, she s the best you will ever have.
This place was seafood awesomeness. So many good starters and when the brought my neal everyone gasped
My go to restaurant recommendation for Atlanta. Everything is good, wine list is extensive, service is A1. You wont regret it!
Nice place for a first date or repeat date. Not enough food for the price but nice atmosphere and good drinks.
Great food! Great ambiance! Great customer service!
Very nice atmosphere and great staff. The food was okay but nothing to recommend to others unless they just want to have an upscale environment to have a meeting or get to know someone. I would go back if someone else is paying like they did the last time.
Underwhelming. Most of the dishes were executed well, they just didn t taste good. The hush puppies should not be on the menu, they were inedible. The service was great except for the server not noticing that we didn t eat our food.
One of the best seafood places in Atlanta. Great Oyster selection.
Great food. Went here for my birthday. The food was great, servings are small. However, the octopus was very delicious as well as the chowder. Took a star off due to the long wait we endured for the waiter to come to the table.
Fantastic 5 star service. Excellent atmosphere, but I have to subtract one point for the food. The plating and the texture is expertly done, but the flavors were slightly lacking. I would give this a 4.5 if possible, but alas I can't give it a perfect score.
I must say our server Sarah was absolutely phenomenal. Knowledgeable to a T on every dish and drink on the menu. Always checking up on our party and taking care of used dishes and silverware. Absolutely perfect server. Thank you Sarah! She took care of everything perfectly.
The atmosphere is contemporary and warm. Very well done all throughout and the wood is a nice touch for a seafood-themed restaurant. The open wood hearth behind the bar sets a great scene for any diners who are up at the front.
The signature drinks were quite tasty and well-mixed. The beer list is a little light if you like a draft beer, but there are many cans and bottles available. The wine list is extensive if you enjoy wine.
The menu itself is well thought-out. Short enough to keep itself simplistic, but long enough to have a nice variety. Most proteins are done a single way which I think is excellent planning. If I remember correctly, it's highly seasonal. Each menu is stamped with the date as to keep everything up to date. With so many great notches, I'm sad to say the food itself all felt very monotone and mild.
One very special appetizer is the blowfish tails, served with capers, raisins, and a special sauce. The blowfish tails themselves very certainly needed the other elements as they do not have very much flavor themselves.
The grilled octopus was another appetizer I tried. This was in a honey glaze that almost overpowers the protein. The octopus is what you'd expect of octopus, but I couldn't shake that it tasted almost like a honey-glazed chicken nugget. That said, when separated from the outer grilled bits, the underlying octopus is there and quite tasty. The salmon poke is excellent however. The fish is complemented well and the protein has taken the accompanying flavors much better.
The roast oysters are perfectly done. They are a mild flavor of oyster with the accompanying breadcrumbs as a great accoutrement to the flavor of the oyster.
I had the swordfish as a main course, which was served with a side of beef (though not listed as such on the menu). This was served with a dark amber sauce that I don't feel added very much. The flavor itself of the swordfish was very monotone and the sauce atop it did not add any flavors. The beef alongside it was the same. The texture on both were perfectly done.
I had a tasting of the she-crab soup which felt quite similar in body: one note and somewhat mild.
This continued with the sides as well. The "fried" basmati rice has many ingredients: fish, vegetables, and aromatics. I was excited for this from the description of it, but when it came to taste, it overwhelmingly tasted of basmati and nothing else. There were extremely subtle flavors of the other ingredients but nothing substantial.
The fried cauliflower is a dish that hits the one-note theme perfectly, but it must be consumed very quickly. Perfectly understandable for the nature of the dish, but definitely eat this one fast. Very well done.
The hush puppies are a very sweet dish topped with powdered sugar and served with a sweet butter. They're very different than most preparations that I gave had but quite tasty as well.
Overall, it let me down just a little how mild everything was. I definitely understand that seafood as fresh as the restaurant brings makes for a difficult base for flavor. While there were certainly some winners, I felt on average that the taste was just simple. Texture and plating was spot-on however. Everything was set for a perfect meal, but I just can't get over how it all settled into constant one-note dishes when everything else about the restaurant was spot-on.
Great happy hour oysters but everyrhing else is super spendy. Place is beautiful and Gary is a very good server.
Knowledgeable professional service, everyone in our party of 6 loved what they ordered. Everything was perfect! Cant wait to go back.
I have mixed feelings about The Optimist. Frankly, I want to give them 3 stars, but I don't think it is deserved, and I'd like to give it another try someday. I went with a friend that has very different tastes than me but we ended up having the same experience.
First the good:
Service was great!
Drinks were pretty good, I ordered a margarita which was awesome. Friend didn't enjoy her drink much but it was mostly due to poor choice.
Oysters were amazing! I loved the selection.
I was a big fan of the calamari... My friend was not
The hot sauce that comes with the oysters is one of the best I've had in a long long time.
The bad all came from the main course:
Friend got the lobster roll - although it looked good, the lobster was very very cold, almost like it came out of the fridge only a few minutes ago. The dish would have been 10/10 if the lobster was hot but the temperature alone turned us off. It is to my understanding that lobster rolls are often served cold as well, but the rest of the dish was hot so it was odd.
The halibut steak (which also came out a little cold) just wasn't worth it? For 40ish dollars I expected more flavor. Outside was nice and crispy but the inside was a little dry. The salsa Verde that it comes with had very little flavor to add(although it did help with the dryness) and I was hoping it at least had a little kick. I honestly could barely taste the salsa at all.
I was going to complain about the hush puppies... But I see now that the menu says "beignet style", so ordering this at all was my fault. But please keep in mind that the hush puppies taste very much like a dessert, not a side to your fish. No points knocked off for me not knowing how to read
We honestly really liked the experience until the main courses came out, but it was hard to ignore how disappointed both of us were. I hope to try again soon and order a different array of items and see if my experience changes.
P.S. The Optimist did an awesome job with all Covid-related practices
On the pricey side, but dishes are incredible. Health conscious beware as some dishes are smothered in butter, but it's done tastefully so everything hits the yum factor. Cocktails are busy with lots of ingredients but worth a try. Mahi dish was delicious, buttered rolls, asparagus and oysters a must.
New fave! Something for everyone. Great decor, live music outside, excellent service, delicious food, great cocktails. You can go casual or well dressed for a date. There's outside seating, a Raw bar, and the inside Resturant and full bar as well. Can't wait to visit again, my mom loved it as well. Valet parking for $3.00 was a plus as well
Very overpriced. I had a little 6-8 oz piece of skirt steak and fries and it was $28. The service was slow also, not awful but below average. My wife had the fish, which tasted good, but nothing extraordinary. The *check* was extraordinary though. Over $125 for 2 people and 1 drink each, not including tip. The Optimist is off my list for for nice dinner out.
The food was amazing. One of the best sea food restaurant in Atlanta.
Great seafood, don't like the mandatory charge for valet though- they can be very pushy! Found you can just drive around them and park in the apartment building garage for free.
Clean and neat place, delicious and fresh seafood, good prices and fast service.
Good food, though expensive for rather plain ingredients. Nice drinks. Great service
I don't give 5-stars often, but when I do the place is deserving. This restaurant and C&S Seafood are my two go-to restaurants for chicken of the sea
GREAT SEAFOOD HANDS DOWN. only thing is wish the oysters were cheaper.
Food and service were exceptional. The ambiance was great too.
Very good experience. The expertly prepared veggies were superb accompaniment to the seafood.
We arrived prior to our reservation time and weren't about to sit to much earlier than that. This place is busy... but well worth the wait. The staff is friendly and the food is amazing!
Fantastic seafood restaurant, menu changes daily based on what is fresh, so don't pay too much attention to any menu you find online; just go, you won't be disappointed.
Best oysters in town
Nice variety. Great price during happy hours.
Great food and drinks! Fun atmosphere on the patio with live music and a putting green.
Great meal and service. The oysters were fresh, cold, briny...yum. Highly recommend the grilled Octopus...it was the most tender and tasty we've ever had. The while GA shrimp la plancha was amazing. Crispy and crunchy hush puppies. The fish dishes are all fresh, cant go wrong with any of them.
What's not to love about a seafood restaurant that doesn't try to over power the natural flavors of seafood, while offering Southern style classics and local ingredients?!
Notable repeats:
-swordfish (not overcooked and maintained a soft and flaky texture)
-peach ricotta toast (sweetest and juiciest peaches compliment the creamy ricotta on toast)
Disappointing was the gumbo, despite the other reviews. I found it way too salty to even enjoy the flavor.
The atmosphere, the service, and the food was unbelievable. As busy as it was, they still made us feel special on our anniversary. I've never seen so many choices for oysters. We also had the muscles which were aaaamazing. You must have the caramel salted ice cream. If you can ask for Topher; best server ever and knows his wines.
Used to be one of our favorite place in town. We went yesterday for my birthday. One of the reason we go is for the grilled octopus. This time the receipe was different, it had a sweet and sour sauce on it and we were so disappointed. The experience was still great but we hope to get our original grilled octopus on the menu!!
The Optimist is right next door to where I work in West Midtown. The guys and I occasionally pop in for their happy hour. Good prices on drinks oysters, and I haven't ordered anything that wasn't at a minimum really tasty. Alcohol selection is ok, but not the best. We usually head back over to Hop City for drinks after dining.
The Optimist Restaurant is fantastic for happy hour from 5 to 6. And dinner here is always excellent! Get the baker's dozen oysters and sit back and enjoy it with a freshly-made specialty cocktail of the evening. Wait staff is extremely attentive and very friendly. Management went out of their way to make sure that we enjoyed our experience. One of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta. Whether you're a local or from out of town, this is definitely a must stop!
Great food and service. Check out the beets and brussel sprouts.
Fatastic service. Great ambiance. Classier than your typical speak easy. Drinks are on point. Nice crowd on most nights. Not packed. Drinks are best in town.
The food here is spectacular and always super fresh. You usually need a reservation to get in (on a weeknight or weekend)- it stays pretty packed! Some of the servers are really good about explaining the menu in detail and answering questions, others seemed a bit rushed and just wanted to keep the tables flowing, if you know what I mean. The ambiance is really nice here as well, perfect date night spot in my opinion. Spanish octopus and buratta are my personal favorite appetizers! Parking here is complimentary valet- totally worth it if you have a nice pair of heels on- it can become quite the walk without the valet.
Delicious food, and good service. Was perfect for a girls night dinner!
My preferred location for tasty Seafood. There was quick, helpful, and friendly service.
The food was well prepared but it was not so amazing that I would rush back. I wanted to be wowed...
I was told of this place by a local, and was greatly pleased. The food was superb and the atmosphere warm and friendly. Overall it was an awesome choice.
Hubba hubba wubba wubba, this place is the foodie Bubba! Serially though, warm, inviting, engaging staff, full of trendies but dont hold that against this very real, down to earth place in the middle of Look-At-Me-Atlanta. They never sit on their laurels and always pushing envelope on food and cocktails & staff clearly has super passion for being there. My hot tip would be sit at their gorgeous bar and eat there! It's best seat in house! The oyster menu rules here and always eat 2 dozen myself!
We had 50 people for our rehearsal dinner and everything was over the top.
Service was has and effeciant
Food was served Hot and delicious
Great experience
I had been really looking forward to dining here for such a long time and especially after reading about all the great online reviews. So I decided to take my wife last night for our anniversary dinner and what a major let down!! The Plateaux appetizer was just ok for the price...oysters and shrimp were good, but I've had better ceviche and tuna poke at the mall food court and the smoked fish dip was just plain gross. We split the halibut entree which was tasty but overcooked/dry, and had to wait another 5+ minutes before we even got our 2 side dishes that should have accompanied our meal. Speaking of those sides...after sending back the first order of basmati fried rice because it was so heavily over salted, it was actually one of the better parts of our meal. Our second side dish was the summer grilled vegetables, but they were served drenched in oil that drowned out any flavor they may have had. We each had a bite and decided at that point it wasn't even worth the time to make another complaint- we were so disappointed and ready to leave by then!
Great service, long wait. Came and got the cheeseburger and gave me food poisoning. This place obviously does not care about food safety and NOT would recommend to anyone.
Service and ambiance is great. The food is just okay!
Excellent top quality oysters as always!!!... shrimp was excellent as well!!!
The oysters are beautifully prepared and always fresh, ice cold and delicious. I love the seasonal menus here roasted shrimp and fish are spectacular!
Really great seafood. The octopus was cooked perfectly. Not chewy at all. Really friendly staff, and great drinks. Highly recommended.
theoptimistrestaurant.com