The Optimist
The food was good. The service was really good. Our waiter was nice. The place was loud, so that was a small drawback. We would go back.
Very good seafood and our server, Daniel , was outstanding. Hope to return soon
Wife’s Birthday. Great food, a little pricey, but it was a special occasion. Drinks were ok, but also expensive. The oysters were fresh, and they offer various kinds of oysters. I got the Swordfish, and it was great. Wife had the scallops, which were delicious. The buttery sweet Hawaiian rolls they give you to start are the perfect starter, and the sea salt on top was the perfect touch. We also had one of the best appetizers I’ve ever had here, the Spanish Grilled Octopus. Simply amazing. Will be back but only for special occasions as it is a little pricey.
Peel and eat shrimp consisted of 5-6 small shrimp. The scallops were undercooked and the coffee was like warm. Expect more for what you’re paying. Nothing was great and service was lacking
Delicious seafood. Large portion sizes. Lovely birthday meal for my husband.
Amazing food & service! Scallops were the best we have ever had!
Our server, Sarah was amazing. She helped suggest a wine and was attentive all night. We had our first date night since our baby was born and it was a great experience. Scallops, swordfish, broccoli, hush puppies, oysters... Yum!!
Nothing irks me more than paying a lot of money for bad food. The food was pricey but creative and tasty. The menu was of moderate size with lots of interesting dishes. What made our evening, however, was the service. Brittany, our wait person was a rock star. She knew the menu inside out, was candid with her recommendations, and accepted all of the minor changes we made to each dish with grace. If she was unsure a substitution could be made, she said so. And, she did all this without taking a note and got everything perfectly correct, a true rarity these days. Before we concluded that she was singularly great, the bread server appeared and blew us away with his knowledge of how the bread was made, its ingredients and the baking process. The dinner rolls are to die for! In summary, it was a great evening- great atmosphere, great food and stunningly well trained and efficient wait staff. Management is to be commended for the unbeatable combination!
Another hit for Atlanta Dining in West Midtown! We loved the Optimist and our out of town guests were quite impressed.
Service was great. Food was good. I’d give it another shot.
Duck fat poached swordfish not to be missed!
Our server Ashley was outstanding. Food was excellent!
We celebrated my daughter's 20th birthday at the Optimist since she has become a foodie. We enjoyed our appetizers of octopus and ceviche. Our wonderful and knowledgeable server, Jonathon, did a great job guiding her on her first taste of oysters on the half shell. Entrees of lobster roll, scallops and redfish were all excellent. Sides of Hushpuppies and brussel sprouts were great, as were dessert and coffee. She said it was a meal she will always remember. We have always had great meals and service at the Optimist!
Our first visit to The Optimist in several years - and just as good as we remembered! Our server Daniel was particularly impressive.
The food was amazing and very fresh. Our server was extremely good and very attentive to our table. She was very informed about all the menu items. We will be back!
Absolutely delicious. Expensive but worth every bite.
My wife and I had a great meal! Cocktails were exquisite; oysters were amazing; and the beef tartar was superb. She loved her lobster roll, but I might recommend getting it warm next time. The branzino was very good and it was nice to see the majority of the bones removed. Service was exactly what I expected from an upscale establishment like this. Similar pricing as other higher-end dining. THE BREAD! We will definitely be back.
Had a table close to the kitchen. Their kitchen procedures were questionable and in my opinion may require a good health inspection.
The food was average for a fish house. They rely on sauces and butter too much which I think masks the flavor of the quality fish.
The oysters were amazing! A nice selection from sweet to briny(my favorite). Our entrees were exquisitely prepared and presented.
Great space/atmosphere. Service and food were fantastic!
Highly recommend.
Amazing food, exceptional service
The Optimist never disappoints. I have dined here several times for dinner and recently have begun visiting for lunch. The food and service are always excellent!
Everything was amazing
Great service and the food was very good
Excellent place for fish and seafood.
Awesome! The ambiance was very sexy. I will definitely be back. Food was superb and staff was very professional.
We went to celebrate our wedding anniversary! Everything was amazing. The dinner rolls were the best I’ve ever had! The only thing We didn’t get was a complimentary dessert or something for our Anniversary, which we usually do get at these nicer restaurants. It could have been because we had one of the later reservations. Our waiter Did tell us Happy Anniversary and acknowledge it. We had a great time enjoyed the food and will definitely be back!
Wonderful dinner experience; service was top notch; great cocktails; loved the oyster menu; highly recommend the octopus and the tuna crudo; ambiance is energetic but not too loud, ideal lighting, dramatic space; definitely would recommend
Fabulous experience. Our server was awesome. The restaurant had a great vibe High energy. One of the best meals we’ve had in years.
Little loud but overall great food.
The entire experience was phenomenal. Service, food, and ambiance were all amazing. The lobster rolls are the best in Atlanta. I can’t wait to go back!
Redfish was one of the best fish dishes ever had. Oysters were off the charts as well. Bread sinful. Brussels fantastic. Everyone else was over the moon with theirs. Pricier than lots of other spots; worth every penny.
I saw The Optimist on a Netflix documentary show and it did not disappoint. The hush puppies were Fantastic and the grits were the best in the ATL!
Celebrated my son's birthday here. He wanted to go here because of their reputation of excellent oysters. He wasn't disappointed and the other 5 of us loved our food, ranging from chicken to red fish to their lobster roll and fabulous she crab soup. Great appetizers and sides as well. Excellent food, good service! This was not our first visit and will not be our last.
Wonderful menu and superior service, incredible food!
The Optimist is always top-notch! Excellent food and service as always!
Excellent food! Excellent service both at the oyster bar (while waiting for a table), and the server during dinner. I enjoyed it very much and definitely returning.
Excellent restaurant, staff is a bit pretentious, but overall top 5 fave in ATL. Best Lobster Roll in town! Worth the price, just wish they'd honor table requests, but they cater to the rich and famous, so unless you dine there all the time, it's not gonna happen...Still love Ford Fry!!
Really a great surprise. Had a drink at the bar first, then to our table — both areas had a really nice atmosphere, casual but very nice. Great menu, food was delicious, wait staff were very nice and on top of things. Definitely give it a try. Make s reservation, it was very busy even on a Sunday evening b
Our server, Daniel L, was awesome! Super helpful with the menu and gave spot-on recommendations. He definitely helped make the meal an enjoyable experience.
