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The Optimist vs Aria
Both restaurants are recommended by expert writers. Overall, The Optimist is the choice of most writers compared to Aria. The Optimist has a TripExpert Score of 87 with endorsements from 9 publications such as Travel + Leisure, Fodor's and Frommer's.
The Optimist
Fodor's
Zagat
BlackBook
Gayot
Travel + Leisure
Show All Reviews
914 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta, GA 30318
From $31 /night
Fodor's
"Named Esquire magazine's Best New Restaurant of 2012, the Optimist lives up to the hype, serving top-notch seafood in a dazzingly refurbished warehouse space."
Full review
Zagat
4.5
"This Westside seafooder from owner Ford Fry (his JCT. Kitchen & Bar is just a clam's throw away) baits crowds with a range of raw to roasted fin fare and beachy cocktails."
Full review
BlackBook
"Upscale fish spot from chef Ford Fry raises the oyster to an art form."
Gayot
14.0
"Styled after a fish camp, The Optimist fields both a restaurant and a raw bar operation adjacent to the main dining room."
Full review
Travel + Leisure
"Whether you swing by the first-come, first-served oyster bar or go for a full meal at the barrel-vaulted main restaurant, it's clear that chef Adam Evans knows seafood."
Full review
Aria
Frommer's
Travel + Leisure
Zagat
Gayot
Fodor's
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490 E Paces Ferry Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305
From $41 /night
Frommer's
"Since opening a dozen years ago, Aria has remained a hit among the dozens of top-quality dining choices in the busy Buckhead area."
Full review
Travel + Leisure
"A simple black and white color palette and a sprawling, spider-like chandelier set the stage for inventive Nouveau American fare at this Buckhead restaurant."
Full review
Zagat
"Dubbed the place for "special occasions", this "longtime favorite" in Buckhead via chef-owner Gerry Klaskala "continues to impress" with "masterful" New American fare."
Full review
Gayot
16.0
"This vibrant, stylish establishment welcomes its guests through a curtain of silver beads, designed to represent a complete break with the past."
Full review
Fodor's
"Chef Gerry Klaskala's talent is best captured by his love of rustic and hearty "slow foods" - cooked over a roll-top French grill."
Full review
