Southern National
American restaurant · Atlanta
72 Georgia Ave SE Suite 100, Atlanta, GA 30312
Highlights
Creative Southern fare with inventive cocktails and live music
Creative Southern fare with inventive cocktails and live music
"Around dinnertime, I-75/85 is a parking lot, so by the time you land somewhere to eat, it damn well better be good. Southern National, an upscale Southern restaurant, in the historic Summer Hill community is a sure thing. The crowd is a mix of couples and post-work friends hanging out at the back-lit, U-shaped bar. But it’s the crispy, juicy fried chicken, and sticky-sweet Asian BBQ baby back ribs that make dealing with the traffic worth it. Don’t leave without trying the bread plate—the delicious johnny cakes and sheet pan biscuits that are worth a return visit by themselves." - nina reeder, juli horsford, jacinta howard
"Southern National is one of the newer restaurants on Georgia Avenue (it's from the celebrated chef/restaurateur team who helped put One Flew South on the map). SN feeds your eyes with an open, industrial-chic dining room, but their great, comforting Southern plates are the real feast. The redfish over field peas and miso sauce is what you might make if you grew up with elders who watched Julia Child clips along with their stories. And the exceptional lamb burger helper is our favorite dish out the kitchen—mozzarella, parmesan, and rigatoni taste like they come with a side of nostalgia." - juli horsford, demarco williams
"Southern National offers incredible takes on old-school soul food classics with just a touch of youthful invention. Chicken arrives crispy and juicy with a hint of berbere spice, and the acidity of the cucumber slaw cuts through the sticky-sweetness of the Asian BBQ baby back ribs. But it all starts with the bread—deliciously savory jalapeño johnny cakes and the crispy outside, soft inside sheet pan biscuits with a bit of sweet. The spacious Summerhill restaurant is never too crowded, so it feels like you're in on a secret—it’s the spot for a laid-back date night or for just hanging out with friends." - nina reeder, jacinta howard, juli horsford
"Though not your traditional cornbread, Southern National’s johnny cakes have a nutty cornmeal flavor but with the chewy softness of a griddle bread. The jalapeño gives the perfect kick to balance the syrup-sweetened butter." - jacinta howard, nina reeder, juli horsford
"Southern National from chef Duane Nutter and Reggie Washington has become a bona fide hit since opening in Summerhill earlier this summer. It’s also the spot now for people seeking cocktails in the neighborhood. Nutter and Washington reunited with two longtime friends and former colleagues to develop the cocktails for Southern National, partnering with Ticonderoga Club owners and critically acclaimed bartenders Greg Best and Paul Calvert. And with veteran barman Navarro Carr behind the bar, expect cocktails like the Punch Royal with cognac, lemon and pineapple, and champagne, an armagnac Old Fashioned mixed with sorghum syrup and bitters, or classics like the boozy rye drink the Toronto. Grab a seat at the bar for snacks, including jalapeno Johnny cakes and sheet pan biscuits or mussels and collard greens, followed by entrees of herb butter broiled red fish and lamb burger helper. Reservations encouraged." - Molly Harris, Eater Staff
