The Varsity
Atlanta, GA 30308-2166
Phone: (404) 881-1706
- Price:
- $
- Best of Citysearch:
- Fast Food 2008, Fast Food 2008, Cheap Eats 2007
- Hours:
- Sun-Thu 10am-11:30pm, Fri-Sat 10am-12:30am
Editorial Review for The Varsity – by Michael Longshore
The Scene
Visible from the interstate thanks to a mighty red "V," the Varsity sells a combination of Joe College rah-rah and soda-fountain romance. Flashy neon signage sets up the stainless steel, curving glass-brick walls and bright, noisy counter that's longer than a football field. Top it off with carhop service and a punchy counter staff. It's more of an Atlanta treasure than Scarlett O'Hara.
The Food
The Varsity predates fast food and has its own specialized vocabulary. It's the kind of place where the food is better because you ate it back in the day. Greasy, fun favorites include the chili-cheese steak (a diminutive hamburger with chili and American or pimiento cheese), crispy batter-fried onion rings and a defiantly messy slaw dog. Wash it all down with the locally renowned FO, or frosted orange, and finish with a fried apple pie.
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Insider Tips
Know Before You GoStudy the menu before getting in line--the Varsity has its own menu shorthand. A "naked dog" is a Varsity signature hot dog without chili; a "bag of rags" is a bag of potato chips and an "FO" is an orange-flavored, slushy milk shake.
User Reviews for The Varsity
05/12/2008 Posted by hoodrich404
Wonderful, affordable food. Great and fast customer service. Crowded on the weekends, primarily Sundays.
Pros: A nice place to soak up some of Atlanta's ambience.
Cons: Not a good place to dine if you're counting calories.
03/27/2008 Posted by vintheland
I went to the Varsity after a afternoon of sightseeing with my out of town guests. I had never been there and thought it would be another great way for them to experience Atlanta. WRONG!!!! I shouldv'e taken my initial reaction after stepping inside as a clue to turn and run. The staff was less than friendly and it had a high school cafeteria feel to it. I sat down with my burger and for a second, I thought "they must've forgotten to put the patty on the bun". But it was there. It was just so microscopic that it was actually smaller than than the bun. It was sloppy and looked very unappealing. Only thing I could compare it to is a McDonalds cheeseburger, which actually would've tasted and looked better. The fries were limp and heavy. The onion rings were good. The prices do not match the quality of the food. That burger should've been $.79. Do yourself a favor, skip this Atlanta "landmark" and go to Five Guys where $6 gets you great service, perfectly cooked freshcut fries and a juicy 1/2 lb burger.
Pros: good onion rings, lots of free parking, lots of seating
Cons: poor quality food, overpriced, overrated, unfriendly service
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