< Guide to Athens

Popular poke place is moving down the block downtown (opening date TBD). Poke is reasonably priced with loads of topping choices (raw and cooked). Vegetarian options, hibachi, fried rice, noodles and basic soups and salads.

Athens' newest Vietnamese restaurant does fresh juices as well as a variety of pho, other soups like oxtail, banh mi (including egg), cóm, crispy noodle dishes and massive goi cuon that make for a perfect hot-weather snack.

Korean fried chicken chain serves tenders, wings, tteokbokki and sides from pickled radishes and cheese sticks to onion rings.

Sister restaurant to Bubble Cafe offers quick-service, mostly Korean food: bento boxes with a protein, rice, two dumplings and a side; snacks like tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) and seaweed salad; wings, noodles and fried rice.

Bubble tea, of course, in a wide variety of flavors (almond milk for the lactose intolerant; milk teas, fruit teas, smoothies, cloud cream, matcha), but also fun snacks, dumplings, good soups, rice and poke bowls and more, all in an Instagrammable interior. Good vegetarian options.

Healthier-than-average strip-mall Chinese, focusing on Cantonese standards. Hot pot, seafood, Singapore noodles, roast duck and lunch specials. Online ordering.

Filipino food as well as classic American deli sandwiches, coffee, bubble tea (milk only), ice cream and light and colorful slices of cake. Pick up a pack of cracker nuts and some noodles while you're at it.

Mostly to-go food, available fast, but a better selection than your standard stir-fry eatery: lo mein, pancit, teriyaki, sweet and sour, moo shu and meat entrees, plus chef’s special Cantonese dishes.

Large AYCE buffet with many Chinese, American and Japanese dishes, including crab legs sometimes. You can also order off the menu of mostly Americanized Chinese standards or get take-out priced by the pound.

Americanized quick-service Chinese dishes, including chop suey, lo mein, mai fun, moo shu, et al., make up the primary order of business in this small restaurant that mostly does to-go.

Quick-service hibachi basics, wings, spicy ramen, plus some Korean specialties like bulgogi.

Grilled meats cooked on your table, either in pre-set portion sizes or all-you-can-eat (within 2 hours), plus banchan (free snacks that vary frequently). It's not inexpensive, but it is good. Also: vegetarian options, Korean ramen, kimchi stew. Japanese whiskey, shōchū and other unusual selections at the bar.

Located in Wire Park, lots of things in bowls: hibachi, ramen, poke, plus some side snacks like seaweed salad, edamame, potstickers, bao and shrimp tempura. Ramune Japanese sodas to drink. Treats like Pocky and Hello Kitty marshmallows to wrap it up.

Tons of standard Americanized Chinese options, including duck, seafood and some good tofu options. Dragon Dinners feature combinations of dishes for two to 10 people. Online ordering.

Countless classic options, loads of chef's specials and lunch specials. A lighter fare section offers steamed MSG-free meals low in sodium; lots of tofu choices.

Huge Asian buffet also does hibachi cooked to order. Tofu, Chinese dishes, sushi, American food, fruit, salad and desserts spread across the room. Open most holidays.

Quick-service hibachi includes steak, chicken, shrimp, salmon, tofu and “Ultimate Vegetarian” with fried rice, vegetables and two sauces.

Unlike its sister restaurant, this one focuses more on sushi than on hibachi, although you can get that, too. Choose among nigiri, maki and specialty rolls, then accessorize with katsu, edamame, seaweed salad, etc. Teriyaki and tempura, too.

Highly reputed franchise does lots of ramen but also salads, tacos, rice bowls, curry, sides like crispy chickpeas, dumplings and takoyaki. Mochi ice cream and panna cotta for dessert. Kids meals, too.

Plenty more, actually, in addition to the Vietnamese beef, chicken or vegetable broth-based noodle soup customizable with lots of additions. Other things on the menu include rice dishes with grilled meats, noodle dishes, banh mi sandwiches, goi cuon, tiramisu.

Basic Chinese restaurant with pictures of the food you can order: chow mein, stir fry, fried rice, lo mein, egg foo yung, Mongolian chicken, Szechuan beef, Hunan shrimp and the like, all ready fast. Menu has a Weight Watchers section.

Delicate, not oversugary Thai food in the middle of downtown Watkinsville: satay, tom yum, curries, eggplant basil, noodles, Thai tea, boba. Cake from Sweetie Pie by Savie. Kids menu. Makku rice beer.

Dip in for the rice-flour donuts and Korean corndogs. Stay for Chef V's delicious Indonesian dishes that are unique to this location. Good boba, rolled ice cream, matcha drinks.

Sweet covered patio is a great place to sit at this Vietnamese restaurant. It has its titular beef broth-based noodle soup, of course, but also banh mi, crepes, summer rolls, claypots and rice dishes, with a good veggie-friendly selection. Vietnamese coffee, fruit slushies, bubble tea and coconut juice to drink.

Athens' source for authentic Chinese food. You don't have to drive to Duluth; just remember to ask for the Szechuan menu (or locate it on the website if you're ordering take-out). Dry pot dishes are a highlight. If that’s not your thing, there’s sesame chicken, too, plus Thai curries, sushi, steamed seafood and much more.

Japanese restaurant with sushi (standard and specialty rolls), hibachi, ramen, fried rice, salmon tacos, soup and salad. Kids menu. Specials are a good deal.

Highway 29 location opening in 2025.

Franchise does Vietnamese baguette sandwiches with pâté, pickled veggies, hot peppers, meats and seitan, plus versions of the same on croissants and hamburger rolls. Picturesque patisserie, top-notch bubble tea that tastes like more than sugar, a wide variety of snacks arranged on shelving for impulse buys. Encourages lingering.

Elaborate decor and Chinese-American standards. Big menu with lots of vegetarian options. Sizzling rice soup comes with many of the pre-set dinners, and soups in general are more interesting than you would expect.

Poke bowls, boba, ramen and desserts.

Modern Vietnamese, with lots of playful approaches and big flavors. Not too formal but good for special occasions or just happy hour snacking (good specials on food then. too). Gluten-free? This is one of the best places in town for you. Share plates are especially fun, with mushroom rice paper pizza and Viet street corn. Cute cocktails. Don't skip dessert.

James Beard Award-nominated little-bitty bar/restaurant with tons of personality and charm has a big covered patio with heaters in the winter. Menu is "Thai drinking food" but so much more than that, with big, complex flavors, a real love of veggies and a strong sense of fun. Cocktails change regularly but feature beautiful rums and unusual ingredients. Mocktails, too.

Both locations serve a similar menu, from hibachi as entertainment to some of the better sushi in town to elaborately presented sashimi platters. Also: lunch specials, hot pots, yaki udon, dumplings, mochi ice cream, kids menu. Japanese beer, sake, cocktails and wine.

Party sushi bar with private karaoke rooms. Lots of rolls and sashimi as well as surf and turf, noodles, fried tofu and apps. Hot and cold sake, saketinis, wine, mostly domestic beer but a few Japanese brews.

Noodles (available with various proteins), rice entrees, soups, salads, curries and a Thai dessert selection. Spice level can be serious. A couple of Thai beers among the domestics, sakes and a section of organic wines.

Sushi place in Watkinsville has a large array of rolls, entrees, bento boxes, kids meals, poke, noodles, desserts. Sake and Japanese whisky at the bar as well as Japanese beers and other stuff. Gluten-free choices and a wide variety of boba drinks.

Asian-inflected bakery in a historic grocery does Eastern and Western baked goods, either custom order or from a selection each day. Impressive and elaborate cakes, croissants, cupcakes, mini pies, bar cookies, scones, mini quiches and more. Espresso and drip coffee. Gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan options available.

Small Atlanta-based chain does Asian/Latin fusion tacos: bulgogi and shiitake, teriyaki chicken with pineapple pico de gallo, tofu with sesame-soy vinaigrette and more. Apps, bowls and salads. Margaritas, cocktails, sangria and craft beers.

Big menu runs from fresh Thai salads to satay, spicy basil duck, lots of seafood and vegan options, plus gluten-free stuff, with lots of eggplant, basil, chilis and curry, all customizable to your taste. Kids menu. Beer and wine, Thai iced tea and Thai iced coffee.

Kosher AND all-you-can-eat sushi at this relatively new place downtown. Order your rolls and everything else from the touch screen at your table. Lots of vegetarian choices plus some unusual garnishes, like potato chips. Hot and cold tea, plus Sapporo to drink, and a couple of cute desserts.

Quick-service hibachi and sushi, plus wings, bento box specials at lunch and dinner, hibachi, soup, edamame and some fried apps.

Wings and chicken tenders are the bread and butter of this unassuming strip mall place near the dorms, but it also has a large menu of homestyle Korean favorites: dosirak, tteokbokki, soups, kimbap, bibimbap, manju, macarons.