The National
Welcome to The National, a culinary gem nestled in the heart of Athens, Georgia, at 232 W Hancock Ave. With a stellar rating of 4.6 stars, this restaurant is a must-visit for both locals and visitors alike. At The National, we pride ourselves on offering a unique dining experience that combines a seasonal menu with a warm, inviting atmosphere. Open for lunch and dinner from Wednesday through Saturday, our diverse offerings are designed to tantalize your taste buds while providing generous portions that make every meal worth the investment. Our menu is a delightful blend of flavors that changes frequently, ensuring that there's always something new and exciting to try. Popular dishes like our perfectly cooked salmon and innovative chicken creations have garnered praise from customers who appreciate the attention to detail and quality ingredients. The ambiance at The National is equally enchanting, perfect for a cozy dinner or a celebratory evening. With attentive service and knowledgeable staff ready to make recommendations, you’ll feel right at home. Plus, our location offers the added benefit of being situated in a vibrant area, making it easy to explore other local attractions after your meal. Join us at The National for an unforgettable dining experience that keeps our guests coming back for more! For more information, call us at +1 706-549-3450 or visit our website at thenationalrestaurant.com.
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Reviews & Questions
Google Reviews
Mohd Hasan
Overall pretty good. Kinda on the pricey side, but you get a lot of food for what you pay for so it's worth it if you look at it from that perspective. The biggest surprise from the menu was definitely the Stuffed Medjool Dates. I didn't expect it to be as good as it was. The restaurant is advertised as having "Mediterranean-style dished created with seasonal, southern influences". However, I would argue that these dishes are far more southern then they are Mediterranean. This is by no means a bad thing if that is your desire you will not be disappointed! However, for me personally, I would have preferred a menu more on the Mediterranean side.
Cheryl Ahart
During our short 5 day stay in Athens, we ate here twice! Menu changes often but so many interesting choices. The salmon was cooked to perfection and loved the chicken dish as well. Atmosphere feels friendly and welcoming while upscale. Would highly recommend
Stella Carrasco
I came to the national for my first time on a Wednesday for lunch after wanting to try it for a while. I sat at the bar and got the strawberry balsamic shrub and the bartender recommended the ham and cheese sandwich. Everything was so delicious and the bartender was extremely nice and friendly. Will definitely be coming back here to try their dinner.
Zinuhe Tinoco
This was a beautiful and chill place. Tip: Look for the blue and white building. The restaurant sign was hard to read from the street. The menu was small but had enough options for our guests. Everything we tried was delicious and did not disappoint. The staff was friendly and attentive. I recommend this place for a special occasion, meet up with family or friends, and if you are visiting the area.
Emilie Gille
The atmosphere was lovely and the service was delightful. Our server made helpful suggestions and recommendations as well. We were able to enjoy a lovely evening for our anniversary. The food was delicious and they were very attentive to my food allergies. I made the reservation through Resy and it was so easy and they were ready for us as soon as we arrived. The staff consistently wished us a happy anniversary and it was so sweet. We will definitely be coming back for a future date night!
Kim Mccormack
Our waiter Tom was excellent. Ready to help us select a wine we would enjoy. Our food was delicious. Prepared so we could easily share. A nice end to our day.
Clayton Tibbetts
5 Stars all around. One of the best spots for dinner in Athens. The food is always delicious and beautiful prepared. The servers are always friends. A great place to spend an evening with friends and family. Highly recommend!
Ivette Bledsoe
I have been to the National several times now and each time I tell my self I am not coming back. I end up returning due to an invitation or work function, etc. The wait staff is consistently neglectful and self righteous. The atmosphere is way overcrowded. The food is decent but it is high priced and small portioned. For example we were served our appetizer before our drinks. After waiting 10 minutes i asked our waiter to check on our drinks and he basically said get over it, the bar is busy. We ate our entire meal without someone checking on us to see if we needed anything.
Tyler Diehl
WOW. My fiancée and I celebrated our two year anniversary here and it exceeded our expectations. If you enjoy mediterranean style food this place is legit. Their house olives were very tasty, the stuffed dates had the perfect pop of manchego, the cheese plate was scrumptious and the patatas bravas were some of the best I have ever had. The pork chop was huge and very tasty. The Mahi was unique and tasted very fresh and vivacious. Their menu is constantly changing and updating which I love. I feel awful because I don't remember our servers name but he was a tall blonde gentleman and was wonderful. He explained their house cocktails in exquisite detail and was very knowledgeable of the whole menu. On top of that he comped our crème brûlée (which was incredible with the candied orange). We eat out a lot. This place got our attention, the service, the atmosphere, the freshness of the food and the attention to detail all lead to an incredible experience. We will be sure to visit again. 5/5
jennifer barry
We don't eat gluten and enjoyed our meal here! There was thoughtful exchanges to make our meal safe for us to enjoy and it was really delicious! They even have gluten-free flatbread for the hummus plate and to replace their baguettes. Thanks The National!!
