Atlanta's Best Hamburger 2008

A local hub for lovers of cheap beer, burgers and a gritty, down-to-earth atmosphere.

Reviews:

• “Best good old fashioned restaurant and beer place”
• “Best Place in Virginia Highlands”
• “Best Burgers!!”
• “Great burgers, where they know your name”
• “Filthy dirty combined with Iffy Service but Great Burgers”

Tips: Virginia Highlands is notorious for difficult parking; at night, you can park in the hardware store’s lot next door for only $3. Or drive around the corner to the back of the bar where there’s a $3 pay box.

George’s Restaurant & Bar or email George’s Restaurant & Bar

Families and large groups feast on hearty cuts and comfort food at this Rocky-Mountain style steakhouse.

Reviews:

• “The Best Burger’s I Have Ever Had”
• “It was okay”
• “Really disappointing experience”
• “Great food!”
• “Lack of flavor”

Tips: Blue-plate specials are offered daily, so check out the menu for deals on roast turkey with garlic mashed potatoes and bison short ribs with country-style green beans.

Ted’s Montana Grill

North Highland elite flock to this private, top-floor spot for its exclusive weekend scene, stiff drinks and danceable tunes

Reviews:

• “One of the best places to take someone in town. The food is great and the scene is happening. "
• “Go Sunday Night to Comedy Gold!”
• “Top Private Club Above The Highlands!”
• “VIP treatment”
• “Great Service”

Tips: Members receive special discounts at local businesses.

The Warren City Club or email The Warren City Club

North Avenue landmark serves up throwback fast food and neon-drenched, old-Atlanta nostalgia.

Reviews:

• “Best Historical Landmark for Good Eats”
• “Gross”
• “WHAT CAN YOU SAY……”
• “Yummy…in the tummy”
• “All American Drive-In———Great For The Kids "

Tips: Study the menu before getting in line—the Varsity has its own menu shorthand. A “naked dog” is a Varsity signature hot dog without chili; a “bag of rags” is a bag of potato chips and an “FO” is an orange-flavored, slushy milk shake.

The Varsity

This octogenarian keeps the food and drink coming until the wee hours of the morning.

Reviews:

• “Comfort Food”
• “Good Eats”
• “Disaster Zone”
• “Great Bar and Great Food”
• “Cool old building, food is blah.”

Tips: Full dinner service ends at 11pm weeknights and at midnight on weekends; several items—including chicken wings, calamari with wasabi and Cajun remoulade, and pillowy ale pretzels with fiery mustard—are available until 3:30am.

Atkins Park Restaurant and Tavern or email Atkins Park Restaurant and Tavern

Steaks and singles mingle in a polished basement hideaway.

Reviews:

• “CONSISTENT and best all around”
• “Delicious!”
• “Still Shakeing & Stirring The Highlands! Excellent Steaks!”
• “BEST escargot and Bloody Marys!”
• “Avoid Escargot. Go For Drinks, Steak.”

Tips: While martinis are the specialty, the classic bloody marys—served with salted rim, lime, celery and a pepperoncini—will also put a smile on your face.

Highland Tap

Atlanta favorite delivers killer burgers, a serious bar scene and raucous decor.

Reviews:

• “only idiots work there”
• “Vortex BAABBY !!!”
• “The Service Staff at this Place are supposed to be Rude!!!!”
• “Rude Manager”
• “My favorite burger joint”

Tips: Serious hard liquor and a mind-boggling selection of draft and bottle beers properly round things out.

The Vortex

A booming Big Easy-style bar scene and a serious Sunday brunch grab headlines on Crescent Avenue.

Reviews:

• “Classic”
• “Great Brunch”
• “10 years and still on our list!”
• “Great for Brunch”
• “No, No and No again”

Tips: Try the Blanche martini. Made with Smirnoff Apple, Stoli Vanil, Apple Pucker, ButterShots and Razzmatazz, it’s sure to bring back your Southern drawl.

Front Page News or email Front Page News

Colossal burgers draw hard-core fans to this lesser-known stand on Memorial Drive.

Reviews:

• “LOVE IT!! A TRUE MUST!!”
• “AVOID THIS PLACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
• “Great experience”
• “Good old fashioned burger”
• “I’ve been to the top of the mountain and it is good!”

Tips: Look out: You might blink and miss this bare-bones stand on Memorial Drive by Wayfield Foods.

Ann’s Snack Bar

Mom-and-pop soda shop that pours Pabst.

Reviews:

• “Terrible food and worse service”
• “Comfy beer tavern "
• “One of the best bars in Atlanta”
• “Love it!”
• “OK”

Tips: Waiter Horace has worked the tables since 1949. Watch for anniversary and/or birthday specials.

Moe’s & Joe’s

Roomy banquettes and hefty portions typify this polished American grill that’s popular for business deals and special occasions.

Reviews:

• “Often Imitated, Never Duplicated”
• “Love it”
• “Best Steak I ever had!!”
• “The Crabcakes ROCK”
• “Always good”

Tips: Hungry for food or thirsty for company? The full-service bar has a scene all its own.

Houston’s

Cheap and tasty, Fatburger might just be the superhero of fast food.

Reviews:

• “like it”
• “Good burger but SLOW service not FAST FOOD!!! "
• “Not Good”
• “Horrible Service”
• “Great burgers, poor value and service”

FatBurger

The sports bar concept is reinvented in upscale digs in Buckhead.

Reviews:

• “great late night”
• “Best Sports Bar”
• “Best late night!”
• “Steak to DIE for, noisy on big game night”
• “They care about your comfort. "

Tips: Fans of “Surf & Turf” will be happy that Dantanna’s has fresh seafood delivered twice daily.

Dantanna’s or email Dantanna’s

Blue-collar pub pays the bills with East Atlanta’s new money.

Reviews:

• “Responsible for my Bukowski-an downfall”
• “WOW GREAT food and booze too!”
• “Lots of beers, new food mix, true friendly East Atlanta experience "
• “best dive bar ever”
• “Drunk Bar and Lovin it”

Tips: After the Gravity Pub, go on an old-fashioned bar crawl through East Atlanta.

Gravity Pub

Inman Park bistro lands a winning concept with seasonal dining and a convivial vibe.

Reviews:

• “Better value elsewhere”
• “Good but nothing really sets this one apart from the others…”
• “Great food, great atmosphere, all positive!”
• “yummy!!!!”
• “Does not honor reservations”

Tips: The Sunday brunch menu features smoothies and comfort food favorites like brisket, grits and cheddar waffles.

Shauns

Pawnshop-chic decor, top-notch burgers and a hard-hitting indie-music lineup make the scene in East Atlanta.

Reviews:

• “Watch out for poor service”
• “GREAT inviting bar with an independent edge”
• “Best burger in town!”
• “The Best Burger Ever!”
• “good place to see a show/hang out at the bar”

Tips: The bar is separated from the music club, so if you’re just up for drinking or grub, there’s no cover.

The Earl

Upmarket and eclectic, this welcoming Midtown gastropub is the latest in the Concentrics group’s culinary juggernaut.

Reviews:

• “Excellent for both food and atmosphere”
• “Perfect Patio”
• “We’ve Got a Problem Here!!!!!!”
• “Fun Patio, Food is nothing special”
• “agree, go there for drinks not food!”

Tips: Check out the prime-time people-watching on the patio, which also affords views of Midtown’s gleaming skyscrapers.

TAP

Popular Highlands destination offers reliably good food in an upscale setting.

Reviews:

• “Mixed bag”
• “Educational too!”
• “I’d only go for the biscuit/muffin basket.”
• “Best Brunch in Atlanta? Really?”
• “Service is Waning”

Tips: Murphy’s makes one of the best birthday/special-occasion cakes in town. Don’t miss the chocolate truffle cake. All the homemade pastries in the display case are available for takeout.

Murphy’s