Busy Bee Cafe
Soul food restaurant · Atlanta
810 M.L.K. Jr Dr SW, Atlanta, GA 30314
Highlights
Award-winning soul food institution famed for its fried chicken.
Award-winning soul food institution famed for its fried chicken.
"If your goal is to take down some Southern soul food while in Atlanta, then Busy Bee Cafe in the West End should be a required stop. Though they’re only offering takeout for the moment, there’s some heavy history happening in the walls here. Opened in 1947, this place is famous for its best-in-the-city crispy fried chicken, greens, pork chops, and other soul food staples that have fed famous patrons from Martin Luther King Jr. to former President Barack Obama. Since it’s near the Atlanta University Center, drive by to see the Spelman, Morehouse, and Clark campuses before your visit. Or check out the Mercedes-Benz complex just a few blocks down." - nina reeder, juli horsford, jacinta howard
"Yes, Busy Bee has been around for decades, and yes, it’s still the best place for straightforward soul food. Even though the West End diner is takeout-only now—with the same fascinating mix of people waiting semi-patiently in line—the juicy fried chicken remains an Atlanta legend, fried in a light batter that’s more seasoning than bread. The perfectly crisp catfish and pork chops are still the standard in the city, and so are the candied yams with just the right amount of sweet and the crispy fried okra that isn’t too chewy." - nina reeder, jacinta howard, juli horsford
"There’s a reason Busy Bee Cafe continues to dominate the Southern food conversation in Atlanta after seven decades — it’s that good. The dining room fills immediately after the doors open for lunch, and folks pour into “Atlanta’s soul food kitchen” for some of the best fried chicken likely within a 100-mile radius. People also love the tender collards, which the restaurant now prepares with smoked turkey rather than pork. Make sure to also indulge in the cornbread, baked mac and cheese, yams, cobblers, or sweet potato pie, while gazing upon bronze-framed photos of Civil Rights icons, celebrities, and world leaders — all who have eaten at Busy Bee over the years. The restaurant earned a James Beard award in 2022 and was named a bib gourmand by Michelin in 2024." - Mike Jordan
"“It’s an iconic staple in Atlanta. Everybody and their mama has been to Busy Bee. When dignitaries come to Atlanta, presidents, they always stop by Busy Bee. I definitely [get] the peach cobbler. They do really good baked beans. Their oven-baked ribs are really good as well. I think they bake and smoke them. I don't really know their preparation, but their ribs are good. I love their fried fish as well. Their dressing is really good. I like their collard greens, and I like their cornbread. But you know what I really love? Girl, this is gonna sound so hood. They make a fruit punch. They call it fruit punch, but honestly, it ain't nothing but red Kool-Aid. You have to get the red Kool-Aid. I always tell my girl Tamika, who works there, I always tell her, ‘Tamika, you know what to do.’ And honey, I get my red Kool-Aid, my fish, greens, dressing, cornbread, and a side of peach cobbler, and it is divine.”" - jacinta howard
"After 80 years in business, the iconic Busy Bee Cafe is finally getting a second hive. This one will be 4,000 square feet, with a bar and a patio. It'll open in Atlantic Station, and we may be willing to suffer the city's ultimate teen zone if it yields a bite of Busy Bee's excellent fried chicken and peach cobbler." - jacinta howard, juli horsford
