The Optimist

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CLOSED NOW - Opens at 11:30am

Lunch here was delightful. The smoked white fish chowder was served hot and with oyster crackers. I enjoyed it until the trout with peas, cippolini, pancetta, and oyster mushrooms arrived. The fish was fresh and perfectly seasoned. And I indulged in a bit of dessert--the strawberry sundae.

I lingered in the restaurant until after they closed to prepare for dinner, and no one rushed me out of there. My server (oh, I wish I remembered her name!) was such a sweetheart and super helpful. Can't wait to come back here for dinner.

Great sexy spot to get seafood in Atlanta. Perfect for a date or corporate dinner. They also have outdoor seating

The optimist is a very nice restaurant. I enjoyed there lobster roll.. They serve it chilled, so if you like it warm, this may be a little different for you.. They also have an amazing bar, so the cocktail list is great for a girls night out!

It took us several weeks to book dinner at The Optimist and we were really looking forward to it. We were impressed when arriving. We had requested the Chef's table, but there wasn't one, so we were seated where we had a view of the kitchen. We love to watch the chefs so this was perfect to meet our request. The appetizers were good, the cocktails were average. Although we had a pleasant waitress, she did forget one of our crudo items that came after the entree. Our entrees were both fish; one swordfish that was cooked perfectly, and Cobia, which was not. The Cobia was raw in the center and very disappointing coming from a Ford Fry restaurant. My expectations were set high for this restaurant and although they did many things "right", they also had some mistakes and there was nothing to set the dining bar as I had expected. We do not mind paying higher prices for a great "experience", but this was really a let down as to what we've come to expect from a Ford Fry restaurant.

Love it!! We have dined in both the main restaurant and the raw bar, but no matter where we are the experience is great! The staff and attention to detail are spot on. The food is amazing, try it all!

Get the hush puppies. With all the great options, I scored with the fish and chips.

Had the lobster Cobb salad and plank shrimp. Both absolutely delicious. Service was absolutely top notch. Would recommend for any special occasion or just for a casual lunch