CJ Johnson in Restaurants

20 Best Lunch Specials In Atlanta Right Now

Photo credit: Dan Gold / Unsplash

Lunch is typically the biggest meal of the day. And it doesn’t have to be the most expensive one.

In this article, we’ll cover the best lunch specials you can find in Atlanta, Georgia on a weekday.

The best Atlanta lunch specials are those that will hold you over for most of the day. We’re talking hearty meals with big entrees for a cheap price.

All of these eateries have social distancing and other public health protocols in place.

The Best Lunch Specials In Atlanta Right Now

If you’re wondering where to go to enjoy a cheap lunch special in Atlanta, here are the best restaurants:

Pig-N-Chik BBQ

Atlanta Locations:

1815 Briarcliff Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30329 | (404) 474-9444
4920 Roswell Rd, Sandy Springs, GA 30342 | (404) 255-6368
5071 Peachtree Blvd, Chamblee, GA 30341 | (770) 451-1112

Photo credit: Pig-N-Chik BBQ

Pig-N-Chik BBQ has a great lunch special going on right now: From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., you can get pork or chicken with a choice of select sides for $6. Then there are the Ballpark Specials: $5 all-beef hot dogs with fries (add slaw for $1).

Cowboy Chicken

90 S Point Blvd, McDonough, GA 30253 | (770) 629-2774

Cowboy Chicken now offers guests a lunch special comprised of wood-fired rotisserie chicken for $7!

The lunch special boasts a choice of one-quarter dark or white meat chicken, one side, a roll and a drink. This limited time special is available at all Cowboy Chicken locations now through April 4.

26 Thai Kitchen & Bar

541 Main St NE F170, Atlanta, GA 30324 | (404) 400-5995

has Khao Pad (Thai fried rice) for $6.99 featuring Chicken, pork, beef or tofu. Check out 26 Thai Kitchen’s lunch menu.

Escobar Restaurant And Tapas

At Escobar Restaurant and Tapas, you can enjoy lunch specials (dine-in only) from Monday-Friday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Here’s a sample of what you can get on the menu:

$5: House Salad
$6: Cup of Gumbo
$10: Blackened Salmon (+ 1 side)
Fried Chicken (+1 side)
6 Shrimp and Fries
Cheeseburger and Fries (beef or turkey)

Escobar also has $5 tapas and happy hour drink specials Monday-Friday from 2 to 8 p.m.

HobNob Neighborhood Tavern

6690 Town Square, Suite #420, Alpharetta, GA 30005 | (470) 448-4572
1221 Ashford Crossing, Atlanta, GA 30346 | (470) 395-7904
804 Town Blvd A1010, Atlanta, GA 30319 | (404) 464-8971
Atlantic Station: 245 18th St NW, Atlanta, GA 30363 | (404) 343-2800

For just $10, choose among three options: any cup of soup and a half salad from the full menu; an appetizer of pork belly lollipops, fried green tomatoes, chili fries or soft pretzels and any cup of soup or half salad from the full menu; or a sandwich (fried green tomato BLT, pimento cheese or chicken salad) and any cup of soup or half salad from the full menu. HOBNOB lunch is served Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

Papi’s Cuban & Caribbean Grill

216 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30308 | (404) 607-1525

Papi’s Cuban & Caribbean Grill’s lunch special entrees come with plantains & fresh baked bread. Daily lunch special start at 6.99. See the menu here.

The Beautiful Restaurant

2260 Cascade Rd SW, Atlanta, GA 30311 | (404) 752-5931

The Beautiful offers a $6.99 lunch special Monday through Friday. See the menu.

Dat Fire Jerk Chicken

226 Northside Dr SW, Atlanta, GA 30313 | (404) 254-4494

Photo credit: Pexels

At Dat Fire Jerk Chicken, you can get the Jerk Chicken Meal (11am-2pm) Comes w/ rice n peas, can soda or bottled water and choice of cabbage salad or collards.

Oz Pizza

2805 Main St., East Point, Ga. 30344

Oz Pizza in East Point also has a great lunch special through the week.

Number 1 is 1 slice with 1 topping, house salad & fountain drink
Number 2: 2 Slices with 2 Toppings & Fountain Drink
Number 3: 2 Slices of Cheese & Fountain Drink

Bartaco

969 Marietta St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318 | (404) 607-8226
299 North Highland Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30307 | (470) 400-8226
3802 Roswell Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30342 | (678) 871-8226

At Bartaco, they’ll give you any three tacos, plus a soup or salad for $11.

Farm Burger Lunch Special

275 Memorial Dr. SE STE 82 Atlanta, Ga. 30312 | 404-748-1310
410B W Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030 | (404) 378-5077
3365 Piedmont Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30305 | (404) 816-0603
22 14th St NW suite d, Atlanta, GA 30309 | (404) 343-2888

Farm Burger has a lunch special for $8.95, which gives you a burger, fries and drink from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. through the week.

Crazy Atlanta

182 Courtland St NE, Atlanta, GA 30303 | (404) 975-3343

Crazy Atlanta Travel Bar and Street Food Event has several lunch specials, including:

Two tacos, rice, beans, + one can of soda – $8
Burrito lunch + one can of soda – $9
Pizza slice (cheese or pepperoni) + one can of soda- $6
Gyro, French fries + one can of soda – ONLY $8
Chicken wrap, French fries + one can of soda- $9
Taco salad with chicken + one can of soda – $9

Fox Bros B-B-Q

1238 DeKalb Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307 | (404) 577-4030

Fox Bros BBQ has lunch specials through the week. For example, here’s a Tuesday lunch special: Montreal Smoked Meat on Rye with yellow mustard.

Folk Art Restaurant

465 North Highland Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30307 | (404) 537-4493

Folk Art Restaurant features the $10.99 Bad to the Bone dish, which features House roasted pork shoulder topped with collard green cole slaw, date chili bourbon BBQ, gruyére cheese & caramelized onions.

Your PIe

275 Memorial Drive SE, Suite B1Atlanta, Georgia | 678-399-3838
5 West Paces Ferry Road NWAtlanta, GA | 404-855-5338

Your Pie in Buckhead has a lunch special at Your Pie Buckhead – a 7″ pizza, drink, & side for only $7.99 from 11am-2pm daily.

Bon Ton

674 Myrtle St NE, Atlanta, GA 30308 | (404) 996-6177

Bon Ton in Midtown has a lunch special that would make New Orleans proud! The lunch special I tried was a 1/2 shrimp po boy, Zapp’s chips and a soda for $10.

Vickery’s Bar & Grill

933 Garrett St #101, Atlanta, GA 30316 | (404) 627-8818

Happy Wednesday! Our lunch special today is a Chicken Diablo – blackened chicken, jalapenos, red pepper mayo, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion on a kaiser roll.

Boxcar at Hop City West End

1000 White St., Atlanta, GA 30310 | (470) 788-8171

Every Monday – Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. the restaurant is serving $11 apps and grab & go bites along with $12 specialty cocktails. Featured items include “Local Pork Ribs” smoked and fried to perfection and “Twerky Sandwich” filled with house smoked turkey, swiss cheese, bacon, arugula and dijonaise.

Eats

600 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30308 | (404) 888-9149

Eats in Midtown offers a simple but delicious trifecta: meat-and-three plate for $8.

This Is It BBQ & Seafood

3620 Camp Creek Pkwy, Atlanta, GA 30331 | (404) 629-0996

This restaurant has several locations all over Atlanta. Lunch specials start at $12.99. Here’s what you can get:

Meatloaf Over Mashed Potatoes: Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday
1/2 Roasted Chicken Over Sassy Rice: Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday
Turkey Wing Over Dressing: Thursday
Oxtails Over Sassy Rice: Friday & Saturday

Fellini’s PIzza

909 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30306 | (404) 873-3088

Fellini’s Pizza is known for cheap but good food in Atlanta. One slice is just $2.75 while a Sicilian Slice is $2.95. Additional toppings are 50 cents. A large pie is $14.50.

No Mas Cantina

180 Walker St SW Ste B, Atlanta, GA 30313 | (404) 574-5678

Their Tacos De Pescada dish is just $12.99 and featuresWild Alaskan Pollock, jicama coleslaw, creamy chipotle, fresh flour tortillas, with poblano rice & refried beans.

Sunflower Cafe

2140 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30309 | (404) 352-8859

At Sunflower Cafe, they offer a $12 Black Bean Quesadilla featuring organic brown rice, black beans, sweet corn, spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and vegan cheese. Comes with organic corn chips, salsa, and organic mixed green salad tossed in a ginger dressing.

Final Word

You don’t have to spend a lot of money on lunch in Atlanta, Georgia. There are plenty of restaurants that offer lunch specials in the city.

When it’s time for lunch, you don’t have to spend a big amount in Atlanta. I know it may seem like that, but you really don’t. There are quite a few places that offer lunch specials.

The way to eat cheap in Atlanta is to order some of the basic food items on the menu. If you can get a dish with chicken or turkey, it will be typically cheaper than choosing fish or shrimp.

The ATL has other cool eateries as well. If you’re gluten-free, there’s plenty of options. Same goes for keto-friendly restaurants or Asian fare in Atlanta.

The city has some good restaurants in each quadrant of the city: East, West, North, South. All you need to do is think about what you have a taste for. Italian? Soul food? Tex-Mex? Atlanta has it all.

If you want to check out some other romantic restaurants in Atlanta, these are hard to beat. But Atlanta also has trendy restaurants, pop-ups and time-tested landmarks that continue to draw big crowds.

Metro Atlanta’s food and drink scene continues to grow with no stops on the horizon. Ready to try something new?

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CJ Johnson: CJ is a longtime Atlantan who has written a book about Atlanta's food scene. He has also fallen in love with the city's music and sports scenes. He writes about Food, Restaurants, Travel, Sports and Atlanta Culture. Check out the book. https://amzn.to/3RPmbZM