ATLGuide
The Best Late Night Restaurants In Atlanta
Where to go when you’re hungry for a second dinner.
Plenty of clubs, bars, and famous adult entertainment options like Magic City and the Clermont Lounge keep Atlanta bumping after dark. But after a night of drinking, dancing, or (ahem) other activities, you’ll likely find yourself roaming the streets in the moonlight, searching for a spot to grab some grub before heading home. There’s always the reliable Waffle House, the greasy breakfast staple of the South. But when the All-Star Special won’t hit the spot and you’re in no mood for a Humans of Waffle House close encounter, here are our favorite places to get a meal after midnight.
THE SPOTS
Open Until: 2:30am, Tues.-Sat.
Not unlike the storyline of Marvel's Moon Knight, Octopus Bar shares a space with its alternate daylight identity So Ba and doesn’t even open until 10:30pm. And there’s no sign out front to confirm you’re in the right spot (IYKYK). It’s mostly full of young people who either work in the service industry or those with the stamina to stay out late. Take a shot at the pink-lit bar, and then order something off their constantly changing menu to soothe your middle-of-the-night munchies. If they have the spicy daeji bulgogi, you should absolutely get that. If you want more heat, the salt and pepper shrimp will appropriately set your tongue on fire. Regardless of your order, Octopus Bar serves up some best-in-class eats, leading the charge for after-midnight options. Just a heads up, the last call for food is 2:15am.
Open Until: 24 Hours
Since the pandemic, there aren’t a lot of restaurants in the A that have held on to their 24/7 business model. But Landmark Diner is still slinging their breakfast at all hours of the day and night. They’ve got a location in Buckhead, too, but if you’re leaving a late-night concert at The Tabernacle or stumbling out of Sidebar at 3am and need a meal before heading home, the downtown location is your spot. The menu is gigantic, which is perfect if you happen to want blackened salmon or meatloaf at 4am—no judgements here. But when our nocturnal cravings hit, breakfast is where it’s at for us. Get the creamy biscuits and gravy, hash browns, and eggs cooked any way you like them.
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Open Until: 3am, Mon.-Sun.
Metro Diner is downtown, smack dab in the middle of the hotel district, so there’s a weird mix of locals and out-of-towners at this diner and bar. Step inside and you’ll instantly be reminded of Kusama’s infinity mirrors. Neon lights bounce off the mirrored walls, and if you’ve had a few, you could envision an extra staircase where there isn’t one—but we aren’t speaking from experience or anything. Sit on the upper level to order impossibly fluffy pancakes (easily the best thing on the menu) or an extra-cheesy Metro melt and heckle the folks singing karaoke out on the dance floor. In the wee hours on the weekends, it gets pretty packed and the DJ makes sure to keep the party pace ramped up with eclectic mixes.
Open Until: 4am, Fri.-Sat.
Woody’s has been a staple in Midtown since 1975. The tiny cheesesteak shack sits catty-corner from Piedmont Park and serves up some of the best Philly jawns in Atlanta. Luckily for night owls, Woody’s is open until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays. Their hot and sloppy cheesesteaks stuffed with peppers, onions, and a huge portion of meat are the perfect solution for late-night hunger, especially when you need to sober up or eat enough to sleep in past breakfast. If you’re not into cheesesteaks, they also have cold subs and hot dogs (that are surprisingly giant), and be sure to grab a milkshake or an Orange Freeze, too.
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Open Until: 4am, Fri.-Sat. & 3am Mon.-Thurs. & Sun.
Whether you’re getting off the graveyard shift or leaving the club after a night of dancing, there are times when a quick meal is essential. Luckily MattChews is open until 4am on the weekends at Forrest Eatery, the ghost kitchen on the Westside. Order kimchi fried rice and add the bulgogi beef or snag a sandwich like the bulgogi cheesesteak (seriously, the bulgogi is so good, you’ll want it on everything). Submit your order online for pick up or delivery and eat from the comfort of your car or couch. For those twilight times, we chews you, Matt.
Open Until: 5am Fri.-Sat.
If you need a wakeup jolt, R. Thomas in Buckhead’s Brookwood Hills delivers the perfect sensory overload. There are pinwheels, birdcages, tchotchkes, and several random, loudly-patterned tablecloths. But there’s also an eclectic menu assortment to match that vibe with everything from traditional breakfast offerings to chicken piccata sandwiches and teriyaki quinoa bowls. The classic establishment, which has had solid vegan options since the ’80s, also serves things like raw cashew cheese and some of the city’s best tofu scrambles—and is our most likely place to run into the ever-elusive Andre 3000. Since the pandemic, the restaurant is only open for takeout on Fridays and Saturdays until 5am, with dine-in closing at 1am.
Open Until: 3am, Mon.-Sat.
No one is trying to spend precious brain energy at 2am trying to figure out how to park in The Elbow Room’s one-way, steep uphill parking lot—instead, use the street parking or just rideshare there. Inside, the usual Buckhead glitz is glaringly absent from the bright red booths and tacky copper tiling on the walls. But the kitchen is open until 3am, the food is stellar, and the quirks are endearing, so we kind of love it here. Their menu is extensive, but the pizza and stromboli stuffed with four different meats are crowd favorites. When we swerve on the red sauce foods, we order bar bites like the foot-long hot dog and add such toppings as a fried egg or fried onion straws.
Open Until: 24 hours (closed Mondays)
The 24-hour Mama’s in Midtown will make you question why you ever waited in the long-ass Taco Bell drive-thru line at 2am for soggy, tasteless tacos. Hit Mama’s at any hour, every night except Mondays and keep the good times rolling with a margarita pitcher or a few beers. General Tex-Mex is on the table—from fried chicken tacos and steak fajitas to solidly-stuffed burritos. If breakfast at 4am is more your style, they’ve got that too, with a variety of breakfast tacos (the chorizo egg hits the spot) and huevos rancheros platters. There’s always a crowd here after midnight, so if the inside is packed, hit the salsa bar and take your food to the patio.
Open Until: 2am, Fri-Sat.
After hours on Fridays and Saturdays, Banshee in EAV transforms into a late-night hang out spot with a DJ, dancing, and Screamin’ Weenies out on the back patio. Take your pick from five dog options. If you need something to keep you up, don’t sleep on the Chicago Dog with that classic neon green relish that might glow in the dark depending on what number drink you’re on. Follow them on IG to scout out what the Banshee Dog of the week will be (previous selections include a Nam Khao Tod dog and one laced with kumquats). These fancy dogs are some of our favorites in Atlanta, and we wish they were open every night.
