The Optimist
4.6 ★ average from 4259 reviews
Lobster rolls, gumbo, wood-fired oysters & more in a lofty, country-modern space with a raw bar.
Location
Hours
- fri
- 5:00 – 11:00 PM
- mon
- 5:00 – 10:00 PM
- sat
- 3:00 – 11:00 PM
- sun
- 3:00 – 10:00 PM
- thu
- 5:00 – 10:00 PM
- tue
- 5:00 – 10:00 PM
- wed
- 5:00 – 10:00 PM
Photos
Recent reviews
- ★★★★★
Katie was an excellent waitress and very knowledgeable about all the food options. Very tentative to our table and very pleasant to interact with. Food was amazing. Cod cheeks are a must have.
- ★★★★★
Katie. Katie. Katie. I came for a girls night out dinner on a Tuesday for a friend's farewell and it was the exclamation to her atl ending. She was late so I interacted with the host and bar staff and everyone was a vibe, welcoming, kind & chill. Katie was just cool and one thing was clear; her knowledge and love for the menu and that a good vibe is contagious. We had the roasted oysters and cheeks for apps and lobster and red fish for mains. The greens. The greens! Coulda drank the sauce lol! I could keep going but no notes just awaiting my next excuse for a resy! Thank you to all the sweet staff! A time!!!
- ★★★★★
Another well-established restaurant in Atlanta that should be on everyone's rotation. The menu is fabulous and the drinks are top notch, but do yourself a favor and don't miss out on their fresh oysters. Service can be a tiny bit inattentive, but I attribute this to their popularity and don't mind the little bit of extra time for conversation with friends or a date.
- ★★★★★Salim Amirali
The Optimist continues to be one of our favorite restaurants in Atlanta, especially when we're in the mood for exceptional seafood. We shared the oysters, shrimp a la plancha (easily the best I've had outside of Spain), halibut cheeks, and their outstanding burger. The complimentary rolls were fantastic as well. We celebrated our anniversary during the visit. While there wasn't a complimentary dessert, the menu was personalized with a "Happy Anniversary" message, and both the host and our waitress took the time to acknowledge the occasion, which was a thoughtful touch. Most importantly, the food quality remains top-notch and as impressive as ever. We had a wonderful evening and look forward to returning. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- ★★★★★
The Optimist continues to be one of our favorite restaurants in Atlanta, especially when we're in the mood for exceptional seafood. We shared the oysters, shrimp a la plancha (easily the best I've had outside of Spain), halibut cheeks, and their outstanding burger. The complimentary rolls were fantastic as well. We celebrated our anniversary during the visit. While there wasn't a complimentary dessert, the menu was personalized with a "Happy Anniversary" message, and both the host and our waitress took the time to acknowledge the occasion, which was a thoughtful touch. Most importantly, the food quality remains top-notch and as impressive as ever. We had a wonderful evening and look forward to returning. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
- ★★★★☆
Food was ok, a bit overly salted. Oysters were fresh. Service was friendly. My drink order was incorrect. We had half of it and sent it back. We were charged for the entire beverage, which is honestly fair (I had a sip and I asked my wife if it tasted right, but we did have half of the drink) and they gave us an order of fries on the house. Charging full price for the drink was a judgement call, a better solution would have been to replace the drink since it is was not drinkable - a dirty vodka Martini was incorrectly made with some sort of simple syrup instead of olive brine. They did replace the unfinished drink but charged me for both. We're from out of town, just here for the world cup. I wouldn't come back, but still think 4 stars is fair. Nothing against the restaurant, just think they made the wrong call on the drink.
- ★★★★★
Service, knowledge of the offerings, attention to detail was impeccable. Food was excellent. We've been here at least three times over the last few years and it is consistent.
- ★★★★★
Mia my bar server was fantastic! First time dining and I asked her to recommend my entire dinner selection. She was spot on for my taste buds. From the raw oysters to the hamachi ( whatever that was). Delicious!!! To my dinner entree Redfish. To wash everything down a chocolate tart with strawberries crumbles with ice cream. I will be returning! Thanks Mia for your wonderful service! Also need to give out to the bar person that made my tasty dirty martinis.
- ★★★★★
Great staff and atmosphere
- ★★★★★Nabil A
Went to The Optimist for a birthday dinner and had a really nice time. Craig took great care of us and his recommendations were spot on, especially since it was our first visit. We ended up with a great selection. The Hamachi was super flavorful. The asparagus with beans and blue crab was good, just not something I’d get again. The NC flounder was easily one of the best dishes we had. Scallops were a solid pick too. The kedgeree was delicious and a standout, just a little spicy, same with the octopus. Corn milk hush puppies were good, a little sweet and almost more like dessert. They also brought out a complimentary key lime pie for the birthday, which was a really nice touch. Overall, really enjoyed it and would go bac