Public School 404

I went to Public School 404 on a Saturday for brunch. I spotted it on my way to another restaurant and remembered seeing it on Atlanta Eats and decided to turn around and give it a try. They have standard brunch items but it's the way they cook them that makes them different. I had the Biscuits and Gravy, which comes with 2 eggs scrambled. The scrambled eggs had savory and didn't require me to add any extra seasonings to taste and it paired very well with the gravy from the biscuits. The biscuits where kinda crunchy on the outside and very soft on the inside. I also tried the Blueberry Pancakes and the Applwood Smoked Bacon. The pancakes are the real reason why this place got 5 stars from me. The pancakes are made with real blueberries and are very light and fluffy with a little crunch on the edges, which are just the way I like to have my pancakes. For me, the only downside to this restaurant is that you have to pay for parking. Parking is $3 plus whatever you want to tip the valet. You can pay for parking on the inside when you pay your bill which makes it convenient for people like me who don't carry cash.

Creative food, colorful presentation, friendly and prompt service, fun atmosphere. We had a hard time finding options that didn't have spicy heat as an element. Really enjoyed the cute continuity of decorative elements: menus look like composition binders, napkins look like notebook paper, etc.

The two stars is for the atmosphere and the Awesome server, Bree. Bree was funny and attentive as she ran from table to table trying to calm customers. I tipped her well as she deserved it. Apparently, there was a delivery issue so they could not serve any chicken dish or Mac n cheese (which tells me the Mac n cheese is from a bag). Although the I was told the food service company had messed up the order, that’s hard to believe as they will move heaven and earth to correct an issue. I suspect it was poor management. The tater tot app was delicious and everything else was downhill. We received our orders an hour after ordering. The Parmesan truffle fries were cold, the steak was Luke warm and bland. My PB&J burger was cold and were my fries. The burger was obviously a frozen patty that had not been seasoned. The meal was comped, but still did not make up for the experience.

My experience at Public School 404 was over-the-top WONDERFUL! Upon entering, I was delighted with the fun decor -- SCHOOL STYLE, with globes on shelves at the top of the windows; typewriters from business classes, and old mixers from home economics classes; lots of cute signage, and a school theme all the way around. The rich and elegant decor was sophisticated -- someone spent a TON OF MONEY building this place out! I wish this web site would let me post some photos! My server, Jasmine, was terrific, and presented me with cute menus that continued the education theme. I enjoyed a delicious, hearty vegetarian chili that was served with what looked like a waffle on the side, bu surprise! It was CORNBREAD! My entree, shrimp and grits, had a surprise, too. What I thought was two slices of bread in the bottom of the serving skillet actually turned out to be patties of grits! The dish had a good bit of kale mixed in and artistically arranged on top. It, too, was DELICIOUS. For dessert, I had the chocolate brownie with ice cream. Dessert portions were large (cost was $7), and because the brownie tasted more like fudge and was VERY rich, I was unable to finish it, but I did finish the ice cream with caramel drizzle. I did imbibe during the lunch hour, but the iced tea was very good, and water was served in a cute little container from which it was poured into my glass. Hurry on over to Public School 404! You're going to LOVE IT! i DID! The general manager, Hunter Ryan, stopped by my table, and I had the opportunity to ask a few questions. This is the first Southeastern U S restaurant from a small chain owned by one individual. Most restaurants are out west: California, Oregon, Las Vegas. They have a good beer menu, along with other drinks. I went for the food, though, and I was thoroughly impressed. What a great new addition to dining in Atlanta.

PS 404 will be a welcomed addition to the food scene in ATL. The location in West Midtown is great. The ambiance and vibe of the restaurant is wonderful. The chef is melding flavors well in the kitchen. We tried the Hangry Meatballs for an appetizer with just a hint of heat on the back of the tongue. Our main course was the PB&J Burger and the Asada Steak Tacos, both were a treat. I think the sides may have stole the show. The poblano slaw was out of this world and the fries are worthy of their own plate. Definitely give this place a try and be kind to the servers as the learn the ins and outs of waiting tables. They'll need it.

The venue is nice. The staff and the experience is horrible. We had a planned reservation at 12:30, our order wasn't taken till 1:45. Looking around everyone else's table was empty too. They must have had a staffing crisis today. Do yourself a favor, if you still decide to come here, look around to see if anyone else has food. Most likely you'll be spending all afternoon here. Also prepare to pay $2 per chicken wing.

The food is good and so are the drinks. The location in West Midtown is nice but parking is inconvenient, be prepared to hunt if you aren't in the mood for valet. The decor tries to be school themed but doesn't really achieve, though this hardly matters because whatever they were going for it came out nice. Wait staff was courteous and responsive.

Enjoyed the atmosphere. Good food, reasonably priced for Atlanta. It's been a few months since I visited so I can't remember the names of the food we ordered. Would go again when in town.