Great Meal - Reasonable Prices Been going to Athens for games for decades and tried The Place for the 1st time. We had Chick & Waffle, shrimp & grits and a grilled chicken sandwich. All were outstanding. Our server, Lily, was great! read more

Super awesome chicken sandwich and fried okra!!!!! Excellent service!!!! What PLACE am I at? Ohhhh The PLACE is the excellent! read more

I harshed this place based on a bad outing a couple of years ago on Valentine's Day. I ate there twice this trip. I had Shrimp and grits for lunch one time, and it did not disappoint. I think it's the best dish they serve, and I order it every time when I'm in town in Athens once a year. Order this with a fried egg on top and thank me later. Being solo and from out of town, I grabbed an early dinner at the bar upstairs, which is, frankly, a lot nicer than the downstairs dining room. The bone-in pork chop i ordered was very good but not mind blowing, but I enjoyed it along with its accompaniments, those being mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus. It appeared they staffed up for Valentine's Day this year. There were three bartenders working the food and drink orders at the bar upstairs. I washed both meals down with sweet tea as one does. The service was great. Cheers! read more

The Place - Southern Near Me - Athens, Georgia

Solid choice. Parking can be a little difficult, but that's common for all larger/denser downtown areas. I had the burger and fries and was impressed. Tasted like they actually grilled it over a flame instead of on a griddle. The fries were legit. My family members commented specifically on how good the salmon was too. Service was attentive and the place was cozy, a little small, but big enough to accommodate. Worth going if in the area. read more

Probably the best meal I had in Athens on a recent visit. Laid back but nice overall vibe, super helpful and friendly service, and fair prices for the quality you receive. The chicken sandwich was incredibly tasty as were the onion rings and collared greens. Good drink selection to boot. read more

The Place - The Buttermilk Chicken Sandwich with onion rings and collared greens - Southern Near Me - Athens, Georgia

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We stumbled onto this place on Yelp looking for dinner after playing 36 holes at the UGA course. We decided to eat upstairs and glad we did. We sat at the bar and had a great time. The bartender was great. She had a great personality and was engaging throughout our meal and drinks. She provided great recommendations and I took her lead by ordering a peanut whiskey with coke cocktail and the bourbon glazed salmon with grit cakes and collard greens. I'm not a collard greens fan but these were seasoned and cooked well. I ate them all up. The salmon was incredible. It was marinated perfectly and had an amazing crust with that bourbon glaze...oooweee...makes me smile just thinking about it. And If that weren't enough, the salmon sat on two grit cakes? That's right...what had to be cheese grits then deep fried into this awesome delectable item that paired so well with the salmon and collards. That cute blonde bartender almost made me a Georgia fan...j/k... Go Gators!!! read more

The Place - Peanut Whiskey and Coke - Southern Near Me - Athens, Georgia

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Disappointed. The bartender didn't seem like she wanted to be there. Out of stuff to make a drink so improvised and it wasn't good at all. Burgers were not very good. :( the table next to us got the salmon and it looked good but idk... wasn't impressed. read more

*Delayed post from April '25 I was pleasantly impressed with The Place! It was recommended by a few friends and I'm glad we stopped in for Saturday night dinner, though I've also heard brunch is delicious, albeit busy. The service includes typical southern hospitality and is mostly run by college age students as expected. I loved our window seats that looked out at north campus with the Arch in view. Perfect for alumni in town looking to reminisce over a meal. Food wise, I was concerned with what appeared to be stereotypical southern style food like fried chicken and shrimp and grits, but boy was I wrong!! The modern take on these meals satisfied my craving for familiar comfort foods, while elevating the quality and presentation to something I was proud to share with someone "not from 'round these parts." I highly recommend the Southern Bruschetta because the Pimento Cheese is ON POINT. Also the Shrimp and Grits, which has unbelievably delicious flavor and texture. If you're not hungry enough for an appetizer, a good combo would be the Fried Buttermilk Chicken Sandwich because it also comes with the Pimento Cheese. The chicken was beautifully fried and seasoned well. Can't go wrong here! read more

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Amazing! Have been coming here for years and it never disappoints. Here for the country concert with my girlfriend (a Gator) that I thought would hate it. She absolutely loved it and may convert to being a Dawg because of the food. "Best Chicken Sandwich" she's ever had. "OMG the Salmon!". "The fried everything was amazing". I think she liked it. Drinks are always good and the service is second to none. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!! Go Dawgs! read more

Meh I can't decide, the vibe is great and loved my cocktail but my steak was overcooked which kinda ruined the experience for me. Everything that came out looked so good thought and server was attentive read more

The Place - Steak special - Southern Near Me - Athens, Georgia

Came here for a late lunch on a Thursday afternoon. The space was pretty much empty so I had my choice of seating. Having already walked about 3 miles, I opted not to go upstairs and sat myself to be able to see outside with a view of campus. The downstairs dining room was nice with exposed brick. Not a lot of room but plenty of private booths. My waiter was great, I was probably his only table at the time but he made sure to check on me frequently without be obtrusive. I did ask for a light beer recommendation and he said that a lot of people enjoyed Peach State Lite. Unfortunately I wasn't a big fan but that's not his fault. It's was cold and came out quickly so that's all that really matters. I knew I was going to have a big dinner so I ordered Nana's salad, which was mixed greens, red & green bell peppers, tomatoes, sliced eggs, cucumbers, avocado, andouille sausage & an onion ring. It was pretty good but I'm pretty sure that andouille was actually kielbasa. But maybe I'm wrong. Overall it was a really great lunch...first time in a long time that I took myself on a date. The company was awesome! LOL read more

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Really good food. Pretty decent beer menu. Make sure you go upstairs, as it's open and airy - better than 1st floor. Service was great. Only downside is that it was advertised as Southern food - but the only real southern options was Chicken and Waffles. The rest was pretty basic burgers, chicken sandwich, etc. But - I'll be back. Also, a good place to see sports - they had the Masters on, and lots of TVs to see it. read more

We ate here on New Year's Day. They had a great special and everything was delicious. Service was a little bit slow, but I am attributing that to New Year's Day. read more

The Place - Fried pork chop with collard greens and mashed potatoes and Black Eyed Peas - Southern Near Me - Athens, Georgia

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Have been to The Place several times now and have enjoyed it each time. The vibe is very enjoyable inside--very quaint. Service is always great and food comes out pretty quickly. I've had the BLT and Chicken Sandwich. I had them put the avocado spread on the side for my BLT as I'm not a huge fan all the time. As a result, the sandwich was a bit dry as they don't put any mayo or other condiments on it outside of the avocado spread. After getting mayo, it was much better. The chicken sandwich was very good with high quality chicken. My partner always gets the shrimp and grits and, even though I'm not a grits fan, I have to admit they're REALLY good. Definitely stop in if in Athens. read more

The Place - The Buttermilk Chicken Sandwich Lunch - Southern Near Me - Athens, Georgia

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1 Star Very disappointing experience. The food was bland and came out lukewarm, and even the coffee was barely warm. Service was inattentive -- I waited about 10 minutes for hot sauce and eventually had to get up and ask for it at the server station myself. Definitely not worth the visit. read more

The chicken and waffles was to-die-for delicious and hubby had the shrimp and grits and thought it was awesome. The food was sooooo good and our server was incredibly friendly and helpful. We talked about some of the historic pictures on the wall while we were admiring the old building the restaurant itself is in. Upstairs and downstairs both have a cool vibe, we ate downstairs... but when we come back we might choose upstairs for a window view of the town. Loved The Place! read more

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The food here is so phenomenal! I had the Buttermilk Grilled Chicken Sandwich and it was so good. The grilled chicken had such a delicious, smoky flavor. The Gouda cheese grits are also to die for. The Place is small and the food did take quite a bit, but it's sooooo worth it! Will definitely be back. read more

Great food. Servers were professional Would definitely recommend The Place to everyone visiting Athens... read more

Ambiance and service was fine. The bloody mary was good. The grit cake and collards were good. The bourbon glazed salmon was hard as a brick. I don't know how one even prepares a salmon that has that texture. And the center was very hot. Maybe it was microwaves, idk. The glaze was meh. read more

Great little place. As usual, the service was top notch, friendly and our server was very knowledgeable of the menu and vegetarian substitutions for my wife. Food was amazing in both flavor and presentation. Not our first time and a frequent stop of ours when visiting Athens. Two thumbs way up! Thanks again and until next time read more

The Place - Breakfast burrito with cheese grits. - Southern Near Me - Athens, Georgia

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The service was ok. Very long wait and the food was cold when we received it. Server never checked on us read more

The Place - The Shrimp Burger with onion rings - Southern Near Me - Athens, Georgia

All the food was amazing and the service was fast. Get something with bacon jam. You're welcome.

We are a non chain couple. We were in the area and decided to use Yelp to help us find a place for lunch. Great service. Great lunch. Fair price. What more could we ask for. read more

We stopped by The Place for lunch while in Athens today. It's a small restaurant, with two floors of seating. I got the shrimp & grits with an added fried egg and wow it was delicious!! The dish was spicy but not too spicy. The grits were creamy and wonderful. My husband ordered a chicken sandwich and when he asked for mayo, it came out in tiny packs that are difficult to open, which frustrated him. Overall, he enjoyed the sandwich though. It was huge! I wish I'd gotten a picture of it. Staff was polite and quick to get our drinks to the table. read more

The Place - Shrimp and grits - Southern Near Me - Athens, Georgia

The food here is comfort food exemplified. Jordyn our server was great. Quaint atmosphere, but fun.

Food, service and ambiance were impecable. We devoured our dishes and wish we could get more! Would definitely recommend and hope to come back if I'm ever in Athens again. read more

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Shrimp & grits with an egg on top please!! This has been my order at one of my favorite spots in the classic city since the very first time I went! An intimate restaurant in downtown athens perfect for brunch, lunch, or dinner! They have limited seating and are loved by many so anticipate a wait time before going. Their service is always so friendly, attentive, and quick! Pictured is the spread me and my family had post franklin graduation ceremony in May! Dreaming about their brunch today and can't wait to grab some when i'm back in town to visit! read more

The Place - Southern Near Me - Athens, Georgia

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My husband and I popped in here for dinner before a show at the 40 Watt and it was such a wonderful experience. It was rainy and gloomy all day and the warm wood decor made it feel super cozy. I ordered the shrimp and grits and my husband got the grilled porkchop and we split an order of onion rings. Everything was heavenly. The shrimp and grits had a nice bit of spice, with perfectly cooked shrimp and the grits had a nice smoky, cheesy flavor from the gouda they mixed in. There was also a tasty corn and sausage mixture/sauce on top. So good! The onion rings were hearty and fried perfectly without feeling heavy. My husband raved about his pork chop but I was too in the zone with my own dish to try any. Service was very helpful and friendly and the location is great. Would definitely make a beeline back here for a meal next time I find myself in Athens! read more

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We ate here last night and it was GREAT! I had the Slaw Bowl ( awesome Asian type salad). My husband had The Burger ( he could barely eat it all, said it was delicious!) My daughter had the Bourbon Salmon ( so good! I sneaked a bite! ) And daughter's wife had the awesome Pork Chop plate. We WILL be going back. Service was great also! read more

Truly one of the most mediocre meals I've ever had. Peep the pic of the bacon I had to remove from the bland chicken sandwich as it was disgustingly undercooked. Even a beginner cook wouldn't look at that pile of rubber and deem it ready to throw on a bun?! Mac and cheese was also bland and texture was dry and chunky. I just don't understand the point of opening a restaurant and not perfecting your recipes. Service was good. read more

The Place - Southern Near Me - Athens, Georgia

Nice quaint restaurant downtown with an easy walk from parking lot or get lucky in finding a street parking spot. Both inside and a few outside bar seating. Nice drink selection and simple, yet good options for food. The food is delicious and comes fresh and hot. Our server, Grant, was awesome. He had several tables and handled them all very well and was very attentive. If in the area give them a visit. read more

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Service was excellent, the shrimp burger was not. Very tough, all breading and no taste of the shrimp. It was as tough as chicken. In fact I thought it was chicken. read more

We read the great online reviews and decided to visit this restaurant. First of all be prepared to walk and pay for parking downtown Athens. The place is small and maybe it was the time of day (a busy Saturday afternoon) but the place had dirty floors and dusty stairs. It was very crowded but we were seated in about 15 mins. I ordered the fried chicken plate with mashed potatoes, corn and black eyed peas. My friend ordered the grits and shrimp. My fried chicken breast was almost burned and too hard to cut and chew. The mashed potatoes tasted wonderful but were cold. The Cajun corn was good but extremely hot with peppers. The blackeyed peas were pretty good. The servings are small. My friends shrimp and grits were also cold but had a good flavor. I showed the waitress my chicken breast and she agreed it was burned. She spoke to the manager and they decided to take a generous 10% off my bill. The corn muffin was straight from the frig cold and was very sweet. Over all we were very disappointed. I left very hungry. We won't be returning. The wait staff was wonderful. read more

Good service and food was delicious! We had chicken and waffles, and a crispy chicken sandwich. Both were wonderful.

Excellent food!! Excellent service!! Love the variety of choices and unique combinations.

What a place! You do not want to miss this little hidden gem. Home made food served with southern hospitality. I had chicken and waffle and it's cooked to perfection. It was super moist but yet crisp on the outside, served with a delicious blueberry reduction. Our server Andrew was so kind and efficient and took the time to give us some tips on our travels nearby. I highly recommend this place! read more

The Place - Chicken and Waffle Lunch - Southern Near Me - Athens, Georgia

The Place catered our holiday office dinner last night & it was delish!! We had grits, the corn salsa (a bit too spicy for me but loved the flavor), collard greens, black eyed peas, fried chicken, fried pork chops & salmon. The entire tray of chops were devoured quickly. ALL of it was great & I was truly impressed at how good the fried items were considering being in a catering dish but the crust was so good. We are having leftovers for lunch at our office today! read more

I enjoyed my food very much. The appetizer was good but the chicken is awesome. The service was excellent and I would say the atmosphere is busy and a little loud. read more

The service was splendid! Our server was nice and friendly. The food was great! The cocktail we got and the shrimp & grits were fabulous.

The place is THE PLACE. I wish I had pictures, but I was cherishing my time with my family. We had the pimento cheese bruschetta (which has a southern take to it) and it was absolutely amazing! I also had the chicken sandwich which was great! The restaurant itself is a little small but their great service makes up for it! read more