Best Restaurants Near the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta

If you’re planning a day at the Georgia Aquarium in downtown Atlanta, you’ll almost certainly be thinking about where to eat before or after your visit. The aquarium is in the heart of Centennial Park District, which means you have plenty of restaurant options within easy walking distance—from quick kid-friendly spots to sit-down meals, date-night dinners, and group-friendly choices.

Below is a practical guide to restaurants near the aquarium in Atlanta, how close they are, what they’re best for, and tips for timing your meal around aquarium crowds and downtown events.

Quick Overview: Where to Eat Near the Georgia Aquarium

The Georgia Aquarium is located at:

Most nearby restaurants are in and around:

• Centennial Olympic Park / Centennial Park District
• The Luckie Street, Baker Street, and Marietta Street corridors
• Downtown Atlanta within a 5–15 minute walk or short rideshare

At-a-Glance: Restaurant Types Within a ~10-Minute Walk

Always check current hours—downtown Atlanta restaurants sometimes adjust schedules based on events and weekdays vs. weekends.

Closest Eats: Within a Short Walk of the Aquarium

If you don’t want to move your car or walk far with kids, focus on restaurants along Baker Street, Luckie Street, and around Centennial Olympic Park. These are popular with visitors going to the Georgia Aquarium, World of Coca-Cola, and the College Football Hall of Fame.

What to Expect Right Around the Aquarium

Most restaurants within a 5–10 minute walk fall into a few categories:

• Fast-casual chains (burgers, sandwiches, pizza, tacos)
• Sports bars and grills with TVs and casual menus
• Hotel restaurants (often less crowded on weekdays, sometimes more upscale)
• Grab-and-go spots for quick snacks or coffee

These are ideal if:

• You’re on a tight schedule with aquarium timed entry
• You have kids or a large group and need familiar, flexible options
• You want to avoid re-parking downtown

💡 Local tip: If you want to eat right before your aquarium visit, go early—11:00–11:30 a.m. is usually easier than the noon rush, especially on weekends and holidays.

Family-Friendly & Kid-Focused Options

Most visitors asking about “restaurants near Aquarium Atlanta” are either traveling with kids or in mixed-age groups. Downtown near the aquarium is built for that.

Look for:

• Burger and sandwich spots: Usually along Baker St and Marietta St
• Pizza and Italian: Good for splitting large pies with families
• Fast-casual Mexican or bowls: Customizable for picky eaters

Common features in this area:

• High chairs and kids’ seating
• Shared platters or combo meals
• Quick service so you can get back to sightseeing

If you’re going with strollers:

• Aim for street-level storefronts on Baker, Luckie, and Marietta streets.
• Many hotel restaurants nearby have wide entries and elevators and can be easier to navigate than cramped storefronts.

Sit-Down Restaurants & Date-Night Options Nearby

If you’re looking for a more relaxed or grown-up meal before or after the aquarium, the Centennial Park District and downtown hotels offer a number of sit-down options.

What You’ll Find

Within a short radius around the aquarium and Centennial Olympic Park, you’ll see:

• Southern-inspired restaurants serving fried chicken, shrimp and grits, and regional dishes
• American grills with steaks, burgers, salads, and seafood
• Hotel dining rooms that can be quieter and more polished

These spots tend to suit:

• Date nights after an evening aquarium visit
• Work dinners or convention groups at the Georgia World Congress Center
• Special occasions when you want a slower-paced meal

💡 Local tip: If there’s a major event at Mercedes-Benz Stadium or State Farm Arena, downtown restaurants can fill up quickly. Reservations at sit-down spots can be very helpful on event nights.

Group-Friendly & Sports-Bar Style Choices

If you’re in a big group, planning a school trip, or visiting with a team, you’ll likely want:

• Ample seating
• Casual menus (burgers, wings, tacos, flatbreads)
• Split checks and flexible seating arrangements

Nearby, especially close to Centennial Olympic Park and around the CNN Center/State Farm Arena side of downtown, you’ll find:

• Sports bars and pubs with multiple TVs
• Larger casual chains with big dining rooms
• Hotel restaurants used to handling conference and convention crowds

This part of downtown is often used by:

• Visitors attending Falcons, Hawks, or Atlanta United games
• Families doing a full “attraction day” (Aquarium + World of Coke + SkyView)
• Convention attendees from the Georgia World Congress Center

If you need to feed a large group on a school field trip, it’s common to:

• Call ahead to ask about group seating
• Visit earlier or later than peak lunch (before 11:30 a.m. or after 1:30 p.m.)
• Consider simple, shareable options like pizza or buffet-style if available

Lunch vs. Dinner Near the Aquarium: When to Eat

Timing your meal around your aquarium visit can make a big difference in how crowded nearby restaurants feel.

Lunch Near the Georgia Aquarium

Lunch crowds are driven by:

• Aquarium visitors
• Other attraction tourists
• Downtown workers (especially on weekdays)

To avoid long waits:

• Aim for early lunch (around 11:00–11:30 a.m.)
• Or go later (after 1:30 p.m.) if your aquarium tickets allow
• Consider fast-casual if you’re short on time between attractions

Dinner Near the Georgia Aquarium

Dinner patterns depend heavily on:

• Whether it’s a weekday or weekend
• Whether there’s a game or concert at nearby venues
• Special events at Centennial Olympic Park or State Farm Arena

Typical patterns:

• On quiet weekdays, some downtown spots may close earlier or feel calmer.
• On event nights and weekends, sports bars and casual restaurants fill up quickly, especially between 5:30–7:30 p.m.

If you want a calmer dinner after visiting the aquarium:

• Consider earlier dining (around 5:00–5:30 p.m.)
• Look at hotel restaurants within walking distance, which can be less hectic than street-front bars on heavy event nights

Dietary Needs: Vegetarian, Vegan, and Gluten-Friendly Options

Downtown Atlanta restaurants near the aquarium generally offer at least a few options for common dietary preferences, though selection varies by spot.

Typical patterns near the aquarium:

• Vegetarian:

  • Salads with customizable toppings
  • Veggie pizzas or flatbreads
  • Pasta dishes without meat
  • Bean- or veggie-based bowls or tacos at casual spots

• Vegan:

  • More limited; often managed through customization (no cheese, no cream-based sauces)
  • Some fast-casual places offer plant-based proteins or grain bowls

• Gluten-conscious or gluten-free–leaning:

  • Grilled meats with vegetables or salads
  • Certain bowls or tacos with corn tortillas (where available)
  • Some spots label gluten-free items clearly, but policies vary

If you have strict dietary restrictions or food allergies:

• Ask to see ingredient information and how food is prepared
• Mention cross-contact concerns clearly to the staff
• You may want to call ahead for more specific information, especially with serious allergies

Price Expectations Near the Georgia Aquarium

Prices in the immediate aquarium area are generally tourism- and event-influenced, so expect a slight premium compared to neighborhood spots further out.

Very roughly, you might see:

• Fast-casual lunch:

  • About the cost of a typical national-chain meal per person (burger/sandwich/bowl + drink)

• Sit-down restaurants:

  • Entrées typically cost more than fast food but vary widely based on the style of restaurant
  • Dinner is often noticeably more than lunch for the same style of place

Ways locals and frequent visitors manage costs:

• Eat a substantial breakfast elsewhere, then do a lighter lunch near the aquarium
• Share appetizers or larger entrées at sit-down restaurants
• Visit fast-casual or grab-and-go spots between attractions rather than full-service dining twice in a day

Parking and Getting Around for Dining

If you’ve already parked for the Georgia Aquarium, you may be wondering whether to move your car or walk.

Parking Basics

The main Georgia Aquarium parking deck is at:

From this deck, you can walk to many restaurants in 5–10 minutes. Other nearby garages and surface lots serve the World of Coca-Cola, Centennial Olympic Park, and State Farm Arena area.

Tips:

• If you park once for the aquarium, try to walk to nearby restaurants rather than moving your car and paying again.
• On game or concert days, parking prices often increase near the stadiums and arenas, and decks can fill quickly.

Walking and Transit

The Georgia Aquarium area is generally walkable, especially around:

• Baker St NW
• Luckie St NW
• Marietta St NW
• The perimeter of Centennial Olympic Park

Public transit:

• The nearest MARTA rail stations are typically Dome/GWCC/State Farm Arena/CNN Center Station and Peachtree Center Station.
• From those, you can walk to the aquarium and nearby restaurants in about 10–15 minutes, depending on your route.

Rideshare:

• Rideshare pickup/drop-off spots around Luckie St and Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd are frequently used by aquarium visitors and diners.

Planning a Full “Aquarium + Food + Downtown” Day

If you’re visiting Atlanta for the first time or planning a staycation, it can help to think of your restaurants near the Aquarium as part of a full downtown experience.

A sample plan many visitors use:

1. Morning

   • Park at or near the Georgia Aquarium
   • Visit the aquarium with a morning entry time

2. Lunch nearby

   • Walk to a fast-casual or family-friendly spot within about 5–10 minutes of the aquarium
   • Eat between 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

3. Afternoon

   • Walk to World of Coca-Cola or Centennial Olympic Park
   • Consider a coffee or snack break at a nearby café

4. Evening

   • Early dinner at a sit-down American or Southern restaurant in walking distance
   • Or attend a game or concert at State Farm Arena or Mercedes-Benz Stadium and eat at a sports bar before or after

This approach lets you park once, walk between attractions and restaurants, and avoid a lot of extra driving in downtown traffic.

How to Choose the Right Restaurant Near the Aquarium

When you’re standing outside the Georgia Aquarium wondering where to eat, narrow it down by asking:

1. How far do I want to walk?

   • 5 minutes or less → stick to Baker, Luckie, or nearby hotel restaurants
   • 10–15 minutes → you can include a larger part of downtown and Centennial Olympic Park

2. Who am I feeding?

   • Kids and picky eaters → burgers, pizza, and familiar chains
   • Date night or adult-focused → Southern or American sit-down spots, hotel dining rooms

3. How much time do I have?

   • Under an hour → fast-casual
   • 1–2 hours → full-service is realistic

4. What’s my budget?

   • Tighter budget → fast-casual, pizza, or sharing entrées
   • Flexible budget → full-service restaurants or hotel venues

By focusing on the Centennial Park District and the streets immediately around the Georgia Aquarium, you’ll find plenty of restaurants offering everything from a quick, kid-friendly lunch to a leisurely sit-down dinner. Plan your timing, consider event days, and you can easily fit a good meal into your aquarium visit without wandering far from the heart of downtown Atlanta.