The Optimist

Best seafood in the country!!

The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable about the oysters. Our waitress Caroline was attentive and kind. The guys at the oyster bar were knowledgeable and super nice. Definitely planning to revisit soon!

Outstandin food and extraordinary service from start to finish, as usual! Enough left for a great midnight snack!

The Optimist was the perfect choice for my boyfriends birthday! Every team member that came to the table told him a happy birthday & really made the evening feel special. Our server (I forgot his name unfortunately or I would totally give him a shout out) had the most extensive information to any question I had on any menu item. Would recommend the Optimist to anyone for a special occasion or just wanting a great meal!!

Wayyyyyy too pricey for what we got. The lobster roll was $32 and puny and ridiculously light on lobster, a whole lobster cost $33....WTH???
Used to love this place, not going back😔

Our first visit and we loved it, the setting
the menu
the choices
the presentation
the taste
all good things
great service!

Really good seafood. I had the redfish and it was cooked perfectly. Nice crisp outside very fresh. My son had the halibut. Biggest steak cut I have ever seen! Oysters good and u don’t have to buy a certain amount so u can try all and see which one u like best. I liked the blond savage the best!
Overall a great place! Will definitely be back!

Awesome
Waiter was great
Manager was great

I like the Optimist. We sat outside initially & that was problematic because when the food came the flies came. However, other than maybe setting up citronella candles and fly catchers I don't know what the restaurant can do. I do suggest they do that. We moved inside by the end & had an amazing rest of our dinner. Social distancing was appropriate. Staff work masks & the lobster roll was delicious. Order the Parker House type dinner rolls! OMG there r no words to how good those rolls were!!!!

Great service! Food was good too! We had the soup, scallops, and melons. Our entree was a little salty but overall we were pleased and plan to visit again

Superb, per usual!

Great food and drinks. Must try the grill octopus!

Great food, great service.. thank you Theresa for taking a good care of us.

A bit disappointed with some of the oysters served.. the ones from CAD were excellent, the others not so much. But overall it was pretty fresh.

The Optimist is the best seafood restaurant in Atlanta.
Their variety of fresh seafood is unsurpassed in Atlanta.

Social distancing and masks were mandatory. The oysters and cocktails were amazing as usual!

The scallops and oysters were excellent, and so was the staff. I went with an old friend to catch up and were able to have a conversation without yelling. I would recommend this restaurant for anyone who wants a nice meal in a nice place. 10/10

Excellent food and staff. Quality ingredients and very well paced dining experience.

this was an outstanding restaurant with an outstanding meal!! i cant even begin to explain how unreal the optimist was. from the oysters to the entrees to the sides, outstanding!

Our waiter was so kind!! We really enjoyed ourselves .. thank you !!

It was great, great food , great service . Will definitely go back.

The staff was amazing. They appeared exactly when they should, never before, never after. It was a great balance that never felt neglectful or intrusive. It is clear they are a well oiled machine. The food was perfect, delicious, and timely. Very rich treat for a special day. The tables are well spaced for today’s world. The ambiance was lively, but we also felt as if we were in our own little world. We very much enjoyed every aspect of our experience.

The Optimist never disappoints! This is a must-do if you're in Atlanta!

friendly staff and great service. The food was really fresh and delicious.

Food was excellent, decadent, savory and delicious. All staff was friendly and service was exceptional! Going back again!

Delicious food as always and the service was great!!! Definitely one of my favorite restaurants!

Dinner was great. It was a special occasion (my fiance's birthday) and they were extremely accommodating. The food, ambiance and service were amazing. We will definitely be back.

Great food and practiced safe social distancing. The food and service was perfect. The menu is a bit overpriced.

The Optimist is always good food... probably our favorite seafood restaurant in Atlanta. However, last night was particularly good... the Reddish was spectacular and the sides (hush puppies and the heirloom tomatoes) were perfect. However, best of all was the service. Kyla gave as good a service as we’ve ever had. She made the night. Definitely will be there again.

The Optimist didn't disappoint! It was my first visit since COVID hit - they have a fraction of the tables that they used to have. Our server was extremely attentive and helpful. Everyone working there was following proper safety protocols. The food was fabulous as usual. A wonderful meal like usual!

Lisa was our server and the absolute best. She had an amazingly knowledgeable take on the menu and made our visit everything. What an awesome experience.

The food is insanely good. The service is exceptional. They strive to create an environment where the guests can fully focus on the experience without being distracted by whether or not the staff is strictly adhering to safety guidelines.

I loved everything! Great Experience! Food was exceptionally delicious 😋

the food: excellent, tasty, flavorful
the drinks: good beer, nice mixed drink
the server: a little overworked, very personable, would definitely be happy to have her again for a future visit

We ate outdoors at our request. Would definitely recommend that fans be added, not just to move air on steamy summer evenings, but also keep flies and mosquitoes away AND cigarette smoke that wafted to the table.

Lastly: iceless ice-water is NOT a thing. The water served was unpleasantly warm.

Thoroughly enjoyed our evening out -- our first indoor dining experience in months. The tables were SO far apart, masks were worn appropriately, and the restaurant was spotless. My husband and I started with a variety of oysters, then shared the octopus appetizer and the skatewing entree. The kitchen split the entree for us and presented it beautifully. The cocktails were interesting. Highly recommend The Optimist.

Absolutely incredible dining experience! The wait staff was on point and the food was absolutely amazing!

Food and drinks were fabulous! Our waitress Carolyn was so energetic, helpful with ordering and a genuine person. We will be dining here again very soon.

Love the oysters. Love the location. Do not love that you have to spend $200 for two people to feel full.

Food and service were great! Felt safe and at a distance from others

This was our second time here and it was as outstanding as it was the first time. I highly recommend the oysters. They were fresh and swimming in brine just like I like them. The octopus was delicious and the ciopinno was over the top.