Hey Atlanta: The Varsity Sucks!

Have been to the Varsity off and on for years and I agree that the last few times I have been the quality of the food is bad. The chili dogs I had were so, so. The hamburger I couldn't even eat it was so dry, and the ring were greasy and ucky. I use to couldn't wait to go to the Varsity when I visited relatives near Atlanta, but now I don't even want to go any more. I do want to try the Vortex. I pulled up their website and the menu looks awsome. The teryiake burger is the one I want to try. Will definitely make it on my next visit.

There was more than the stench of racism in that diatribe, it had the sour grapes aroma of the spurned (a tramp will go with anyone but you)

Calling a hardworking person (of any race)a crackhead is in no way comparable to calling them a redneck, which to many is a badge of honor.

How is it possible to not like like the Varisty? You get your order and the brown paper bag is stained (almost completely) w/ grease before you leave the building. They scream at you for your order...even if you are the only customeer in the place.

Reminds me of the Beacon in Spartanburg, SC. Only the food is better in SC.

quote:

Originally posted by SassyGritsAL

Have been to the Varsity off and on for years and I agree that the last few times I have been the quality of the food is bad. The chili dogs I had were so, so. The hamburger I couldn't even eat it was so dry, and the ring were greasy and ucky. I use to couldn't wait to go to the Varsity when I visited relatives near Atlanta, but now I don't even want to go any more. I do want to try the Vortex. I pulled up their website and the menu looks awsome. The teryiake burger is the one I want to try. Will definitely make it on my next visit.

Get ready for some culture shock. The Vortex is good, but not great. More great food available just next door (or so): Savage Pizza.

"After reading their impressive web page, I was a bit dissapointed in the actual restaurant. The comic book theme of the restaurant, in my opinion, was a bit silly also, but one can expect just about anything in L5P. I decided to create my own pizza rather than ordering one of their pre-defined specialities; testing the limits so to speak. It was a very slow night and there were only two other customers there at the time I arrived, about 8:00 PM. The pizza was delivered without haste and I dug in. All toppings that I ordered (cheese X2, pepperoni X2, onions X2, sausage, mushrooms (appeared canned), and bananna peppers were quite tasty. As an added bonus I ordered the red pepper sauce in place of the usual tomato sauce, and it was quite good, also. The crust was crisp and yeasty, but the first thing I noticed was that is was way to thin to support my selections of toppings. I mostly had to eat the pizza with my fork. Unfortunately there were no other crust options other than thin crust. Also, the pepperoni was placed on top of the other toppings, which IMO is a drastic error, causing much of same to be crispy when eating. I have always judged a good pizza by the crust, the sauce, and the pepperoni. A good pepperoni to me is thick and slightly curled at the edges upon presentation, with the excess oil from same oozing into the rest of the pizza for that extra taste bonus. I will definitely go back to this place on my next visit, though. The atmosphere of the L5P area continues to becon." My write-up, BTW, on Yahoo.

Just a bit further down the road is Zesto's. Hot dog goodness. Forget the "V".

L5P has a culture unique to Atlanta.

Thanks Ad for the info. I just thought that since the Vortex was mentioned several times it might be worth a try. Zestos will be the one I try. I am definitely over the Varsity and will probably never eat there again (I have learned never to say "never" again.)

There are four places I eat at in Atlanta. Strange group.

Sushi bar on the north side of town off 85 at the same exit where the Marriott resides, second shopping center on the left at the far right corner...one of the best in America.

RuSan's is not so much about great sushi as very good sushi w/ plenty of eye candy. I am a healthy male.

Harry's Farmer's Market salad bar...best out of town travel meal there is on this planet.

The Varsity, don't know how and what to order...go to GT for a while, you'll learn. Eat in the GT cafeteria for a while and you'll love the varsity and just run a few extra miles to burn off the garbage. Furnace is hot enough, it'll burn anything.

The whole deal about Atlanta food is that if I am in a certain area of same (say Stoned Mountain/Tucker area), I am not about to venture out to some other recommended establishment some 20-30 miles away, especially if I have to get on the interstate (aka dreaded I-285 insanity). So far in my travels I have been "confined" to above mentioned, Midtown (& Decatur), & Buckhead areas. If I can't find something I like within those areas then it is off to Publix for me.

Lived in Atlanta from '88-'90. At that time the Varsity sucked,Vickery's was good and the best burger I had in town was at Manual's near Little-Five-Points. The Yacht Club just plain had good food, especially the brie and fruit plate(cheap!!)

I have lived in Cobb County since 1982 - 25 years. In that time, I have eaten at the North Avenue Varsity twice and the Cobb County-Town Center location once. The comparisons to the Beacon in Spartanburg are interesting. We have been there once, and did see the similarity to Varisty. Just the same, the Beacon was much more enjoyable. We will likely eat there again when in Spartanburg at meal time. Metro Atlanta just has way too many food choices for me to intentionally go to the Varsity. I know the Varsity has its fans. I am not one of them.

Years ago, I ate at the Varisty when i was passing through Atlanta - it WAS "different" - I think I had a cheeseburger, onion rings and that "FO" thing I took to be some kind of funky milkshake.

Yep, the experience.

quote:

Originally posted by dreamzpainter

There was more than the stench of racism in that diatribe, it had the sour grapes aroma of the spurned (a tramp will go with anyone but you)

Calling a hardworking person (of any race)a crackhead is in no way comparable to calling them a redneck, which to many is a badge of honor.

I would think they were both insults.

Nothing better than a fried peach pie at the Varsity. Dogs are good. Experience is good. Methinks you expect too much.

It's an "experience" and that's about it. I wouldn't say it is over rated because I don't think anyone is saying the food is great there.

They are very, very fortunate to enjoy a lot of press though. Don't know if they have a public relations firm on board or what....

Return trip to the big V...

As with the last trip, just after finishing up, I asked myself, was a mere decent chili dog, really worth what will come later?


Actually, this dog was worse than before. The onions were absolutely water-logged. Vidalias minced on the premises? Yeah, right! I suspect they were defrosted, and previoulsy frozen brand X. Disgusting! Plus, the bun was crusty, if not a bit stale. Ya sell thousands of dogs each day, but the buns gets stale? How?

The onion rings are good, till they attack a day later. The fries, called "strings" at the Varsity live up to their moniker. They have the flavor of old, tired shoe strings. Without a doubt the most pathetic in town, on a consistant basis. Just horrid.

"No food over 12 hours old", the Varsity likes to say. And this is suppose to sound appealing? I must get there at 11 & 1/2th hours.

Ya do better with a sack of Krystals, I am now convinced.

Every town (of any size) has a place like the Varsity. A place much revered by the locals but one unlikely to win over those who are from somewhere else - those who don't have long memories of it as a place of food and good times.
I work with two ladies who went to the Varsity almost every day after school back in the 50's. They and their friends would pile into a car and go cruise for a dawg, a burger or a coke. Back then Varsity was very much a drive-in and a high school hang-out.
I remember great times at my local drive-in and I still think they had the best burgers in the world. Just like the two ladies who think Varsity has the best darned dawgs and burgers.
Many also have great memories of the Varsity from their time as students at Georgia Tech which is just a stone's throw away. Oh, to be that young again and have a digestive system that could withstand that much grease on a daily basis and THRIVE.

Does this mean you won't be going back again and then telling us all how much you hated it? Good. Now those of us who like it will have an easier time finding a parking spot.

...and yet everytime I eat there I get the squirts???

Not so much politicial in my mind, just careless/sloppy food handling......wonder who THEIR food suppliers are these days?????

quote:

Originally posted by wabbitslayer

Does this mean you won't be going back again and then telling us all how much you hated it? Good. Now those of us who like it will have an easier time finding a parking spot.

Amen!!! I think most of these people probably got yelled at by the counter help when they stood there looking at the menu saying " uhhhh" instead of stepping up and ordering! Everyone has a right to their opinions, no one ever said the Varsity was a 5 star place to eat! Its an Atlanta tradition to me!

I used to go to the V about once or more per week (many moons ago), now it's once every few months because of distance, but they still taste good to me - two chili dogs, a double chili steak, fries or O Rings, and a jumbo orange.

Having lived in Atlanta for several years I use to eat at the Varsity weekly.

I have eaten at the Ga Tech location but I lived off JCB and 85 and that was my location.

Staff was same as every restaurant in town mixed. The Food was fast food and hot and ready when needed.

Fried Peach pie was great along with many other items from slaw dogs, chilidogs, and a big orange drink.
The only slogan I ever heard was“What you have?”

I've been in ATL for 7 years now. I admit I do indulge in the Varsity(North Ave. location) from time to time. The burgers aren't the best, and I detest the fries, but the chili/slaw dogs are great. I also love the orange drink(the original-not the Frosted orange version).

I do agree with whoever mentioned that Zesto's generally taste better than Varsity. Unfortunately they closed what was in my opinion the best drive-in restaurant in Cobb County (Fat Boys)to make room for road widening...

quote:

Originally posted by 88KeyzATL

I've been in ATL for 7 years now. I admit I do indulge in the Varsity(North Ave. location) from time to time. The burgers aren't the best, and I detest the fries, but the chili/slaw dogs are great. I also love the orange drink(the original-not the Frosted orange version).

I do agree with whoever mentioned that Zesto's generally taste better than Varsity. Unfortunately they closed what was in my opinion the best drive-in restaurant in Cobb County (Fat Boys)to make room for road widening...

Thank you for the tribute to Fat Boy's in Smyrna. It was located less than a mile from where I had my retail store for twenty years. I ate there often, and took family members numerous times. My wife and I were celebrating our 30th wedding anniversary in Fernandina Beach when Fat Boy's closed. Our two children were there for one last meal and happened to be interviewed and quoted on page one by the Marietta Daily Journal regarding their extremely long wait in line and why they were willing to wait. They were Fat Boy's fans as much as their father was. My favorite was their gyro plate - but they were famous for their foot long chili dog.

Man...when I read that Fat Boys was closing, I was really

That place had so much to offer that it often took me 10 minutes or more to decide what I wanted...burgers, dogs, seafood plates, salads... They had both Zesto's and The Varsity beat hands down..RIP Fat Boys...

Funny that this thread turns to Fat Boys, which was riding on some of the same nostalgia - - just a Cobb County version. I was a Cobb/Georgia transplant, and learned about Fat Boys. Tried it, and was thoroughly unimpressed. I love places with history, so I am not disappointed easily. The Varsity is unique, especially in a city that generally does not "do hot dogs". Worked in Midtown, and lived on the North Ave Varsity for several years (and apparently built-up digestive resistance). Chili dog w/onions, fries, PC, and fried pie.... No longer live in area, but still enjoy a visit to the Varsity when I am in Georgia.

Solid hot dog and great fried peach pie...what better Roadfood exists?

having actually eaten at the varsity a number of times in the past 15 years (which seems to set this post apart from 2/3 of the others on this thread), including 5 years locked up at georgia tech, i can affirm one thing:

there is indeed some overlap between varsity employees and the crackheads that infest that neighborhood.

call it what u will, just don't pretend it isn't true...

It's a shame this place isn't up north, I'd love to see how disgustingly greasy you've all described it as.

I'm not trying to be unkind , but the hotdogs at the Varsity are the worst ones we've ever eaten ...

The Varsity is a long time Mom and Pop owned place with long time employees, They do not claim to be 5 Star dining. As others have said , its a experience, it will never receive a Michelin star rating, its a Hot dog, Burger , type of place. The comment about the "crack pipe" was not needed to comment on the food or the service.

I know Wabbit , my husband & I have been there several times ... We're from Dothan , Alabama ... I love Mom & Pop establishments ... They're our favorite kind of eating place . But , I was just commenting on the quality of hotdog . I didn't mention any " crack pipes "...

Dearfolk,
Methinks the Varsity is not all it's cracked up to be. (Tee hee.)
Piping Up, Ort. Carlton in Nearby Athens.
P. S. The Varsity is still open here at West Broad Street, corner North Milledge Avenue. My old friend Wilson Elder is no longer running the place, but the tradition remains intact.