Over the weekend, I went to the famous Atlanta Breakfast Club at their flagship location in downtown Atlanta, just across the street from the National Center for Civil and Human Rights. Affectionately nicknamed “ABC,” the restaurant draws crowds most days of the week — Saturday was no exception. I put my name down on the Yelp waiting list and waited on Emory University’s campus for almost two hours before leaving to get a table for me and my friend. But, if you have time to spare and plan ahead, ABC is definitely worth the wait.
With metal tables and chairs reminiscent of a diner and a food truck serving drinks outside, the restaurant creates a casual vibe and uses every ounce of space. ABC gets a lot of hype. I found it scrolling through Instagram and TikTok, not to mention city guides and tourist lists. In fact, I had actually tried ABC’s satellite location on Auburn Avenue just a few weeks ago. This location serves a limited menu of just chicken and waffles, but it was so good that I had to try the full menu of Southern comfort food offered at ABC. The Club’s main location did not disappoint.
I started off with the classic chicken and waffles, which I shared with my friend, as it came with two waffle and chicken sandwiches. The fried chicken was the best I‘d ever had. The outside was crisp and flaky, and the inside was tender and juicy. It was seasoned well and had great texture and flavor. The waffles were fluffy and paired well with the chicken. The syrup was warm and sweet. As a chicken and waffle sandwich, the dish was very filling. For anyone that visits ABC, the chicken and waffles is a must-try! The restaurant serves a classic version, as well as two secret-menu options: Georgia peach and a spicy version. I went with the classic, but saw other tables ordering the Georgia peach, which consisted of the classic chicken and waffles topped with peach cobbler.
My friend and I also ordered the breakfast tacos to split, which came with three tacos. These were cleverly designed and surprised us: the “tortillas” were made from French toast! If that seems hard to imagine, picture a circular French toast pounded down and thinned out. With a slight crunch and a soft, chewy inside, the French toast tortillas made the dish. Topped with eggs, bacon, cheese, green onions and syrup, the breakfast tacos exceeded our expectations. The bacon was high quality and very crispy. The ratio of egg to meat was perfect. If you are looking for something new and quirky, I would definitely recommend ordering this dish.
My only critique was the drinks. The options were limited to canned/bottled soda or lemonade. I wished the drinks had been made in-house and that there were more options available like hot chocolate or hot tea.
The service was very good. The food came out fast, and our waiter was friendly and helped us pick items to order. The restaurant felt young and hip, which was a great way to start off the weekend.
