The Optimist Reviews

Try anything - or everything! - on the menu. Every bite is unique and delicious. The thought put into the menu and the balance of flavors is exceptional. Amazing.

Went for the $1 oyster happy hour. We had 3 dozen oysters and they were so good and clean. It's best to get the Baker's dozen because you get 13 for the price of 12. I feel they give you a better selection also. We ordered the roasted oysters and the $5 drink of the day. They were both ok, nothing to rave about. They should add some cheese to the roasted oyster to give it more flavor. Will definitely be back, the place is a great atmosphere. Can't wait to try dinner here.

Best Oysters in Atlanta! And they are only $1 during happy hour!

The food was fresh and tasteful! I will be a repeat customer

A great atmosphere. Flavorful drinks. Extremely fresh seafood which was nostalgic for a girl that grew up in the PNW (Pacific Northwest) section of the country . Perfect choice for a date night. The staff was extremely attentive and moved in perfect sync, especially on such a busy evening

We come here for the oyster happy hour! They have fresh, delicious seafood and their oysters are top notch!

Excellent. Just excellent. Some of the best seafood I have had outside New Orleans.

AMAZING!!! My husband took me here for my Birthday! The staff was diverse, the BREAD ROLLS tasted like heaven, it really set the tone! Bathroom was clean, we had a shrimp entree with the bread. The entrees were good! Desserts could have been better, but I m still giving 5 stars for the overall savouriness of the food!

The food and service at The Optimist was AMAZING! I was in town from New York and The Optimist gives top NYC restaurants a run for their money.

good quality, soup is only okay, lobster roll tasty, honey ham burrata toast recommended

A favorite location for quality seafood. Service is consistently great. Like a restaurant in Washington I liked.

Fantastic! One word reviews count correct?

Where to start? From the ambiance, the food, the service, all the way back to making the reservation, The Optimist impresses in every way! We ordered a number of apps including a variety of oysters and everything was amazing! The seafood chowder (or whatever they called it) was the best I ve ever had, full of great complimentary flavors and substance! All of our dinners were delicious and were a family who shares so I m speaking for not only the opinions of my group but personal experience as well.

I was here once before in the mid heat of summer, we sat outside and it was very spur of the moment and things were great! Last nights occasion was planned based on previous experience and were worthy of a full review!

Two words: Top Notch! If you like great seafood in a classy setting, this is the spot for you!

The New Year dinner menu was phenomenal. The blowfish tails were perfectly prepared. I must return to sample other excellent fare.

What an amazing experience, took wifey for 15yrs anniversary dinner , and they took the eve to the next level , Johnathan our host , and food expert took great care of us through out the night , amazing atmosphere and fantastic and tasty food ! Love it times 10

If you like oysters, you have to go to the Optimist. They have a selection of various kinds.Their seafood is fresh and delicious, you can order a plateau to get a combination including lobsters and king crabs. Prices are reasonable and the service is friendly and courteous.

One of the best restaurants in the World, not North America, the World. Everything is sterling excellence from the drinks, to the fish and oysters, the the delicate attention they play to the desserts. One of the Best!!!!

Exceptionally great food, drinks, staff,service,music and atmosphere. My daughter and I fell in love with The Optimist. This venue will be at the top of My list for visiting. I appreciate quality and I received it here.

Wonderful food, great service, and cool atmosphere!

I really liked the restaurant, I came here with my family and I had a really good time. The only reason I put 4 stars is because the delay i had with a hamburger I ordered. Other than that the customer service was really good and very protective of COVID - 19. I would come back again !

Delicious food and fun cocktails! The atmosphere is a lot of fun. The octopus appetizer is fantastic!!

Awesome high end seafood restaurant! Amazing food options and nice looking people. Staff is top notch seems like managemwnr has high expectations. Everything is clean. I went once for New Year s Eve and the crowd was mature but lively. Seems like a great place for a fancy seafood meal away from p tree street & downtown traffic.

This place lived up to the hype! Service was spot on both at bar and table side. Fried oysters kicked butt, dirty martini was perfect. Red fish and lobster roll will make a yummy lunch tomorrow!

Decoration: 4/5
Service: 4/5
Food: 4/5
Appertizer: Seafood Gumbo for $12. It was bad and would not recommend it. Too much black pepper and the soup was bitter. It burnt the back of my throat after each spoon. Because it was so bitter, you can't taste anything in the soup. It came with parley-butter bread and the bread was crunchy and warm when it came out. The dish is big enough for 2 people.
Main entrees: Lobster Roll and "Duck Fat Poached" Swordfish
Lobster roll was delicious but it was too buttery to me. Chips were seasoned but not really good. Seasoned with cummin and paprika.
Swordfish dish was flavorful, the fish was soft enough that the knife cut through the meat without any force. The fish came with 2 slices of mushroom, 1 slice of duck meat, and a char coal pearl onion. This dish is better than the lobdter roll. Price is $34-$35 each.

The food was phenomenal and the service was great. I love how flavorful everything is from the dinner rolls, to the soups to the entrees. The selection of cocktails and wines is vast. If you are a fresh taste seafood lover you can't miss The Optimist. The atmosphere is sexy and chic. Tastemakers go here.

excellent bartenders and drinks. busy, high energy spot. extensive oyster selection, delicious lobster roll!

Every time I'm here my food is fantastic. Whether the lobster po boy, the Cobb salad, or the Opti burger... the shrimp with the she crab soup is also really good.

***Scallops, octopus, blueberry pudding pie*** yum.

These scallops were absolutely delightful! My entire experience was worth it. The food, service, drinks were all on point. I especially love that the food is so fresh and the ingredients are used in some unique ways.

Absolutely phenomenal. The atmosphere is very cool and romantic. The bar had great drinks. The oysters were superb with great selection and great size (the Rockefeller was great, too... maybe even better than raw). The bread... omg the bread was hands down the best restaurant bread I ve ever had. I had the Zarzuela which was out of this world, however from others in the party, I hear the Lobster Rolls were great, too. So glad to have found The Optimist; we will be back.

I took my wife here for dinner, both our entrees were dry and either left on the pass or over cooked. The asparagus looked like dog vomit, my fried rice was as dry as the fish. The waitress was useless, there did not appear to be anyone managing the floor. It was amateur hour I will never go back, they couldn't even make coffee.

Great drinks and delicious food. Cool atmosphere. Friendly staff.

My dining experience this evening was EVERYTHING! We had a great waiter Daniel (shout out to Daniel!!) who gave awesome recommendations. I ve been a lot of places and had great food, but this by far was one of the best meals I ve eaten. I visited once approximately a year and a half ago, but my experience was not that great. After this evening...I can t wait to go back!

Amazing experience. From the service to the food, all top notch. Lobster roll, lobster made to perfection. I'm not a dessert person, but the lemon pie was like a better version of a key lime pie. Literally scraped the plate and didn't care who watched.

If you're on the fence about going, don't be.

A friend suggested this place. It is really good. All sorts of seafood. Prepared well and tasty.

The best seafood restaurant that I've ever been to. Everything was amazing. The octapus was incredible. The scallops we're very tasteful and rich. The seafood is flown in fresh every day, therefore the menu changes daily. Highly recommend this place.

Great atmosphere, food is incredible and service couldn't be better

Absolutely wonderful experience. Brought my fiance for her birthday. The staff was incredible all around. Flavors were awesome, we got great oysters and had a good time all around.

Great vibe - every one in our party loved every bite. Good place for a group and celebration.

Just wasn't impressed. Expensive as hell and super load! Hubby and I were literally done with our full course in about 5 mins. That's how smal the portions are...

Overrated and not that good for the price. I have been here twice. Not impressed both time.

Everything on the menu is exceptional. Great atmosphere and hip location in West midtown.

Hands down the best meal I've had down here. Started at the bar with Alison and Jamie taking care of us. Great cocktails and oyesters. Their hot sauce is house made with fermented habeneros. We loved it but it could be too spicy for some. Sat down for dinner and Eli was our server. Really informative and personable with being "salesy. Will request next time. The uni toast was out of this world and so were the scallops. Had a bottle of Albarino that was excellent and reasonable too (considering the retail cost). Overall we had a fantastic time and will def be back.

Good waiting staff. Our waiter was very personable and friendly. I personally thought the food was over priced, but I know people are very fond of the restaurant.

Casual setting. Possibly some of the best fish I've ever had. The halibut was a bit dry but the oysters were amazing and the service very friendly.

Superb service, great ambiance, and super fresh and delicious food. Won't be disappointed. This is my third time returning and this time my friend had SEVERE food allergy which I notified the staff when I was making a reservation. From the menu selection to how not to share silverware, everyone at the Optimist made sure my friend would enjoy his dish without having allergic reaction. I really appreciated their effort to accommodate our needs. Will return soon with this type of attention to detail. I can't thank enough for making our night out super memorable.

Maybe a little overhyped. The food and service were just okay.

Service was great, food was tasty!! Portions were small for the price (mainly that it didn t include a small side item), but still very yummy

Great place for drinks at the bar, lunch or dinner. Wonderful service, beautiful space and ambience. Cocktails are GOOOOOD too!

I had the Redfish with walnuts and bacon ... sounds amazing right .?!! Well - it actually was ...

Really really delicious. I ate a tuna and the dish I had with my friend's bread and spicy sauce with shrimp was really good. The staff is friendly and the atmosphere is good.

The Optimist.

This will be my seventh time coming here and yet only my first review. Oh deary me . . . this review is long overdue. Ford Fry, please excuse my tardiness.

What IS there to say about this quaint seafood joint located on Howell Mill Rd? Well . . .
It's roomy. In a warehouse. Nautical themed. Has a miniature mini-golf putting course right outside. A lovely raw bar right before the dining area.

Right, onto the food then:

Me and fiance arrived a bit early for my table; so, stopped by the oyster bar.
It's a lovely wooden-countered bar with movable stools set apart from each other. Fresh oyster shells and assorted seafood plainly sitting for all to see on a bed of ice behind a pane of glass. No touching; at least, not you.

Behind the beautiful view, the chefs shuck oysters, prepare small dishes for the wood-fire heath oven, and laugh amongst themselves with jokes or some other such pleasantries to help the day go on faster.
There are tables scattered around the reception area if you don't feel like sitting shoulder to shoulder with other patrons at the stools.

So many oysters. So little time. Can't remember the ones I tried. Just know that I really liked the shells from Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Canada, love your food.
The N.S. wasn't as briny as the P.E.I. and had more clarity with its flavor but definitely not as creamy as the P.E.I. It all depends on what you're looking for with your oysters. But if you're one of those who eat it with crackers and copious amounts of sauce, I've nothing more to say. Clearly, oysters are not what you're wanting.

I also ordered the baked clams. It came out in a tiny cast-iron pan, on a bed of salt, adding a smidgen of flavor to the shells, with bits of bacon inside the shells.

The clam was good and the smokiness of the bacon complimented the slight lemon from the clam . . . however after two I found out that the bacon eventually overpowers everything. Also, the saltiness, combined with the salt bed, equates to an overly sodiumized dish. No matter. First was still good.

My fiance had the mussels, as she usually gets. It's always an excellent and "safe" choice to fall back on.
This time proved no different than the prior six. A plate of mussels in a beautiful simmering sauce with a small block of toasted texas; perfect for sopping up the rich soup.

We moved to the main courses within the inner-sanctum of the immense warehouse. The expansive open-plan kitchen is to the right. We were sat behind the towering wet-bar in the left-center of the restaurant.

I won't bother with details on the appetizers except for the charred Spanish octopus. As usual, the dish is executed to perfection; a nice subtle, blackened outside with charred edges but a juicy and succulent inside. They always have this dish but prepare it a slight different way each time.
But I sense a theme with each one: always tends to have some kind of heat to make it jump at your taste buds.

For the eventual main course, I had the duck fat poached swordfish. It was juicy on the inside, firm on the outside. No rotten taste of heavy ocean and certainly not flaky/falling apart. That's how you can tell if your swordfish is solid. Does it taste heavily of brine/ocean? Is it too soft; flaking?

RUN, ABORT! And never go back there.

There was a small piece of brisket next to it which melted in my mouth, naturally. Sweet and savory with just a tad hint of smoke and wood. Not overpowering.

My fiance helped herself to the fish&chips. It was the only disappointing dish. But not because it was dry. I guess we both thought The Optimist could do better with fried foods and turn it into something spectacular like the other dishes. Pity.

I loved the bathrooms here. They are located along a hallway; men's on the left opposite from women's. Separate little rooms for your utmost privacy. And all nautical themed too.

All in all, this is THE restaurant to go to if you need to try one from Ford Fry.

It's worth it. Trust me.

Always nearly perfect. 4 stars, in a heartbeat.

What're you waiting for? Go.

Now!

Wow!



Service was amazing (Gary). Can't wait to go for dinner.

Best lunch in Atlanta.

I really wish I could give the Optimist 5 stars because the seafood is some of the best in Atlanta but there are little things they get wrong that just don t make any sense.
We had dinner reservations for 7pm on a Sunday to celebrate my parents anniversary. A few minutes after placing our orders we where informed they where out of the scallops, out of the Branzino and even out of hush puppies! I mean a seafood restaurant shouldn t be out of 2 seafood items by 7pm and hush puppies are just balls of corn meal. The people s who anniversary it was couldn t order what they wanted and had to end up with something off menu (salmon) and a lobster roll. It just made the night a little disappointing.

Sorry folks, don't get the hype.Cannot believe this place ranks top 50 in USA. I travel a lot, I eat out a lot, I have lived in food cities, San Fran, Seattle, NY. Don't get it. Many more deserving of that title.
Went last week due to all the reviews, etc and have to say, poor service. Decor top notch, but then I prefer service to decor as I pay for service and pay to eat the food.Great little idea with the outdoor patio, golf, but food not so great or interesting, not even a great execution of basics.
Good oysters, shrimp, nothing special. I have had better grilled shrimp in my back yard
I find the menu underwhelming.Salads were just ok, again not a great execution of a basic.
We shared oysters, shrimp and cobb salad. My wife and I both gave it a yawn. Lure is much better
which we tried week prior to Labor day.

The food is fabulous. Wish they had a larger selection for lunch.

Our favorite seafood place! The Optimist has a stylish environment, lively atmosphere, and even better food and wine. This is a great spot on for a weekday date-night or a weekend night out, but either way you'll want to dress a little nicer.

Would definitely recommend snagging a reservation, but if you do have to wait, there are yard games and seating available in the courtyard outside. They also have valet right at the door, which is nice.

During their crowded times, the wait staff can get a little stretched. In other words, you shouldn't come here on a tight timeline or schedule. We usually spend 2 hours enjoying shared plates, dinner and conversation over wine.

My first experience at The Optimist was one that I'd like to relive once a week until I leave this earth. It was a Wednesday evening, and I arrived around 5:45pm. Upon entering, the staff at the door warmly welcomed myself and a coworker. We made our way to the bar to wait for our dinner party. My first impression of the dining room was that it was an important place. The atmosphere was angelic. The bartender was so calming and politely explained every cocktail to me before I ordered. One thing I noticed was that all of the staff were very calm and composed veterans of the industry. I never saw anyone flustered or angry. After a cocktail or two, we were seated and ordered oysters. The oysters were all clean and perfect. None of them were full of salt water, there was no mud caked onto the shells etc. It was all perfect. Of all things, I ordered chicken and consumed one of the greatest dishes of my entire existence on this earth. Over the course of dinner, I had three cocktails, all of which were perfectly crafted, to superior satisfaction. I stopped and simply enjoyed the state of being I had found myself. I've never had an experience like it at a restaurant. Our server answered all of our questions with direct and assertive answers, spilling confidence into our souls. I didn't want to leave, to be honest, but knew that I would have the same experience when I return. I walked down the street, kicking a rock or two down the sidewalk, waiting for my Lyft to arrive, smiling because I had truly experienced a perfect dining outing. It felt fantastic. I went home and fell asleep around 9pm. When I awoke for work the next morning, I felt as if I had eaten the most healthy food on this planet. All of this to say, The Optimist is an experience only for those who need to be fulfilled by perfect service. You can play all of your customer service attack strategies, but they will kill you with kindness, or call your bluff and leave you with nothing but remorse for thinking anything negative of this establishment. I understand that not everyone will have the same experience as mine, but on my first time, it was euphoric. Thank you.

Get the Branzino! So, so good. Thought about it for days after. Most branzinos have bones and the head attached. Might not be for you.

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.

Phenomenal. I ve literally never eaten at a place like this. All of the food and drinks tasted some clean and fresh. I got the blackened fish sandwich. I hate coleslaw, but with their signature comeback sauce I enjoyed it for the first time in life. And all of the waiters and waitresses were good looking. Like Abercrombie and Fitch model good looking. Lol just a random plus

By far, this is the best Ford Fry restaurant and I've dined at all of them. The bar area offers a solid range of drinks and some darn good fare, including a spot-on lobster roll. The dining room is rustic but chic with a much larger menu. The Shell-On GA Shrimp is flavorful and finger-licking-good. The Octopus is cooked perfectly. These dishes and many more are why it's still tough to land a weekend reservation (but well worth the wait).

My hands down favorite seafood restaurant in Atlanta. Always top notch service an incredible food.

A Google search turned up this delicious seafood restaurant located in a funky area just outside of downtown. Due to the pandemic, we chose to eat outside. The vibe was great tiki torches, Adirondack chairs and a putting hole. We especially appreciated the awning that kept us dry during a brief shower. The meal was fabulous. Highlights included the snapper crudo, hush puppies, tomato salad, and beau soleil oysters. Service was friendly and professional. Highly recommend.

Get the shrimp a la pancha and the blackened fish sandwich. Probably the best sandwich I've ever had! Amazing. Don't ask, just order.

I just went there recently for brunch. What I ordered was amazing I had mussels and she crab soup for an appetizer. Main course was The lobster salad. That was filling! Huge lobster chunks along with heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, & Delicious dressing. A restaurant that you must go!

Some of the best seafood in town, if you can't make it for dinner I suggest getting drinks and light bites at either of the bars

Outstanding food! Service was too notch and the drinks were strong. When I go back to Atlanta I will definitely eat here again!

Exceptional service and delightful menu! Try everything!

Great food and environment. Wife and I went for NYE and really enjoyed ourselves. Highly recommend matching wine with food and they have a great selection.

Food was fantastic and service lovely. Definitely would go again.