Illegal Food

Good burgers, a lot of different choices.

I’ve been reading about this place for a long time, so I’m so glad I finally came to visit!
We started off with the Sriracha honey and okinomiyaki style fries. The Sriracha fries are pretty good, but the Okinomiyaki fries are life changing. They were described to me by the waitress as ‘sushi’ fries, and that’s really about all I can do too.
The burgers were also very good. We had the Pimento Burger and the Nasty Nate. Both were pretty good, but I enjoy the Nasty more. There was almost too much pimento cheese on the other one (if that’s possible).

I don’t even like Brussels and these were amazing! We got 2 burgers, the Korean one and the one with blue cheese and both were really great!

So I’m gonna get to the food but two random people at the bar had some spontaneous combustion and are on a blind date behind us sharing fries. Fried chicken sandwich, yummo! We had a variety of the burgers in our party of 7, all delish. Fries are amazing, although it took a while to get the food and it was a Tuesday night. Cocktails were wonderful, highly rec the sweater weather!

The food is great, there is no doubt about that. But… I just cannot get past how SLOW the service is. This is my second time eating here and still it seems there is not enough staff on hand. Not sure when I will be back. I really do hate to say that since the food is phenomenal…

Time to make it Illegal. Burger fiends that we are, we’d been wanting to try Illegal Food for months but only now made it there. Hooray! Parking on the street was a snap. Since it was later in the evening on a weeknight, the place was more empty than non-​empty, though there was a healthy crowd at the bar. We sat in a corner in the main dining room; there was also a patio where some diners were settled. I really appreciated the holiday decorations: lights behind the bar, a Santa hat on the boar head, Ralphie’s dad’s leg lamp in the front corner. The bathrooms have Mrs. Meyers soap and real towels for your hands, a classy touch.
We ended up splitting the French onion dip fries ($ 7.50) among our trio. Definitely a shareable portion. The fries emerged first before the burgers, in a timely fashion. The precision of the cuts of each fry and the deep brown color were very striking. Man, I sound like I’m talking about a diamond ring with all this cut and color talk. Excellent fries! The caramelized onions and homemade soured cream dip was a fave, we all agreed.
Our server was a nice fellow who kept us posted on the status of the burgers, probably since it was taking a decent amount of time. Eventually two Hanks ($ 12 each) and one pimento burger ($ 13) made an exit from the kitchen. The first thing we noticed was the height of the burgers; towering would be an apt description. The «house ground, dry-​aged grass-​fed beef» was brimming with juiciness, cooked medium-​rare. The shredded iceberg lettuce just falls out due to its thinness so expect a mix of burger fluids and lettuce strands on your plate. Leaves might be an improvement? The Holeman & Finch bun was buttery and extremely toasted, almost burnt. I like crunch so I was okay with that. The pickles were great, glad they weren’t bread and butter ones since those aren’t my faves. If you can’t finish anything, the servers are kind enough to box us food for you, in a snazzy cardboard container branded with the Illegal Food logo.
Later we came to the consensus that Illegal Food’s burgers aren’t quite at the level of the other Atlanta heavy-​hitters (Holeman & Finch, Bocado, The General Muir), but they’re satisfying and certainly conversation pieces. A little pricey too but worth biting into.
Review #300!

Great food! Second time in & I got the French onion burger this go around. A little salty but expected with the onion dip on it. The fries with the French onion dip were amazing! I want that dip to put on everything. Unfortunately they didn’t have the cicerones so the amuse was fried duck tongue… Tried it because it was free, thought why not, it was the most disgusting thing ever. It tasted similar to a chicken liver but had the texture of cartilage. My mom got the mushroom toast & it was very flavorful, had a creamy sauce that accompanied multiple types of mushrooms on top of crunchy baguette. Definitely will keep coming back & having the Scoutmob deal helped with the bill! Little pricey for three people regularly but amazing food regardless

Amazing burgers
Amazing fries
Amazing dips
And I ordered some after diner coffee that just…
Well…
It was really a great experience. Our server was lovely, the hostess sat us quickly, we were check on often.
Totally worth five stars

When the chef was incubating at Joystick Gamebar, I really enjoyed the food, so naturally, having a stand alone restaurant should be great! Or not…
I went on a rainy Thursday evening, and there were about ¹⁄₃ of the table tops filled — Not empty, but not all that busy. The space and ambience are very nice. Service was polite, but only if you got your server’s attention. Food came out extremely slowly. My friend’s pasta was hard, borderline raw. My burger was mediocre with no standout flavor. The bun was delicious, like buttered, fluffy Texas toast, but it was burnt black on the inside. The Okonomiyaki fries were fine, but seemed more interesting in the menu description.
I would like to think that it happened to be an off-​day, but the consistency of the reviews have convinced me that there need to be some big changes. There is potential here, and I cross my fingers that the business can learn and improve.

The tastiestly prepared Brussel sprouts I’ve ever had. They roast them and toss ‘em in a buttermilk aioli with spices. Divine.
I also had the Sriracha sesame fries. Pretty durn good.
I’ve also had The Hank, which is their standard burger. They need to go easier on that special sauce. The entire thing was drenched a few bites in. But it was cooked just right. Like really tasty. Enough to make you go, «Wow».

Man, what a disappointment. I was hoping this would be one of my new favorite spots but I can’t imagine ever coming back here. The burgers are extremely undercooked and way overpriced. I mean you can get something so much better for much less money at a number of places in Atlanta.
So many people mentioned the horrible service but we ended up with great service. It was the best part of the meal.
The complimentary chips were so spicy they were almost inedible. The meat patties were very bland and the fries were extremely seasoned. It seemed like everything was backwards.
Nothing urges me to return. I was not «wowed» in any way at all.

Illegal Food is located in VaHi (Virginia Highlands) at the exact location where Bar Meatball was located before. Illegal Food specializes in burgers and fries although they do have a brunch menu. Per the website, Chef Steven Lingenfelter experimented with Asian, old Americana and French cuisines. Everythings made from scratch and local products are used!
PARKING
street parking for the most part or paid parking lot
INTERIOR
pretty much the same from the previous restaurant. a few changes here, but décor is modern-​homey. I feel like the design could play into the name Illegal Food more. A little more gritty-​look.
FOOD
Hand-​cut Potato Fries
–Okonomiyaki Style (10): japanese mayo, okonomiyaki sauce, fermented chili sauce, bonito flakes, shredded nori, green onion, sesame seed, beni shoga (red ginger strips).
These fries were fresh and tasty. The sauces got a little overwhelming, but definitely good to accompany any burger. Plentiful! We took it to-​go.
Burgers
–The Fungus Among Us (15): house ground, dry-​aged grass-​fed beef burger, chef’s blend of wild mushrooms, swiss cheese, red onion, rocket (arugula), and truffle mayo.
This burger was delcious. I got it medium-​well. Juicy and tasty. It seemed like there was only 1 type of mushroom when I dissected the burger although the ingredients say ‘chef’s blen of wild mushrooms.’ A little finger happy with adding the red onions, but overall, delicious.
–The Nasty Nate (15): house ground, dry-​aged grass-​fed beef burger, heirloom chili rubbed, raw milk bleu cheese, bourbon bacon jam, rocket (arugula), red onion.
My friend ordered this burger and enjoyed it.
SERVICE
Hostess greeted and sat us. Waiter brought drinks and menu less than 5 minutes. Very suggestive and attentive. Checked to make sure our burgers were cooked properly. Thumbs up.
Overall, delicious well-​prepared burger with fresh ingredients. Good ambiance. Good service.

:(Literally was SO EXCITED to come and eat here and it was a major let down for me. The staff is SNOBBY.
I think the only thing I really enjoyed were the Brussels sprouts. The burger was ok. They do not let you cook it higher than med. I think — but mine was like rare… it was bloody. And I do NOT like my burgers bloody. We got the Osokuei (sp) fries and it was just a lot of random Asian toppings they could find to put on it. WAY to overpowering. Glad I got to come try the burger but not what I was expecting.

If you’re looking for a top-​notch, somewhat-​fancy burger, Illegal Food is a great pick. My boyfriend and I went pretty late on a Friday — around 9:30 or 10pm — and had no wait.
The Service:
We sat at the bar and the service was really, really good. They chatted with us and gave us nice, descriptive feedback on our potential orders.
The Atmosphere:
The space is small and it kind of feels like you’re dining in a beautiful, old fashioned drug store — with the black and white tiled floor and dark wood accents. But cozy and a bit romantic. Plus, there’s a nice covered patio that feels like a true extension of the restaurant.
The Food:
Started with the Steak Tartar, which was REALLY good. The presentation was beautiful and there were tons of extras on the plate, to give it very dynamic flavor. For the main course, I got The Nasty Nate and my boyfriend got The Hank. Both burgers were HUGE. They don’t come with a side, but we opted to skip the fries since we got a fantastic appetizer. You definitely don’t need an appetizer, a burger each, and fries. That would be way too much food. You can tell the burgers are made with really high-​quality beef. VERY flavorful. The Nasty Nate was really good, but almost too intense. PACKED with flavor. Very salty and savory. I liked it, but I don’t think I would want to eat an entire burger like that again. I would definitely split it with someone again though, and opt for a more classic burger as my other half. The Hank was a really well-​done, classic burger.
Overall, the menu is small and there are pretty much zero healthy options. But if I’m ready to splurge on a burger again, I would definitely give Illegal Food another visit.

Brunch was my first time here. And I immediately contemplated coming back to get dinner. The bartender, Tim, was awesome. He picked my dish for me (the Kentucky Hot Brown) and I could have squealed with glee. I also had a drink special, the Triple Lindy (watermelon goodness) which Tim got done quickly and put on a bit of a show too.
Now, for the Hot Brown… The turkey brine is potent and gives a great maple flavor. And I could bathe in mornay and bacon if it was what they made. The only drawback were bits of turkey bone in the meat. But, at least I know it’s fresh! The reviews seem a bit lackluster, perhaps brunch is the golden hour (it is pretty new for them). But, I am now a serious customer.
The space is small, but it was moderately crowded when i went (about 20 – 30 diners). Parking is free on site and you can meet some cool characters like I did; it is a pretty communal place.

I’ve been here twice. First encountered Illegal Food when they were serving out of Joystick down off Edgewood. Heard great things about this place. I was sold. Came here the other day at their new location in the Highlands for their brunch menu and now I’m just like «SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!»
For lunch I got the Nasty Nate burger and Sriracha Honey Fries. That burger was easily the best burger I’ve ever had compared to those from the fast food joints, such as Five Guys, Smash, and In & Out (still not sure what the big deal is about that place…), Zin Burger in Buckhead, Stuffed Burger in Athens, Yeah Burger, Farm Burger, and etc. I was skeptical at first about those Sriracha Honey Fries, but THEY WERE AWESOME! I could eat those all day if it wasn’t frowned upon. The fries were perfectly crisp and not too thin, not too thick like steak fries. It was sweet, but not too sweet and had a little spice/​kick to go with it. I recommend you get it.
The brunch thing is new. According to the staff, they were only in their second week when we came. So don’t be confused when you show up, no one is inside, the door says closed on Sunday, but there is a hostess looking at you like you’re a predator. Trust me, I was confused too. Their website says they’re on for brunch Sundays from 11 — 4PM. I’m a breakfast guy and I was very impressed!
I know they take special care in preparing their brunch items because of how they treated the toast. How you ask? IT WASN’T BURNT AND LEFT TO DIE IN THE TOASTER! I feel like often times places just burn toast and try to mask the death with lots of butter.
I got the biscuits with sausage gravy and I loved it! Perfect portions with two eggs. I do wish the biscuits were a little larger given the amount of sausage gravy. But the thing that stuck out to me was that it wasn’t 10% sausage and 90% gravy. You get a bits of sausage in every bite. Check out the pic I uploaded.
My GF got the Sunday breakfast and if you’re someone that wants a large heaping portion of food, this is the one! Check out the pic. It also came with giant bowl pimento cheese grits, which wasn’t pictured. The bacon was thick and not burnt. Toast was thick wheat bread perfectly toasted and buttered.
Honestly, this is one of my favorite restaurants in Atlanta and now one of my favorite brunch spots. They don’t have a very extensive menu but they do have brunch specials that they are trying to test out and get a feel for what’s hit or miss and then plan on incorporating it into the regular menu.
It’s a little pricey but you get what you pay for. This isn’t IHOP now. Though I do like IHOP… don’t judge.

I was so excited for Illegal Food to open — SO EXCITED. After tasting all of their burgers when they were a pop-​up at Joystick, I couldn’t wait for them to have their own space. And giving Illegal Food a 3-​star review breaks my HEART, but they let me down.
I ordered the Hank ($ 12) and the Okonomiyaki fries ($ 10). I also ordered the One Down, Two to Go cocktail ($ 10). The only item that I would order again were the Okonomiyaki fries, they arrived hot and flavorful. Since they taste better that way, I tried to gobble as many of them as I could while taking bites of my burger, sips of my drink and having a conversation with the guy next to me. (I was doing an amazing juggling act with this meal.) The fries were the only thing that were as good as I remember from my pre-​solo-​location experiences and why this is not a two-​star review.
The One Down, Two to Go cocktail was good, but sweeter than I thought it would be. I had two, and I was okay with the price.
But something’s gone wrong with the burger. The Hank used to be a juicy, flavorful patty that melted in your mouth and your fingers. I loved this burger so much that I took 50-​year-​olds to an arcade to try it (FYI, they LOVED it too!). But this new Hank is cooked medium well with the barest hint of pink and is very dry. The H&F bun (sans butter or grilling or whatever makes a bun amazing) was not that great. I don’t know a strong enough word to express how disappointed I was with this burger. There was a time when I would stand on solid ground saying that Illegal Food had the best burger in Atlanta, but now I have to eat those words, and I’d rather eat them than eat this burger again.
I was lucky enough to get parking on the street because I went around opening time on a Wednesday night, and my service experience was better than expected.
Overall, it was not a horrible meal, but for the price point, it should have been a much, MUCH better meal than it was. I wouldn’t eat here again just because the food doesn’t live up to its cost. (I cry as I write this… really…well, not really, but you understand the sentiment.)
And I also left smelling like burgers and onions, and I very much dislike smelling like food. Unless it’s bacon.
Unilocal 100 #20

I waited about a month after Illegal Food reopened at their new location because I didn’t want to deal with the crowds. Also, I tried really hard to not get my hopes up just in case the food isn’t as good as I remember. GREAT NEWS: the food is still amazing & there’s more space now! The burgers & fries are the main items of Illegal food; however, their special items featured on the menu are also worth checking out. I love that Illegal Food’s burgers are not overcooked/​dry & tasteless like many other popular burger places in Atlanta. I believe Illegal Food only uses grass-​fed beef from Brasstown Beef, which makes a great difference in taste. My only problem/​complaint is that I can’t get my burger cooked rare or even med-​rare here, which sucks because I really don’t like my burger overcooked.
~ spicy chicharrones — complimentary & delicious!
~ beef jerky (bourbon & black pepper) — had me at bourbon lol very good beef jerky; the flavor’s subtle
~ the hank — of course you have to try this burger if you’ve never been to Illegal Food before
~ the fungus among us — amazing! This is the perfect burger for me. Please don’t ever change it or take it off the menu
~ Okonomiyaki fries — huge portion so it’s great for sharing! comes with chopsticks now. Different & delicious! — featured on Thrillist as one of «THE 11 BEST PLATES OF FRIES IN ATLANTA»
Great service overall. Parking is most likely a problem here on the weekend. There’s a parking lot next to the restaurant but shared with other businesses.

Came here on a Saturday for dinner. Located right off Greenwood Ave behind Dark Horse Tavern, this area can get pretty congested. There’s a $ 5 parking lot right between Illegal Food and Dark Horse. There’s more paid and free parking in the area.
The restaurant itself is fairly small. For whatever reason there was a 1hr wait although I counted about 6 – 8 empty tables inside and a few more on the patio. I read some other reviews that mentioned the same thing. The bar area is very small with about 10 cramped seats. Luckily we only waited 10mins before finding empty seat at the bar.
As far as the bar is concern, nothing special. They have a decent about of bottled beers and a few on draft. Small selection of cocktails. Not some place I would come drink at.
Food…
Everyone standing around us at the restaurant kept talking about how good the brussel sprouts were, so we went ahead and ordered some. I’m not a big fan of sprouts, and these really didn’t do anything to change my mind. They have a nice crisp to them, and drenched in a sauce, but not something I ordered again. But like I said… never was a huge fan of sprouts, so by all means… go for it.
F&H Burger —
Honestly, this thing is comically big. When it said it had two patties I was thinking maybe two quarter pound patties. No. These were damn near half-​pound patties. I honestly could not eat this burger w/​o a fork and knife. Topped with two slices of american cheese, red onion, and sandwiched between two pieces of homemade bread. The patties were well cooked to medium, and had a nice taste, but really there was nothing special. The bread was good, but b/​c I was having a hard time trying to eat it, it got soggy and i was out of bread before the burger was close to being done. It comes with a side of ketchup, which tasted good the first few seconds in my mouth, but then fell incredibly flat.
The Hank —
My friend got this. 1 half pound patty, stupid amount of iceberg lettuce, special sauce, vidlia onions. I had a bite, and though better than mine, nothing too special. We both ate at The General Muir a few weeks before and easily agreed that the Muir was leaps and bounds better. Actually, Bocado, H&F, Farm Burger, & The Albert all have better burgers
We ordered the classic fries. They were ok, but nothing special. And with the disappointing ketchup, I wouldn’t bother ordering them. They have some specialty fries that may be better, but higher in price. Fries can easily be split between 2 – 3 people.
Overall, quite the let down.

4.5 stars
My husband and I were so excited to visit the new location — we ate Illegal Food once when they were at Joystick Gamebar and told all of our friends of the Legendary Burger.
They have limited hours/​menu right now, so they’re probably still figuring out parts of what they want to serve once they fully open.
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Freebie: Pork rinds seasoned with ethiopian spices — they were pretty spicy, but not too much; definitely gave me the sniffles but in a good way. Tasty.
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Appetizer: Terrine of Confit Duck — Honestly wasn’t what I was expecting; it was a bit bland but still good. Just not outstanding
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Burger:
The Nasty Nate — what my husband ordered. He really liked it; I liked mine MORE.
The Warden’s Burger — When I first received it, I thought it was a chicken burger by accident because the goat cheese patty was so thick. It was the perfect proportion of toppings to burger; the tomato jam tasted kind of like a better version of Heinz Ketchup and had a great texture; it also balanced out the goat cheese really well. The arugula on the burgers was also very crisp. We ordered both of our burgers medium rare — they were perfectly cooked.
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Drinks:
For the life of me, I can’t remember the names of the drinks I ordered. The first was some «smoked» drink that had smoked grapefruit liquor as an ingredient. It was good! The smokiness was definitely prevalent, but not overwhelming. I also got another drink that had lemon and agave nectar, along with an egg white foam garnish which was also good. Both drinks were really STRONG (just how I like it). :)
Also, get the pickleback (sans whiskey)! We got one each because they were so delicious. They make their pickles in-​house; they’re a bit spicy and perfectly tangy and soooooooo good. I would come here just to have one of those.
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Service:
Honestly, this was the highlight of the entire meal. The place was pretty packed, but we never felt like we were ignored for any length of time. We had fast service and our server kept our water glasses filled. She also had good recommendations and seemed genuinely psyched to be working there.
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I really wish we could’ve ordered the fries (we had the okonomiyaki ones at the other location and they blew our minds); but we were both so stuffed after the other food that we decided to stop. :)