Hitting The Town With Your Peeps? Good Restaurants In Atlanta For Groups

A friend of mine was asking me for advice on where to go for her birthday.  I realized by the time we were done … that was good fodder for a post. This is by no means an attempt to offer up a “definitive” list of party grub in the Dirty.  Rather, here are just a few spots that seem to work well for when you want to hang with your crew.  The focus here isn’t as much on the food as it is on the experience.  That said, *most* of these offer up serviceable grub.  The list after the jump!

Medieval Times – Lawrenceville
“There were no utensils in medieval times, hence there are no utensils AT Medieval Times. Would you like a refill on that Pepsi?” Perhaps the best and only good thing to come out of The Cable Guy was my introduction to this place.  Is it kitsch? Yeah.  Are you getting in touch with your inner, or possibly outer, nerd? Uh… yeah!  Is the food good? Do pigs fly? Is it a wacked out experience that is at least worth a trip?  Sure thing.

The food is very meat and potatoes (unless you go with the vegetarian option), but seeing people run around in armor is something we should all do at least once.

It’s a little more cost prohibitive than some of the other places on the list ($50 per bigun’ / $38 per rug rat) but they do have a group special until May 3, 2009 and the show does last 2-hours.   Take it for what it is and have at it.

Medieval Times Address & Information:
5900 Sugarloaf Pkwy, Lawrenceville, GA 30043 // P: 866.543.9637 // Medieval Times Website // Buy Tickets

Imperial Fez – Peachtree Hills
Probably my favorite place on the list for special events.  It actually works well as an intimate date spot.  You don’t find a lot of Moroccan food around these parts – so the change of pace is nice.  The belly dancing works (after 8pm), the vibe works (very Arabian Nights), and I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad time there.  They have specials every Wednesday night, cooking classes, belly dancing classes, and a whole mess of other stuff [here].

Imperial Fez Restaurant Address & Information:
2285 Peachtree Rd, Atlanta, GA 30309 // P: 404.351.0870 // Imperial Fez Reservations //  Imperial Fez Website // Imperial Fez Menu

Dante’s Down The Hatch – Buckhead
Okay, yes the food here tastes like chewable rubber; however, that’s not what this is about.  The restaurant, located in the heart of Buckhead, has been around for as long as I can remember.  They offer communal fondue and though it won’t win any awards … I’ve had worse.

The vibe and interior offer up a strange mix of the unnerving, weird, and funny – a pirate ships sits in the middle of the space while jazz music pumps through the speakers.   You can actually sit on the ship for dinner. I haven’t been there in sometime, but last time I checked, the gator was alive and kicking (don’t worry – it won’t eat your kids).  Again, not the cheapest of places – but it is a way to mix it up.

Dante’s Down The Hatch Restaurant Address & Information:
3380 Peachtree Rd NE Atlanta, GA 30326 // P: 404.266.1600 // Dante’s Down The Hatch Website

Tasty China – Marietta
Phoung! Need I say more?  If so, here ya go.  While I don’t remember exactly how many people fit around their group tables, I’ve never had a problem fitting a decent sized group around one.  It’s BYOB, but there is no corkage fee … so rock it out!  The atmosphere here is decidedly more reserved than at the other places on the list – doesn’t mean you can’t have a good time!

Tasty China Restaurant Address & Information:
585 Franklin Rd SE, Marietta, GA 30067 // P: 770.419.9849

Dynamic Dish – Grant Park
As with Tasty China, this is a restaurant I’ve talked about several times.  The amount of love this vegetarian/vegan place gets makes it a bit tougher to squeeze into nowadays; but, don’t let that deter you.  Call in advance and David will be happy to help you!  Like TC, it’s BYOB sans corkage fee.

Dynamic Dish Restaurant Address & Information:
427 Edgewood Ave SE, Atlanta, GA 30312 // P: 404.688.4344 // Dynamic Dish Website

TWO Urban Licks – Inman Park
Trendy, hip, and sceney … these are the words that come to mind when I think of 2UL.  While the price point is distinctly higher than at the other spots I put on the list, everything is à la carte.   In that respect, you can get what you pay for.  The place is fairly busy, so intimacy usually goes out the door … but we’re talking about group fun right?

TWO Urban Licks Address & Information:
820 Ralph McGill Blvd, Atlanta, GA 30306 // P: 404.522.4622 // Two Urban Licks Reservations // TWO Urban Licks Website // TWO Urban Licks menu (pdf)

Nuevo Laredo Cantina – No Man’s Land
Nuevo Laredo seems to be a somewhat polarizing restaurant.  Most people love it … a group of people definitely don’t … and I appreciate it for what it is.  The food is good enough and the drinks are a plenty.  It’s a fun place to eat if you don’t mind the crowded bar/patio.  Parking is a pain in the ass as well.  It’s not super cheap, but unless you are drinking with me … you should get out of there okay!  This place gets super crowded, so don’t expect to walk in and eat unless you call in advance for a reservation (six person minimum).

Nuevo Laredo Cantina Address & Information:
1495 Chattahoochee Ave, Atlanta, GA 30318 // P: 404.352.9009 // Nuevo Laredo Cantina Website // Nuevo Laredo Cantina Menu

That’s all folks … for now!