By George, Atlanta: What It Means and Where You’ll Hear It Around the City

If you’ve searched for “By George Atlanta” you might be wondering:
Is it a place? A restaurant? A quote? A local saying?

In Atlanta, “By George” can point to a few different things—some historical, some cultural, and some very practical if you’re trying to find a location, business, or event. This guide breaks down what “By George” might mean specifically in the context of Atlanta, Georgia, and what you might be looking for when you type it into a search bar.

What “By George” Usually Refers To in Atlanta

Depending on your situation, “By George Atlanta” could be:

• A restaurant, bar, or café with “George” in the name
• A hotel restaurant or lobby bar concept attached to a major Atlanta hotel
• A local event, program, or show using “By George” as a catchy title
• A reference to George Washington, George Tech (Georgia Tech), or a person named George in a local context
• A simple expression or phrase that shows up in Atlanta media, marketing, or conversation

Because new businesses and concepts in Atlanta come and go, “By George” is not tied to just one permanent landmark the way “The Varsity” or “Ponce City Market” are. Instead, it tends to appear as a brand name or title used in different contexts, especially in hospitality and creative projects.

If you’re trying to track down a specific spot, the fastest way is usually to:

• Add “restaurant,” “hotel,” “bar,” “event,” or “menu” to your search
• Include the neighborhood name (like Midtown, Downtown, Buckhead, Old Fourth Ward)
• Look for the street name or hotel brand if you remember it

“By George” as an Atlanta Restaurant or Hotel Concept

In Atlanta, many restaurants and bars operate inside hotels or large mixed-use buildings and may use distinctive names like “By George,” “George’s,” or similar phrases.

If you remember:

• A hotel setting or valet
• A lobby entrance or attached bar
• A hotel name (Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, boutique hotel, etc.)

then there’s a strong chance you’re thinking of a hotel-based dining concept rather than a stand-alone neighborhood spot.

How to Track Down a “By George” Restaurant in Atlanta

Use this simple approach if you’re trying to get back to a place you’ve visited:

1. Narrow down the area

   • Was it in Downtown near Peachtree Street or Centennial Olympic Park?
   • In Midtown near Peachtree & 10th, the Fox Theatre, or Tech Square?
   • In Buckhead near Lenox Square, Phipps Plaza, or Peachtree and Piedmont?

2. Pair “By George” with other details

   • Add the hotel brand name if you remember it.
   • Add the street name if you recall seeing signs (Peachtree, Marietta St, Courtland, etc.).
   • If it was inside a historic building or a renovated space, try searching “By George [neighborhood] historic.”

3. Call the front desk of nearby hotels
   If you know the area, calling a few front desks can be surprisingly effective. Many hotels in:

   • Downtown (30303, 30334)
   • Midtown (30308, 30309)
   • Buckhead (30326, 30305)

   can tell you whether they have, or used to have, a restaurant or bar using a concept name like “By George.”

When “By George” Is Part of a Business Name

Atlanta has a constant churn of restaurants, boutiques, pop-ups, and bars. Some may:

• Include “George” or “By George” in the name
• Operate as short-term concepts, chef residencies, or limited-time pop-ups
• Rebrand or rename after renovations or new ownership

For anyone living in or visiting Atlanta, this means:

• A place called “By George” may have changed names, hours, or menus since you last visited.
• A pop-up or seasonal experience called “By George” may no longer be active.
• If you saw “By George” on social media, it might refer to a temporary collaboration or kitchen takeover.

Practical Ways to Confirm If a “By George” Business Still Exists

Here are some common Atlanta-specific tactics:

• Search with the ZIP code, if you know it (e.g., 30308 for Midtown, 30303 for Downtown, 30305/30326 for Buckhead).
• Use nearby landmarks in your search, such as:
  • “By George near Ponce City Market”
  • “By George near Georgia Aquarium”
  • “By George in Buckhead Village”
• Call City of Atlanta business licensing offices to confirm if a business with that name is active:
  • City of Atlanta Office of Revenue – Business Licenses
    • 55 Trinity Avenue SW, Atlanta, GA 30303
    • Main line: (404) 330-6270

They can’t give reviews, but they may confirm whether a business is licensed under a particular name in the city limits.

“By George” as an Event, Show, or Creative Project

In a city with as many theaters, galleries, and performance spaces as Atlanta, “By George” can also pop up as:

• The name of a theatrical production
• A one-night performance or reading
• A gallery exhibition or pop-up
• A comedy or improv show title

You’re more likely to see this type of “By George”:

• In neighborhood arts hubs like Little Five Points, Old Fourth Ward, or Castleberry Hill
• At established venues such as:
  • Alliance Theatre (1280 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30309)
  • The Fox Theatre (660 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30308)
  • Dad’s Garage Theatre Company (569 Ezzard St SE, Atlanta, GA 30312)
• As part of Georgia State University or Georgia Tech arts programming

If you’re trying to relocate an event you saw advertised with “By George” in the title:

• Add “Atlanta theatre,” “Atlanta show,” “play,” “festival,” or “performance” to your search.
• Check the events calendars of major Atlanta venues or university arts departments.
• Search by date or month if you know roughly when it happened.

“By George” as a Phrase in Atlanta Culture

Outside of formal names, “By George!” is an old-fashioned English exclamation. In Atlanta you might see it:

• Used playfully in local advertising or marketing copy
• As part of themed events around George Washington, George Gershwin, or another George
• In social media captions where someone is being clever or nostalgic

If you’re seeing “By George, Atlanta…” in a sentence, it may just be:

• A headline or tagline, not a place
• A creative title for a blog post, podcast episode, or YouTube video about Atlanta
• A line of dialogue in a stage production or film set or shot in the city

In those cases, there often isn’t a physical location to visit—it’s just a phrase.

Quick Reference: What “By George Atlanta” Might Mean

Here’s a simple guide to help you interpret what you’re really looking for:

Tips for Atlantans and Visitors Trying to Pin Down “By George”

If you’re still not sure what “By George Atlanta” refers to in your case, these steps can help:

1. Note any extra details you remember

   • Was it near a MARTA station (Peachtree Center, Arts Center, Midtown, Buckhead)?
   • Did you see views of Downtown skyscrapers, or were you in more of a residential area?
   • Did the setting feel like inside a hotel, street-level retail, or a standalone house?

2. Search using cross-streets or landmarks

   • “By George near Peachtree Center MARTA”
   • “By George by Centennial Olympic Park”
   • “By George restaurant by Lenox Square”

3. Ask locals or front desks if you’re nearby

   • In walkable areas like Midtown, Downtown, and parts of Buckhead, hotel concierges and retail staff often know about nearby restaurants and bars, even if they’re inside other buildings.

4. Check if the business may have closed or rebranded

   • Atlanta’s dining and nightlife scene changes regularly. A “By George” concept might now be operating under a different name, especially after renovations, new ownership, or menu overhauls.

When in Doubt, Use Broader Atlanta Resources

If you’re trying to get detailed, up-to-date info on any Atlanta business or location that might have “By George” in the name, consider:

• City of Atlanta Information Line

  • General City Info (311 within city limits or main line via (404) 330-6000 if you’re calling from outside the city)
    They can’t recommend places, but can point you to the right department for permits or official records.

• Fulton County business or property records if you know a street address but not the current business name.

These official channels are most useful if you’re dealing with permits, licenses, or long-term locations, rather than short-term pop-ups.

In Atlanta, “By George” is more of a label than a landmark—it may be a restaurant concept, a show title, a short-term pop-up, or simply a clever phrase. The more you can pair it with neighborhoods, hotels, dates, or nearby landmarks, the easier it becomes to find exactly what you’re looking for in and around Atlanta.