So overall this is an amazing diner! I went here with my sister and her friends after the Publix half marathon... and it as a treat. The food is super hearty breakfast glory served super fast. Great post run hunger stopper and lively conversation. The ambience is trendy urban grit with neighborhood Southern soul (yes think about it... it will make sense... When you see it, it will really make sense). My two tid bits against this place is: 1: CASH ONLY (at least they have an ATM) - it is the 21st century 2: This is the South and I am a bit judgmental about my sweet tea... and eh... it did not pass muster read more

Our first trip here, a real thumbs up! 2 thumbs up for my fried catfish with spinach & mushroom. The fish was fresh and flaky, again I couldn't tell if it was frozen prior or caught fresh. The coffee was good too, not weak & watered down. As it was our first time, our server was patient kudos to her. Oh, bring cash, plastic not good here. read more

Good food and service 10/10 come again everyday and I'm from South Carolina saying this I'm telling you this you won't regret it

5 stars.! I'll make this review short. I've sought out a breakfast/brunch spot that has fried fish on the menu and after a long search, came Thumbs Up. It was absolutely amazing. read more

Thumbs Up Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

I've been coming here since I was pregnant, maybe even before. This restaurant is undoubtably a go to of mine in Atlanta. I love you Thumbs Up ! Their smoked wings are some of the best I've had, and that double dipped french toast.... yes. An omelette with cream cheese, smoked salmon and whatever veggies you like will definitely hit the spot. I just made my mouth water, bye. read more

I'm giving this place 5 stars not because it can be featured in Triple D but for the value you get from this place - budget friendly, tasty food, comfortable and simple setting, and great service. This diner is right by the GT campus, which was convenient. When we walked in on a weekend morning, it wasn't too busy looking and we were allowed to choose wherever we wanted to sit. We got a heap (skillet) with chicken sausage and biscuit , a fried catfish, and pancakes. For the skillet dish, The potatoes were good; soft inside and a crispy but not overly greasy crust despite the immense amount of cheese. It had a relatively small amount of chicken even though we paid an extra $1.50 for more chicken.There were hardly any peppers and onions in it either despite the menu description. We asked for our eggs done over-medium, and unlike most places, we actually got them that way! The biscuits are the multi-grain kind, but don't let that scare you as the texture is very fluffy and the flavor is savory enough. It even tastes good without butter. The strawberry jam sitting on the table intrigued us and we were pleased by how well it went when spread on the biscuit. For the fried catfish dish, the fish meat itself tasted very tender and the breading was crispy. The seasonings added to the breading were just perfect. For the pancakes, they were maybe 10" diameter in size and very tasty. Service was good, too! We really recommend the fried catfish and pancakes if you want to brunch there. We can't wait to go back. read more

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I'm gonna be a cheesy yelp reviewer and say I give Thumbs Up Diner, 2 thumbs up. But for real...I do. This place has been somewhere I've been meaning to try out forever and while my husband was heading to another brunch place, I stopped him mid drive and told him to head here. Great decision! My husband ordered the Kavs (?) omelette with a side of smoked salmon (omg that salmon needs it's own 5 star review) and I "built my own breakfast"...spuds, bacon, eggs, and a pancake. I'm a visual eater (if that is even a thing) as well and the food looked AMAZING! Everything was good, but I will say that the "spuds" were very average. I make better potatoes at home. Other than that we weren't disappointed! Our server was Taurus, and although he didn't put in my hubby's omelette as egg whites only as asked, he was very friendly. We will definitely be back! read more

Thumbs Up Diner - The omelette that starts with a "K" (I don't remember the name lol) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

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I started coming to Thumbs up back 2008 when I moved to Atlanta. One of there locations was right behind my apartment. Every time someone came to visit me Thumps Up was one of those spots I would take my guest to. I always order the French Toast with every meal. Other menu items would change from visit to visit but the French Toast was a must get. The catfish menu is one of the best dishes. I started eating catfish because of this establishment. Now that I'm no longer in the area, I still visit every time I'm in town. read more

Thumbs Up Diner - French Toast with eggs and creamy grits - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

I've eaten here literally a million times. It's cash only, but they always have an ATM. My go is the sassy scramble with French toast with strawberries. I've never had a long wait and my food has always hot and fresh. This specific location has valet parking as well. Another cool thing is they have different flavored jams Each day that they make fresh! read more

Thumbs Up Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Very happy with the food and service. Breakfast was amazing, fast and relatively cheap for 5 people. Will be back! Thanks

Every time in the area, I stop here ! Food is skyways great! It never disappoints. I'll be back ! The uptown Is made right every single. Waffles, scramble and shrimp and grits was delicious! read more

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Best breakfast I've had in a long time, fish and grits were awesome. Biscuit was soft and fluffy. Wife's French toast was also good. Jeremy (our server) was great too, he brought us hot maple syrup. Cash only. read more

Thumbs Up Diner - Fish and grits. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

I'm a fan of fish and grits and this dinner did not disappoint. The fish was light and fluffy. The grits were creamy.

If you decide to visit this restaurant... be advised, it can get rude as hell. No customer service. The janitor is also a waiter. He sweeps & brings the food. Spoke to me very loudly and wasn't my server. Seems he's thirsty for authority, though he has NONE. Black guy... old enough to own the place, yet he's reduced to being a 55 year old bus boy! The manager tried to apologize, shes the sweetest... but my appetite was already ruined. read more

Went here for breakfast before heading home from Atlanta. Great food and big portions for not a whole lot of money. The challah bread French toast was awesome with their blueberry preserves and maple syrup. Their bacon is thick cut, their cheesy grits were delicious, and their biscuit sandwiches were huge! read more

This place use to be customer service oriented. Now it is an assembly line. And most of the severs are only concerned about the money. I visited the restaurant by myself to grab some breakfast and they sat 3 party's that arrived after I did. Then the hostess comes to me and says "it looks like these ladies are about to finish up. I'll sit you there" I continued to weight another 30 minutes and just ended up walking out. I will not return. I've received $100 tips from "1 tops" Treat everyone the same..! read more

I've been in the past, but I'm definitely glad I decided to return. First, bring cash, I forgot. Second, I got the Skillet Heap with the grilled veggies and chicken sausage with scrabbled eggs with cheese. It was really good, I ordered and extra chicken sausage cause one was not enough. I replaced the toast or biscuit option with French toast. I should have just gotten the biscuit. The French toast was not soaked in the batter long enough for my preference, but it had great flavor. Overall, my friends and I enjoyed our meal and even though it was busy as expected, our waitress was great. Highly recommend, I'm definitely going back. read more

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Picked up a friend from the airport and we chose to have a late breakfast here. We left our name with the hostess and waiting in our car. The hostess came out to the parking lot and called our name. She also went to individual cars of no one responded to the name she called which I thought was great. All of the staff wore masks. There was a family sitting right across from us so social distancing wasn't really a thing here but we didn't feel crowded. We felt okay. The food was ready rather quickly. We ordered fish and grits and French toast. The hot ginger lemon tea was sooooooo good. The honey included made it even better. Be sure that you have cash because they don't accept credit or debit cards. There's an ATM machine inside if you need to grab cash. Overall, the food and service was good. They moved really quickly and checked on us multiple times. read more

This food is amazing! The minute we walked in our server greeted us. He was so darn funny. He explained foods well and made it a fantastic experience, we're coming down from Miami and it was a total pleasure. But the food.. So. good. I want the potato recipe lol (spuds). read more

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I had fried fish and grits and I can say that the meal that I had here was just as groundbreaking as my birth. The catfish was succulent and amazingly seasoned. I am sooo..overwhelmed with joy, being that I chose to eat here. It was a great experience, from the waitress to the end of my meal. I will MOST DEFINITELY be returning for the fried fish (fried catfish) and cheesy grits with scrambled eggs and a multi-grain biscuits...YUMMY!! read more

Thumbs Up Diner - I wish I could put in words the experience I just had - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Car was broken into in the parking lot. No cameras & the ones around didn't work. No kind of care

It's official... they have the BEST French Toast ever!!! I was so not prepared for the flavors that delighted my taste buds. Happy Town in full effect. read more

Great service. Fast, polite, attentive. They were packed and turned things over quickly. Great pancake; for an extra charge you get pecans. Now, it wasn't a few, as is usually the case when you pay more for pancake toppings--it was a generous amount that made it worth it. Strong coffee and they carry stevia, which I prefer and was pleasantly surprised by. All cash with an ATM in the back, so be aware of that ahead of time. read more

Thumbs Up Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

food was amazing the service wasn't . I visited yesterday for the first time our server with the orange in her hair was rude but the food was good so I was willing to look past it and go again when I walked in she said she don't want that table and then had someone tell us that they are togo only. I tip the lady my bill was only 16.00 $6 was a good enough tip for her I guess will not be going back and or posting it on my TikTok as a hidden gem ! good luck PS. the reason I knew they wasn't Togo only I called when I got to the car and asked how long for a table and was told 20 mins ! what a joke you letting your server drive out business because your ungrateful. I was a server you give bad Service you don't get a tip but at-least you got something ! read more

When you are looking for a cozy, non brunch party vibes, home cooked breakfast spot this place should definitely be on your list. It's not a super huge place but the bonus is the there's patio/ outside seating, it's diner style and has a really good menu with lots of options. When you walk in, you sign your name on the list and wait for your table. We waited like 15 minutes. Service was friendly, attentive and food came out in great timing. I ordered one of the specials of the day, French toast made from Challah bread with strawberries and whip cream. It was very delicious and filling. Our server brought us warm syrup with was another bonus. My friend ordered the fried catfish with spuds (potatoes covered in Cheese) which he was craving since the last visit he had. Overall great spot. And my highlight from that experience was the Lou's coffee that I ordered which was coffee mix with hot chocolate and whip cream. Omg yummy!! The only thing that disrupted my experience is that it is a cash only establishment. This originally wouldn't bother me but after the recent robbery/murder of the manager at Barcelona. I didn't feel super comfortable. That's probably just a me thing I definitely recommend and another bonus they have multiple locations! read more

Thumbs Up Diner - Strawberry French toast - challah bread with powder sugar and whip cream and strawberries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Love it!!! Food always super yummy. Really enjoy the fresh jam on my biscuit. Recommend for a hearty breakfast!

Food was good and service was even better and very fast! I got the catfish platter, but replaced the grits for fried potatoes. The potatoes were cooked great... a little crunch and great flavor. Catfish was crispy and the eggs with cheese was made well. I'll be back when I return to GA, for sure. read more

Thumbs Up Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Food was good service was excellent, wait was approximately 40 minutes for two people on a Sunday morning

I don't know what took me so long to come try this Atlanta staple but I'm glad I didn't wait any longer. Classic diner set up with service at the counter or in booths. I ordered the Fish and Grits and babyyy. I haven't been able to find a restaurant that knows how to season and bread some catfish like that in forever. It was a nice size and seasoned well but not too salty. The multigrain biscuit was interesting, but the whole meal was great and came out in less than 10 minutes. It was late afternoon on a Sunday so that may be why-they weren't super crowded. Service was great, food was great, I'm already planning my next trip back. They are cash only! read more

Thumbs Up Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

Great customer service and food. We were out of town and ate at this dinner everyday and by the second day they knew us by name.

I had the Chicken & Waffles! I was really impressed with the quality of the food. Food was served at a perfect temperature with the waffle being warm, melting the butter upon placement. Staff was friendly and provided southern hospitality. read more

Thumbs Up Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

This is one of the higher rated restaurants for breakfast on the west side of Atlanta. My wife and I headed over to try it out and were pleasantly surprised. She had the skillet potatoes, eggs, sausage, and cheese. It was a ton of food and we took home leftovers. I had the chicken and waffles and it was all delicious. Their chicken and waffles even comes with eggs which makes it a more complete meal than that dish usually is. The coffee is also very good. We will have to try the French toast next time we come. It looks amazing. read more

Thumbs Up Diner - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

I've been to Thumbs up a few times and I always get the fish and grits. It's always a winner and it's what I plan to get on my next trip!! This location is in a small strip of business in Atlanta. We parked in a small lot near the restaurant and walked over. When I walked into Thumbs up there was a wait for tables on a Saturday morning, so be prepared. This location is close to downtown so it looks like there was a good amount of college students there partaking in the deliciousness. The inside looks a bit older, but service was friendly, accommodating and quick for our picky family of four. This location is cash only, but there was an ATM inside, but luckily we had some cash on us for our meal. Overall, Thumbs Up is a diner type of experience. With hearty food. read more

Thumbs Up Diner - The fish and grits with scrambled eggs and a biscuit. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Atlanta, Georgia

This is now one of my favorites the staff has always been attentive and friendly and I never really had to wait but the line can get long. The waffles are sooo rich and Good my son loves the fresh hot chocolate and mountain of whip cream, the shrimp and grits were great and coffee always hot and fresh. My Mom enjoyed the catfish and grits but it was bland to me no real seasoning. read more

Thumbs Up wasn't the worst but it definitely what I expected. Went with some of my coworkers from GT and a few raved about the French toast (which I ordered) and they were just basic. Maybe to the inexperienced pallet they were top notch but I'd say I've had better at Burger King. The service was good so that makes the difference. Wish I could give a 3.5 stars but I can't, so I'll round up for cleanliness, promptness, and professionalism. I'd go back. read more

Fantastic, friendly, we were warmly greeted. Sat quickly, our waitress was Jaylnn. Younger energetic funny young lady who was attentive. Place was exceptionally clean and I swear our breakfast came within 7 minutes. Plenty of "off street" parking in a fenced in parking lot. If your in downtown Atlanta make sure you give this a try. read more

One of my very favorite breakfast. Buckwheat pancakes! I've tried many, many items, and have never been disappointed. Did I mention pure maple syrup or the homemade fruit preserves? Pleeease read more

I am impressed, Thumbs Up Diner is definitely rather darn cool. Great menu, Great atmosphere, Great service, and Great friends! Extremely flavorful and delicious turned out to be their Chicken Sausage. Staff is very polite and can help you with anything. Thumbs Up Diner...What a great spot. read more

So so good! Came with three friends, we ordered the steak and eggs, chicken and waffles, pancake special, and shrimp and grits and it was all incredible. It's cash only, but there's an atm on location. We had about a 15 min wait, but definitely worth it! read more

This place was great. The service was friendly and down to earth. Food came fresh and in a timely manner. Portions are large. Very kid friendly and they ate most of their food. Very recommended. read more