Atlanta Restaurants Open 24-Hours

There are late-night restaurants, and then there are 24-hour restaurants.

It’s that 2:00 AM – 6:00 AM window that really separates the heavy hitters from the minor leaguers. Maybe you’re a GSU student pulling an all-nighter, maybe you’re road-tripping through Atlanta at 3:00 AM with a craving for something hot and filling, or maybe you need something hearty before your 4:50 AM flight.

Here are a few of our favorite 24-hour Atlanta restaurants worthy of our attention and our late-night/early-morning patronage.

Six donuts in a box. Clockwise from top left: strawberries and cream in a donut, peanut butter cup donut, A-shaped chocolate cream-filled donut, an orange star, a fritter with apple in the middle and a caramel drizzle, and a cookies and cream donut with pieces of dark Oreo cookie | Multiple Locations — Some simply sublime donuts

Sublime Doughnuts

Sublime deserves a spot in Atlanta’s donut conversation for more than just their hours. It’s hard to choose a favorite order because they offer up such a variety of shapes, flavors, and vibes. My personal favorite is the Strawberries and Cream (top left), which is filled with a sweet cream and whole pieces of fresh and juicy strawberries. The Caramel Apple Fritter (bottom middle) is another treat that has crunch yet melts in your mouth. And if, like Aaron Carter, you want candy, look no further than the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup (top middle) or Oreo (bottom left) options. The only thing better than one delicious sweet treat is one with candy on top. And the only thing better than that is one in the middle of the night.

Multiple Locations — Welcome home. | Photo Credit: Waffle House

Waffle House

Could we really NOT include WaHo here? While COVID may have changed up the hours at certain locations, for the most part, no matter the time of day, you can get an All-Star with your hash browns scattered, smothered, covered, and chunked and a chocolate chip waffle with extra butter. Isn’t that what America is all about?

Black skillet of fajitas with steak, chicken, onions, and peppers | 1958 Piedmont Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30324 — Mixed Fajitas | Mama’s Cocina Latina | Photo Credit: Mama’s

Mama’s Cocina Latina

It doesn’t matter what time of day you’re craving down-home Mexican grub, because Mama’s is open nonstop from Monday through Saturday. Steak fajitas, shrimp tacos, and margs are always great, but imagine eating them at 3:00 AM on a Thursday! Whether dining in, carrying out, or going through the drive-thru, Mama’s is a move you won’t regret.

Several plates of french toast with powdered sugar and sliced bananas | 1812 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30309 — French Toast | R. Thomas Deluxe Grill | Photo Credit: R. Thomas

R. Thomas Deluxe Grill

What started out as a burger joint with non-stop breakfast turned into a free-spirited spot celebrated by vegetarians and carnivores alike. Founder Richard Thomas joked, “I lost the keys to the place on opening day, so we just stayed open”. The hours are a little trickier these days – they’re closed Mondays, open 7:00 AM – 11:00 PM Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and open 7:00 AM – 5:00 AM Thursdays through Saturdays before closing at 11:00 PM on Sundays. We’ll give them 24-hour credit anyway!

Diners

By the very definition, most diners are open 24 hours (and have novellas for menus), but here are a few highlights.

Cheesecake with cherries on top | Multiple Locations — Cherry Cheesecake | Landmark Diner | Photo Credit: Landmark Diner

Landmark Diner

With two locations in Buckhead and downtown, they seem to particularly thrive after-hours, inspiring their descriptor “Where Stars Meet at Night”.

Marietta Diner

The pride of Marietta, with an endless and eclectic collection of dishes like a Fried Mac and Cheese Burger, Baklava Cheesecake, and the vaguely but aptly named Out of this World (Romanian tenderloin accompanied by shrimp scampi over rice…obviously). The Marietta Diner is packed no matter the time of day, and it’s in the rare company of restaurants that have been featured on both of television’s most acclaimed programs: Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and Atlanta Eats.