Ormsby’s

A couple of years ago this place was the exact same except the crowd has changed. Decent food moderately priced drinks with a rustic surrounding. The crowd has shifted from casual but successful to and entitled gold leafed garbage cans. So if you want to surround yourself with fake people to quietly judge you as you dig for a genuine conversation come on down. This bar is the epitome of «west midtown» the neighborhood named after its neighbors. Unoriginal but decent looking.

I’ll start out with the highlights. This place was awesome… not really from my personal experience though. They have pool tables, bochee ball (probably spelled that wrong), and darts. There’s two levels. Downstairs is first come first serve with tables.
Now for the not so good stuff.
Before 6 it’s a typical restaurant, but after that it’s a frat/​sorority house. PACKED TO THE BRIM WITH PEOPLE. We waited an hour and 45 minutes to get a table. We finally got called and made our way through the sea of people to get to our table upstairs.
Service was good, and quick. You could tell the poor girl was busy so I was not going to hold her accountable for my food mess up. I got the BLT with the eggs over hard. I had two of the smallest tomato slices I’ve ever seen, on my big sandwich. I politely asked the server for two big slices of tomato. She came back with the sad news that they ran out of tomato! I shrugged it off and just asked for extra bacon and lettuce. At the end I just couldn’t eat it. You can’t have a BLT without the «T». Call me whiny. Whatever.
SO! I WILL BE COMING BACK because I saw the potential for a good meal, they just couldn’t execute it. I’m sure it’s because the kitchen was probably slammed.
I’ll be back Ormsby’s…but probably on a Monday when it’s slower!

This will always be my favorite nighttime spot in Atlanta. Parking is easy and across the street. The atmosphere is awesome with people at the bar, playing games, and eating either sit down upstairs or bar food downstairs. Ormsbys can admittedly get really crowded some nights with local college kids (like myself), but usually that’s just the downstairs and upstairs is much more quiet. I love all the games and the gorgeous wood furniture and decorations. I take all my out of town friends here!

Currently a well functioning X-​Men pinball machine.

Parking: There’s an open parking garage across the street, which is free. Pretty easy parking.
Ambiance: Loud. Lots of young college students downstairs near the bar and pool tables.
Food: We did not try the food upstairs, so no comment.
Overall: probably won’t ever come back because the crowd is mainly college frat kids.

Ormbsy’s is a lot of fun! Tons of games to choose from including darts, scrabble, and battleship. Great place to hang out with friends to grab food or drinks. Only thing is that the downstairs area can get crowded on a Saturday night. However, its definitely a fun spot that I plan to return to soon.

My husband and I love this place. We love the food, the atmosphere, how close it is to where we work and live, how it makes us feel like kids while enjoying a drink from an great beer list. Ormbys is our MacLarens and we love it.
Note to new comers: don’t come on the weekend nights. GA TECH FRAT BAR CENTRAL. You will wait an hour, you will get a crappy table, and people will be annoy the piss out of you while the staff is running around and trying to help way too many people at once. If you do want to come on a Friday or Saturday night-​try making a reservation.

We here on a Sunday evening for a night cap and had a great time. Cristina was an energetic and delightful server. Not only were her recommendations on point, she asked the chef to make bread for us to dip into the exquisite tomato basil soup!
The environment is a great place to take someone to relax without the pressure of being stuffy. I’m looking to coming back here again!
On another note. Get the Cajun Chicken and Chicken Pot Pie. You can’t go wrong with either one. Now it’s time to play some darts and shuffleboard.

After each visit, I am finding more positive experiences! Hence why I’ve increased this place to 5 stars. I recently went on Sunday evening for a 30^th birthday party and had the opportunity to order their food.
Service: Our server Emily was really nice and patient with our huge group! I noticed she was always happy and considerate :) I find it so pleasant when the people working at the establishment so positive that it makes you enjoy the place even more. Thank you for your awesome service Emily! And, both bartenders (upstairs and downstairs) were also super cool! Thank you all for your excellent service! :)
Ordered: Our table ordered fries with various sauce options. So each order of fries comes with 2 sauce choices. Since our table ordered 3 orders, we got to try an array of sauces! Honestly, they were all delicious sauces! Thanks to Kellie M.‘s recommendation for the fries, our whole table enjoyed them! Personally, my top 3 sauces were the Sriracha Mayonnaise, Chipotle Butter Fondue, and the Peppercorn Steak Sauce.
For my main course: Uncle fred’s ultimate blt, applewood smoked bacon, tomatoes, butter lettuce, homemade mayonnaise, sunny side up eggs, toasted country sourdough bread — $ 8.00 with the side of onion rings (that are huge! — you get 2 huge pieces of onion rings. see photo). Funny enough what initially intrigued me about this ultimate blt was the sourdough bread: D I am not a fan of sandwiches that do not have substantial bread. I think it’s super important for the bread to balance out the entire sandwich. If the bread is terrible, then why get a sandwich? Luckily, the sourdough they prepared was perfect! And of course, the entire sandwich itself was amazing! Truly an ultimate BLT: D
Due to my weak alcohol consumption and love for beer… Allagash all the way ;) A perfect Belgian Style White Ale on tap — $ 6.00 :)
How can you go wrong with great food, excellent service, and plenty of opportunity to relax and have fun with friends? If you haven’t visited yet, give this place a chance and you’d probably keep coming back :)

Ok people! Just may have found my new ITP HOT SPOT! This joint is legit! We chose Ormsby’s due to a recommendation from a fellow Elite Unilocaler. We were looking for a place to throw a 30^th Birthday Party that not only had good food, but a fun atmosphere. They did not disappoint!
Upon arriving, you can park in the parking garage located in the back of the plaza. The restaurant is located on the «Plaza» level which is across from the burger joint and down the small stair case. The parking was free.
When you walk in there are tables as well as a bar on the upper level. The real fun is downstairs. When you walk downstairs you will see the two dart boards directly in front of the staircase. There is a full bar on one side, 2 pool tables, shuffleboard, and a super huge room in the back with bocce ball courts. PERFECT for a large group or party!
I chose a glass of their petite sirah which was $ 7.00 per glass and well worth it! Extremely good wine.
We started off with the fries ($ 5.00). You get to choose 2 dipping sauces from there gigantic list. We chose the brown gravy and house made cheese wiz sauces. I was a little scared of the cheese wiz, but let me tell you, IT WAS FREAKIN AWESOME!!! Like really really awesome!!! Sriracha was also a favorite of the table.
I ordered the Ultimate BLT ($ 8.00). This sandwich is the real deal. Fresh bread, applewood bacon, crisp lettuce, juicy tomato, seasoned mayo, and 2 fried eggs! I couldn’t put it down, even with the delicious egg running down my face. No shame here folks, I was chowin down!
Emily was our server and was absolutely superb! She handled our party of 12 with no problems. Always a smile, super helpful, and always attentive. 2 thumbs up for this super cutie!
I am so happy that we chose Ormsby’s. Thanks to the management and Emily for making this 30^th memorable. Can’t wait to go back!

I didn’t eat any of the food so this is mostly just a review of the bar/​facilities.
This place is SUPER fun. It’s not too crowded (it never took me more than 3 minutes to get a drink from the bar). They have a great amount of craft beers on tap. They stock a ton of different board games that they keep in the shelves upstairs and you can take them downstairs and play.
It’s a little drab. Bare cement walls in the basement and really plain décor. Other than that its a really cool spot.

At some point during a 3-​month drug odyssey I found myself waking up in the back of a Maserati in the Westside Provisions parking lot. My mind was still a hurricane of chemical and organic cocktails burning trails through my cerebral cortex, and at this moment, the only thing I could bring myself to utter were two words: skee ball.
A journey through the provisions compound ensued and, to make a long story short, ended at Ormsby’s.
The vibe was soothing to my frazzled state. Fancy couples stepping out of their Über Xs and into the chic brick atmosphere. Games of all types except video carved the space into a sort of drunken dungeon playground. A bocce court here, some mysterious wooden pins perched on a platform in an alien apparatus there.
I moved past the smeared, horrible faces of the night’s clientele and drifted downstairs where I saw it:
THE FLAMING NEON GLOW OF THE ICE BALL SKEE BALL MACHINE. It gave a ear splitting siren call, deafening to me, but unheard by anyone else as they rattled their chains over craft cocktails. This was my black monolith. This was the next step in my evolution. This was PROVIDENCE.
I changed a few dollars, played until I managed to hit the 10,000 hole, and then opened my mouth toward the sky before exploding into a shower of lights.

Ormsby’s is fine. There’s something about the atmosphere that doesn’t vibe with me (maybe the frat-​tastics who swarm the place on weekend evenings), so you won’t find me here unless someone scheduled an event here, or on a first date.
I appreciate the wide selection of draft beers they offer. Although I don’t think anything on the list is off the charts unique, they do sometimes offer some fun seasonal brews I’ve never tasted. Wine and cocktail options are also good, and I always receive a well mixed cocktail.
Food wise nothing here has ever impressed me, and I’ve been quite a few times. The food isn’t bad, it’s just average, so for the pricing I’d rather go somewhere different for the food scene.
The location has two levels, upstairs is a long bar a long the side and some booths they’ll sit you in for dinner. Downstairs has tons of games including shuffleboard, bocce, tabletop games like Connect Four, a pinball machine, ski ball, etc. It’s a fun little area that also includes a downstairs bar, so no need to trek up and down the stairs.
Free parking in the deck in the Westside Provisions district, behind Yeah Burger. Ormsby’s is on the bottom level of the building across the street from Yeah, underneath the stairs with an «O» on the door. After a certain time of day they card.
All in all, I’d suggest Ormsby’s during non-​peak times (so not late evenings or late afternoon/​evening on weekends) for a casual drink and maybe some fun games downstairs.

Not a major bar person, but Ormsby’s is a 3 min drive for me so… I definitely don’t mind if my buds want to come here for a drink.
Parking — there’s a deck & the lot that shares Jeni’s, JCT, Star Provisions, and etc. You’ll find a spot easily… depending on the time. I’m sure the deck & lot get a little busy during Friday and Saturday nights.
My company also had our Christmas Party here 2 years ago (we’re a smaller company) and we were able to play all the games and stuff since we reserved the room downstairs. It was pretty cool. I had a good time. Playing games + beer + food … what else can you ask for?
I do like the crowd here + the set up. Just go downstairs for the entertainment or stay upstairs for a more relaxed crowd. The only drink I ever have is a Long Island. Not bad. I honestly am not a stickler for drinks. So — my taste buds are not exactly perfect, haha.
Service is good, not amazing. But it’s half bar and half place to eat. What do you expect?!
Food isn’t bad. I liked my Bruno Burger. A little too much cheese, but you can always take it off when you get your meal. Sweet Potato Fries were good and very plentiful. I was happy when I left after my meal. I’d just make sure you clarify what kind of meat you want!

This place is pretty fun. I went on a Friday night. Just be aware that it can get pretty packed. The first floor is mainly for dining/​chill drinks at the bar. Downstairs is a whole different story. It is pretty packed with a crowd, ranging from mid 20s to early 30s. At least, that’s the crowd when I went. They have tons of games, including bocce ball, pool, and shuffleboard. They also have board games in the back you can grab.
I ended up playing battleship (well more like battleshots) with my friend.
The only thing I ate was their onion rings, which was huuuuumongous. The sauces weren’t too bad either.
Twas a fun night hanging out with friends.
Overall, if you don’t mind it being super crowded and loud, this is a very cool spot. If you want to go somewhere a little quieter and not packed (we luckily found a table) then stay upstairs or head elsewhere.

Thx again ormsbys! Yes, we know you have great beers available… but u keep surprising more with your menu.
Instead of a 1.5 hour wait at west egg… I came here w my friend.
So happy I did.
Shrimp and grits… many claim to be best in ATL… but ormsbys beats Davios, southern art and one more place I forget bc… they pale in comparison. The seasoning… sauce…creamy grits, perfectly cooked shrimp…
My friend devoured the shrimp Pernod w artichokes and angel hair…
Word on street… nay straight from owner dude’s mouth is brunch is coming… this summer! I hope so bc who waits 1.5 hours for eggs? Not me, oh and brunch plus Bloody Mary station…
Apparently I need to go back and check out the pretzel… bc it’s back baby. So… I will! And let u know

Ormsby’s has been my go-​to ever since the days at Georgia Tech and even now, years later, as an after-​party spot after a wedding or just a regular ol’ hang out spot. Yes, it’s got the college crowd, but more of a yuppie crowd than say… Moondogs. I’ve never gotten food here, so I can’t comment on that. I can only comment on the atmosphere and experience of the downstairs part of Ormsby’s (more bar and games vs food).
Sometimes it’s packed, sometimes its not. If you’re lucky, you’ll go on a night that’s a perfect in-​between of the two. A lot of the times, there will be lines at the games (pool, skeeball, bocce ball, shuffleboard, darts, etc), but trust that Southern kindness and honesty and you’ll playing before you know it. Drinks are also reasonably priced.
Don’t forget to grab some Jeni’s for dessert before your night out!
Love Ormsby’s!

I’ve been back to Ormsby’s several times since writing my original review in November 2010. This Westside bar/​tavern is still going strong and I remain a fan of its good food, friendly servers, laid back atmosphere, interesting layout, and fun gaming environment. I’m not much of a bargoer, but I’m almost always up for Ormsby’s. It’s probably my favorite bar in Atlanta. The place has held up well over the last half decade or so.
The main draw of Ormsby’s to me are the multitude of games: backgammon, bocce ball, darts, shuffleboard, skee ball, board games, and more. Most of the fun is located in the «concrete bunker» (of sorts) downstairs. I do like the design/​layout and décor of the place. It’s clean, and modern and rustic looking at the same time. Two stories, with bars on each level. There are different tables, booths, and rooms to hang out in. There are two bocce courts. I prefer the bocce and board game room in the back. It’s usually quieter and not as packed.
This place does remain very popular. Even on a Monday night, there are lots of customers and energy. I’d say the typical crowd consists mostly of 20 and 30-​somethings. Lots of students and intown alumni from nearby Georgia Tech too (myself included).
As touched on in my previous review, the food at Ormsby’s is better than the typical bar. It’s almost a gastropub. Expect to spend at least $ 10 – 20 for a meal. Most of the plates are delicious and satisfying. If you want to eat healthy, the restaurant has creative and tasty salads. I like the roasted beets and arugula salad. It comes with pine nuts and poached pair and is tossed with a walnut vinaigrette. The fruit and veggies are fresh and the arugula portion is generous.
The burgers and sandwiches are filling. I mentioned the Bruno burger last time around. The hot dogs are great. They’re made from all-​natural Angus beef and come in three varieties: Chicago-​style, Atlanta-​style (chili, onions, Cheez Whiz), and naked. Go all out and get the Chicago dog with mustard, onion, relish, dill pickles, tomato, sport peppers, and celery salt inside a poppy side bun. Just take a look at this beast:
.
Of the entrees, the British-​inspired fish and chips and bangers and mash are pretty good. The fish and chips (fries) come with coleslaw, tartar sauce, and malt vinegar. I like the taste of the fried batter on the fish here, though sometimes it can get a little too oily. The slaw is OK. The bangers and mash (sausages and mashed potatoes) are a lot of food. The sausages are housemade bratwursts. Two come on the plate and they are thick and plump. The mash is savory thanks to the meat and gravy. Green beans also come with this comforting dish.
Service is satisfactory. During peak times, expect more of a wait.
Free Wi-​Fi is available, but the signal can be spotty downstairs. Same goes for cell signals.
Free parking is available in the nearby deck.

People have told me to come here to hang out so I decided to check the place out. It is tricky to find as the main entrance is located underneath a staircase in the corner of a strip of stores. The place is divided into two levels with the top level being more dining-​like and the bottom level is more bar-​like. As soon I entered, I proceeded to go downstairs since that was the meeting point. We grabbed a table and a menu to start ordering drinks/​snacks but we weren’t there to eat.
I did decide to order some fries that come with 2 different types of sauces for dipping and they have over 10 different choices. I went with 2 different types of cheeses: chipotle cheddar and pimento cheese. For $ 5, I definitely got my money’s worth with a large platter of fries and dipping sauces. After we had a round of drinks, we decided to place some games as they have shuffleboard, bocce ball, darts, and some other options.
The atmosphere was nice since there was a Hawks game going on the background and the place was surprisingly crowded for a Wednesday night. Definitely a good place to hang out and play some free games with friends. Will be back another time for sure!

Came here on a Team Dinner event. This place is kind hidden. But it is a cool place to come with friends.
Food: ³⁄₅ We Ordered the braised short ribs, their guacamole, popcorn shrimp, spinach dip, and calamari and chai tea crème brûlée. The popcorn shrimp was pretty amazing. Not over fried and not under cooked. I did enjoy the crème brûlée, not too sweet and not liquidity. It was also pretty big portion. They had a great selection of beers too. My only concern that not many entrée dishes that we had, stood out. Their selection of food seemed to be creative and try to be a unique gastropub.
Service: ⁴⁄₅. I know we had a private room for a private party. However, Their service were great. Always checking on us, and giving us recommendations. They cleaned up plates and cups very rapidly. They knew what
Atmosphere: ⁴⁄₅. This is definitely a cool place to hang out. There are a lot games, which I did not get a chance. However, the bar seems to be amazing and it was packed with people. I would come back here with my friends.