The Vortex

A fun place for great food and pleasant staff

This is a place that you go to once everything else is closed. The food is pretty good but the service is hit or miss. There are times when I haven’t even been asked for id at all, and other times where the “security” is checking. The last time I went my friend had lost her wallet and he wouldn’t accept a picture. We know of their policy and were fine with it at first. We stepped into the corner to look up another bar to go to. Until the guy stepped away from the front and literally about 6-7 people came in and sat down at the bar and tables without being checked. My friend and I decided to sit down and I already had a feeling that the security would come and say something to us and he literally did come up to us at the bar telling my friend that she can’t sit down inside the restaurant because she didn’t have her physical id. He wouldn’t even let her order food to go. Then when my friend asked why he’s trying to get her to leave when he quite literally let in about 7 other patrons without even ASKING to see their id, he says “well they’ve been here before”. Once we respond that we’ve also been there before because we literally have, he responds “well they look of age”. They were literally in the same age range as my friend and she’s in her late 20s. I’m a server & bartender myself and the age at which you can NOT ask for id because a person looks of age is literally when someone has wrinkles and grey hair, which none of those patrons did. We decided to just leave and eat somewhere else. Of course we understand the policy of showing id, but it was clearly just a classic case of discrimination if only some people are expected to adhere to the policy while others are not. I’m sure you can assume what color my friend was and what color the other patrons were who didn’t even get asked for their id. Not to mention sometimes there will be a nice and attentive bartender, sometimes you’ll sit for 10-15 minutes before anyone even gives you a menu and water.

It's the freakin' Vortex. If you don't know about it by now, maybe you don't deserve to go.

We had such a great time with my friend who’s visiting us from Mexico City. Perfect place to have such delicious hamburgers! Yummy

Great burgers and good beer! Love all the decor. They have great tater tots! I got their Four Horseman burger and it was messy but delicious! Parking: They have a limited number of free parking spots reserved for Vortex patrons. The rest of the lot is paid parking — $10 when I last saw.

I love The Vortex. I have been eating here every time that I come to Atlanta for what seems like almost 20 years. They always have excellent food and the service has always, always been really good for me and whomever was with me. Their burgers are amazing and I ventured out and tried the Buffalo Chicken sandwich for a change...amazing, as well. I really appreciate that their food is so consistent. I never have to worry about having a bad meal there, hence making it my primary food destination in Atlanta. Also, I took a very well-traveled friend with me and he was blown away. I could tell that he was sold and will be back in the future. Love, love, love The Vortex!