Save your time, money, and stomach for the food equivalent of the JC team reject. This place was on my list for a while, and what a huge disappointment it turned out to be. Touted as the largest drive-in restaurant in the world, the whole concept seems approachable and unique, considering it's been an Atlanta institution and landmark for almost 100 years. However, you don't get what you overpay for, and it's nowhere close to being that great of an experience. Let's start with the burger I wouldn't feed to my worst enemy. The first warning should have been that as I was ordering, a staff member pulled already-made food items from the line, so who knows how long it's been sitting there. The size is the equivalent of a slider with the price of a premium burger at a regular fast food restaurant, and the beef patty was tough and dry, with no discernible flavor other than "meat." The chili dog is about the same - mediocre at best. I was hoping the fries and onion ring would redeem the rest of the meal, but they too were sitting in the lamp for too long and lackluster. The Varsity should stop embarrassing itself and learn how to serve 21st century food.

Always a delicious experience! I went on a Wednesday at 5pm and it wasn't very busy. Love their onion rings and chili dogs. Get the orange drink too! Yummy!!! I wish they still had the curbside area open. Lots of memories made here through the years!

I’ve been wanting to try out The Varsity for awhile. I decided to swing by after work the other day, and I can’t say I was impressed. The place is HUGE, with tons of parking and seating. The staff was friendly and fast too. The problem was unfortunately the food. The food came out FAST, but somehow the American cheese on the burger and chili dog wasn’t even melted. I’m not sure how you fully cook a burger, and not have it be warm enough to melt a kraft single… On top of that, the place was kind of eerily empty. That said, it was within the last hour they were open. So, your mileage may vary. But what bothered me the most was the wait staff was hovering over us. I’m assuming because they wanted to clean our table and go home. It just felt kind of uncomfortable having someone basically watch us eat. Maybe at peak hours, this place is putting out piping hot food, and things wouldn’t be so empty. Definitely don’t go here anywhere near when they are about to close.

Over-hyped but definitely worth the experience if you’re in Atlanta. Don’t expect fine dining but more so fast food with an old-school feel to it. The onion rings and fries are amazing. Especially, the former.

Check out the Varsity near Georgia Tech. Grabbed a bacon burger with onion rings and a orange shake. The meal was tasty for the most part. It could have used some more seasoning and flavor which is why it wasn’t 5 star. Overall though enjoyed the food and the location has a old school feel with plenty of seating which is nice.

We love The Varsity! It’s our favorite local haunt when visiting Atlanta from overseas. No frills menu but that is what makes it so good. Staff is super friendly. Would highly recommend to add this place to your list of places to eat!!

How cool is this place. Plenty of parking. First time visit so I had the #4 Bacon Cheeseburger. Smallest bun on the planet, and you know what, delicious!! Kiara, with lovely red hair to complete the vibe recommended the fries, and she nailed it. Great experience, thanks to everyone that works here.

An Atlanta icon. The atmosphere is quite nostalgic. The food is good enough, but definitely the pictures don't match the end product. The Orange drink was very tasty.

I think this visit to the varsity could have been so much better than it was. I get it was extremely busy but how do a person wait 45 minutes in line and still get cold food. The cashier had no sense of urgency when the other cashiers was waiting on ppl very very quick on top of that she had this I don't care attitude. We dined in so I asked for 2 to go boxes just in case we didn't finish our food she gave me 1 so I asked for another one and she said loudly ( why didn't you say you wanted 2) I said I did ask for 2. I had the triple burger the patties were old and cold. I returned it and asked for fresh food. I was giving slightly warm patties cold fries. Instead of going back again . I ate it bc I paid my money. Tasting the burger I could tell if it was hot it would have been very tasty. With that being said, ill give THE VARSITY another try.

This place is nice to go to when it’s a late night out or just grabbing quick food for the trip home. I got the slaw dog and fries. I also tried other peoples food such as the chili dog and onion rings. Everything tasted decent. Out of all the food tried the onion rings were excellent & I really enjoyed the peach pie also.

As always the best grease you have ever ate! This has been a wonderful childhood memory. Peach pies are great! The energy is nothing like it was, but maybe the weekend brings that back. Have to go visit next time in the weekend.

I love this Atlanta Institution. It’s a must for me when in town. I normally get the same thing the # 1 2 chili dogs with mustard, fresh French fries and the Diet Coke. It’s a great place to go if you want to feel the nostalgia of an old school drive inn.

A really cool place. It was packed when we got there. Heard about this place for a long time and finally made it here. I guess it's a huge spot for GT fans because the place was full of them getting ready for the game. The fries and onion rings were great and enjoyed the burgers. The staff was great and did a good job with all of the people there. Can definitely see why it's been here almost 100 years

A friend from Atlanta highly recommended that we try it. We bought several hot dogs with sauce, mustard, and onion, and an order of onion rings. The food was a taste from home. What makes it so special is the sauce. The service was disappointing. The order taker was more interested in arguing/flirting with an off duty co-worker than listening to our order, which she got wrong. If you are in the mood for a really good hot dog, give them a try.

The food was great! The chili was the best, so tasty. The only complaint is that the hamburger was small. Other than that, everything was fresh and savory. The best meat. Great customer service. Awesome memorabilia all over the place. Nice view from the second floor

It’s possibly the best Atlanta landmark worth visiting. Mostly unchanged by the times. Chili dog, chili burger, onion rings with a frosted orange. Yep. That’s the order. That’s what I’ll have. Just go. It can be very crowded. Truthfully, the more crowded, the more authentic the experience.

Always a pleasant experience. Haven’t been in 4 years. Classics are still there. Prices however have increased more than expected. Still very much taken care of. A gem of Georgia to experience.

I am not a big fan of the food but I still go there for the memory and traditions!! If you are a big fan of chili, you may like it. If you like high sugar or loaded with grease onion ring, then you might like it... but anyway... you are here for the quick bite before the game and to hell with georgia....

It has been since 1986 that I have eaten here, and the food has been lost in transition. The sweet tea was good, very sweet, and good tea flavor. That's where the good review stops, however. The burgers were cold however, got replacement burgers, and they simply toasted the buns and gave us cold burgers again. Sad. You folks need a thing called a microwave, that probably would make your customers very happy to have hot food when it shows up cold. Don't bring any cash. They only take credit/debit cards. Very busy place, but the service was fast. The building is cold on the inside, so expect your food to cool off quickly. One in our party liked their food, that's the reason for 2 stars. This place is DEFINITELY NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE.

As crowded as ever-the defectors choice for families with young children. Often packed on a weekend afternoon, you’ll have to search carefully for a seat sometimes. Lines are long, food not healthy, but so tasty. An Atlanta tradition.

What’ll ya have? This nostalgic blast from the past is a must. My father in law attended Georgia Tech and this eatery was very much a part of student life. So in tribute to him we love to come here. The chili dogsp, onion rings and orange soda or frosted orange drink with a hot apple or peach pie is the way to go. They are hustling and pumping hundreds of orders out. If you go with fries please ask for hot fresh fries or the could be soggy. Onion rings too but they are still good even when not super hot. The Varsity has been around since 1928 and I wouldn’t want to change one thing but it could use a little TLC. Parking was no problem. Georgia Tech is right across the street. So step back in time and give it a try. And don’t forget to buy chili to take home!

Before coming here, I was told, "The food isn't great, but you have to go. I's worth the experience." That's exactly how I would describe it. It's set up like a middle school cafeteria. If it's busy and you aren't one of the cool kids or don't have friends, it might be hard to find a seat. I can definitely see this place being a good stop after a game.

Old school hamburger and hot dog shop. Except for being a cashless restaurant, like stepping back in time. Had the chili cheese hamburger and hot dog plus onion rings which were all good. Nothing fancy and will return next time I'm staying close to Georgia Tech.

An Atlanta staple that often gets a bad rep from locals because the burgers are nothing special. Everything is really inexpensive though and if you go on a weekday afternoon there won’t be any lines or hoards of people. The workers are friendly and the burgers are good enough.

The Varsity never disappoints because of its historical value. The service is always on point with the friendliest people and fast food delivery. The restaurant itself is vintage and classic and I love it. I like the way that they refilled your cup with a brand new drink minimizing touching your original cup. The food is typical of what you probably shouldn't be eating and it's really greasy but you'll be fine if you only do it once in awhile.

Stopped at the downtown Varsity as we headed to the airport and the views were amazing!! Evrything inside was original and we'll kept. And of course the chili dogs & French fries are delicious as always!! I highly recommend stopping at this very clean & ginormous location in downtown Atlanta!!!

It's a classic historic place in downtown ATLANTA. The food is greasy and fried, but great if you're up for that! I love the onion rings & frosted orange. I have taken several people there for their 1st time, and they love it. On this trip I had to buy this 1st timer and I t-shirts. Lol

Throw out the healthy when stopping in to eat at one of Atlanta's most prized eating joints. Don't even think about the calories just ENJOY the goodness of the Varsity! Could not pass this up today and stopped in for a chili dog and hamburger combo with fires. Oh and you know we had to have a Frosted Orange to wash it down. This place takes me back to when I was a kid and got to come to the Georgia Tech football games with the Boy Scouts of America. Great memories eating with friends and family over the years here in Atlanta. Some things never change and that is in a good way. Never did become a Tech fan but do love my Dawgs! What do you have! I think we will have a natty! Go Dawgs, 2021 National Champs!

Always take a spin through when I’m in Atlanta. Food is good, kinda pricey for what it is, you’re paying for the visit and nostalgia really. Very quick and friendly service though, love the onion rings!

Great atmosphere and food. The line was long, but my order was ready in less than 15 minutes. Great food, try the Chili cheese dog and burger combo. Definitely will be back on my next trip to Atlanta.

This place has been around for almost 100 years now and I’ve been going there for almost 50 of them. The atmosphere is unique in that you order at the long counter and take your food away on a tray, there are about 6 different ‘rooms’ you can choose to sit in. It’s an Atlanta staple and a must stop. The chili is like no other. I always get 2 chili dogs with mustard and onions, fries, and a world famous frosted orange shake. They also serve burgers and onion rings.

Gameday, Christmas Eve 2023, on the way to see the Falcons play the Colts. I decided to stop and eat here instead of eating at the Benz during the game. First time visiting because I heard of the history with this establishment. The service was extremely fast, with so many different people available to take your order. Clean restaurant, all the staff was very friendly and accommodating. In the photos you will see combos number 1 (Chilli Dog with onion rings) and 3 (Triple bacon cheese burger with fries). Great food and you get a sizeable portion. Next time I am in the area I plan on stopping to get a to go order because my food was that good!

Visiting from out of town. They have plenty of parking, with a one hour limit. The initial lines took a bit of time, and the area where you order is very loud. It was incredibly difficult to hear the cashier. However, the food was delicious and not bad pricing-wise. The frozen orange was stellar. The onion rings were a little soggy but they had a good flavor. Overall a good experience and I'm glad we got to try it!

1st time in Atlanta, and this place waa recommended by so many people so we had to try! It was pretty good for a quick amd easy fast food meal! The have a really bomb orange cream drink! Their pies are on point too! One of the best sweet potato pies ive ever had!

Is there really anything better than the experience and atmosphere of the Varsity? 😍 Perfect location by the GT campus, and the food is good and this location has been around for years. Don't forget to try the Frosted Orange, it's one of the best things they offer. The French fries are amazing as well. It's never a letdown when eating at the Varisty.

The Varsity is an American classic. A simple menu with great food in a nostalgic atmosphere. The food reminds me of Angelo's and Starlight Coney Island in Flint, MI. Any way you look at it, it is a classic.

You can't come to Atlanta and not come here! We love the chilli dogs and onion rings. Chocolate shake was devine and so was the apple pie 🥧 can't wait to come back ! Best ever !

The Varsity is a crowded and loud spot to stop for a delicious hot dog. Overall I am glad I gave it a try! But unless you're going during a very slow period of the day, expect a bit of chaos. The food was great and the staff was very fast, considering how busy it was! Only real complaint is that our onion rings were pretty soggy.

The Varsity is a really cool piece of Atlanta history that’s still serving up some good food. We got the chili dog, double cheeseburger, fries, rings, and a peach pie. All the food was good, but it was the history and atmosphere that really made it a great experience!

My favorite restaurant in the world! The food is phenomenal, and the experience and the nostalgia of it all is what keeps bringing me back! I've been coming here for over 20 years, whether solo or with the people I love! Chili dogs, slaws dogs, palm-sized onion rings, and the Varsity Orange are the signature items, and my favorite dining area is the classroom with high school desks to sit in! So simple, yet so beautiful and a dash of ingenuity!!!!

With as popular as this place is, we got in and out no problem. This is one of the few places in Atlanta that you don't have to pay for parking. The food was pretty good. My favorite was the chili cheese dog. We added Cole Slaw to it and it was AMAZING. The staff was friendly. We would go back if ever in Atlanta!

The Varsity honestly is kind of overrated, the line is so long that you cannot wait to be hungry to come into this places, because you will starve to death while standing on that huge line. I came with my family and try to get an assorted selection from their menu to try a little bit of everything, but nothing really impressed us, the fries were completely soft and soggy, so if you like crusty and crispy food, this is not the place for you. The menu basically consists of 2 main things burgers and hot-dogs, and everything else is a variation of that. The only reason we visited is because it came up as one of the best restaurants in Atlanta, and after visiting this place, I can only imagine what the worse restaurants would be like. I give it a 4 star because the service is excellent considering that the employees are able to handle the mass amount of people that come to this place, now my question is WHY so many people come to this place, I don't get it.

I feel so bad about this restaurant the people working don’t care about keeping the legacy, history of being known worldwide and the reputation this restaurant once had. They act so rude and some employees just look like they don’t even want to be there, doing nothing just starring, my meal was cold as you see in the pictures the cheese not even melted my peach pie cold and not crispy as years before, I travel to Atlanta many times a year and I always make time to do one stop here and I think this it for me, I hope management really looks into this and try’s to change the behaviors of their employees a lot of them don’t deserve to have a job, what happen with the vision of dedication and freshness and superior quality. Just remember this is a landmark for Atlanta don’t allow it to go away, remember you guys have a salary because people visit the restaurant, be NICE .

A very good experience at the varsity. Food was good and the atmosphere is great. Have to give some compliments for the incredible cleanliness of the restaurant. Employees very active keeping the restaurant clean and organized. A bit pricey but the atmosphere was worth the $$.

Standing in line now the Manager Faith is very unprofessional and for her to be at this restaurant 24 years her customer service should not be as horrible as it is today. I understand everybody go through things in life but if she didn’t want this job she should have stayed at home. My family spent $50 the food has always been great but today this lady made me not want to ever spend my hard working money here again. I will be reporting her to corporate my mother in law is 77 years old and the way this lady Faith talked to her she do not deserve to be a manager I don’t care how long you been working for the restaurant customer service is very important. She was just rude for no reason at all and especially in front of my child that’s 10 she had to witness this horrible attitude and behavior.

Very typical American fast food restaurant. I would definitely recommend this place if you're a first comer. A little bit pricier considering the size of a meal I ordered but worth the try for a good quality burger and chili cheese slaw dog.

Service was great! There was an incredible amount of seating available, felt like there were endless options to sit. Food is def not that great; however the experience was worth it. The food was inexpensive too.

Busy, but lines moved fairly quick. Onion rings were delicious and on point. Chili dogs - I liked the actual hotdog and bun, but the chili seemed dry with not the most pleasurable flavor. Frosted Orange definitely took me back to the old Orange Julius in the mall days. It was okay.

Not extremely good quality food, but definitely tasty and fast. Went for lunch while in town at the recommendation of a friend and glad I tried it out. The restaurant was not very busy when we were there. A lot of the empty tables needed to be cleaned, but otherwise pretty enjoyable experience.

This is a classic if you’re in Atlanta. I was really impressed with this place. The food was simple but tasty. They have several large dining areas with booths, tables, and counters. The service was good and the prices were outstanding; very good value in terms of price and portion size. It can get busy at times, but the line moves pretty quickly and there are always several lanes open.

Lunch after 4 hours in the car, but the first stop is the restroom. It’s clean and well stocked with warm water, soap and paper towels. Then we stand in a short line to order. There are so many cashiers, and cooks, that the lines are short. Our friendly cashier takes our order (4 naked dogs, fries and waters), and we pay by card. No cash!! It’s only $13. We find a booth and devour our lunch because it is SO good! Straws were at the counter, but napkins and condiments are at the tables. The place is open and well lit. It’s also clean & has fun decor. As the napkin dispenser proclaims, “Making memories since 1928.” But we’ve only been making memories here since the 1980s - and they are all good!

What a place! The unique charm that only a place of 50+ years can produce. It’s beauty is the simplicity of it. Hamburgers , hot dogs, onion rings, and fries. And it hasn’t changed since my first visit 20+ years ago - except they don’t take cash now - that’s probably different. Nestled between Atlanta downtown and the Georgia Tech campus, I love this spot. Make sure you learn the lingo before you order - I’m a C Dog All The Way. Enjoy!!