Red Eye Southern Kitchen in Atlanta: What to Know Before You Go

If you’re craving Southern and soul food in Atlanta, you may come across the name Red Eye Southern Kitchen while planning where to eat. The name sounds like it belongs right in the heart of Atlanta’s fried chicken, biscuit, and meat-and-three scene, so it’s natural to ask:

• Is Red Eye Southern Kitchen in or near Atlanta?
• What kind of food does it serve?
• How does it compare to the Southern and soul food options in the city?

This guide walks through what Atlanta diners should know about Red Eye Southern Kitchen and how it fits into the broader Atlanta Southern and soul food landscape.

Is Red Eye Southern Kitchen in Atlanta?

As of the most recent information available, Red Eye Southern Kitchen does not operate a full-service restaurant in the City of Atlanta itself.

The brand is known for modern takes on Southern comfort food—dishes like fried chicken, shrimp and grits, biscuits, mac and cheese, and skillet-style sides. However, its locations are typically tied to travel corridors, such as:

• Highway or interstate travel plazas
• Hotel-adjacent dining concepts
• Locations just outside major metro cores

Because Atlanta is such a transportation hub, it’s possible to encounter Red Eye Southern Kitchen-branded locations along routes leading into or out of the metro area, for example:

• Along I-75, I-85, or I-20 corridors where travelers stop on their way to or from Atlanta
• Near regional airports or hotel clusters outside the city center

If you’re in downtown Atlanta, Midtown, Buckhead, or the main in-town neighborhoods, you’re more likely to find local, independent Southern and soul food restaurants than this specific branded kitchen.

✅ Key takeaway:
If you live in Atlanta or are staying in the city, you’ll probably use Red Eye Southern Kitchen more as a road-trip or hotel stop rather than a core “Atlanta must-visit” restaurant. For in-town Southern and soul food, you’ll have a much wider range of locally rooted options.

What Kind of Food Does Red Eye Southern Kitchen Serve?

While specific menus can vary by location, Red Eye Southern Kitchen typically focuses on:

• Fried or roasted chicken
• Catfish or other fried seafood
• Shrimp and grits
• Biscuits, cornbread, and skillet breads
• Macaroni and cheese, collard greens, mashed potatoes
• Burgers and sandwiches with a Southern twist

The style is usually:

• Casual dining – Sit-down meals, often family-friendly
• Road-travel friendly – Straightforward, recognizable dishes
• Comfort-focused – Hearty plates, big portions, familiar flavors

For an Atlanta visitor or resident, this is very similar to what you’d see at many Southern and soul food spots around the city, but with a more standardized, branded feel rather than a single, chef-driven local restaurant.

How Red Eye Southern Kitchen Fits Into Atlanta’s Southern & Soul Food Scene

Atlanta is known for deeply rooted, locally loved Southern and soul food restaurants, often with decades of history. Compared to that, Red Eye Southern Kitchen functions more like a regional chain concept that you might encounter on the way into town.

Here’s how it typically compares from an Atlanta diner’s point of view:

If you’re passing through the Atlanta area and see a Red Eye Southern Kitchen attached to a hotel or travel stop, it can be a practical, familiar-feeling option when you don’t want to hunt around.

If you’re staying in Atlanta and want to experience the city, you may prefer to explore:

• Soul food institutions rooted in Atlanta’s Black culinary history
• Modern Southern restaurants offering updated takes on classics
• Neighborhood meat-and-three spots where locals eat every week

Finding Southern and Soul Food in Atlanta (If You Can’t Get to Red Eye Southern Kitchen)

If your interest in Red Eye Southern Kitchen comes from a general craving for Southern and soul food, Atlanta gives you many ways to satisfy that without leaving the city.

Here’s how to narrow down options depending on where you are and what you want.

1. If You’re Staying Downtown or Near the Georgia World Congress Center

Look for:

• Cafeteria-style or buffet-style soul food with options like fried chicken, smothered pork chops, candied yams, collards, and cornbread
• Spots that are walking distance or a short rideshare from major hotels

These can be convenient if you’re attending events at:

• Georgia World Congress Center (285 Andrew Young International Blvd NW, Atlanta, GA 30313)
• State Farm Arena
• Mercedes-Benz Stadium

Tip: Many downtown-friendly spots get busy at lunch and before big events, so arriving early or planning for a short wait is often helpful.

2. If You’re in Midtown or Near the Arts Centers

In Midtown and surrounding neighborhoods, you’re more likely to find:

• Chef-driven Southern restaurants with dishes like elevated fried chicken, pimento cheese, farm-vegetable sides, and creative takes on shrimp and grits
• Brunch-focused menus featuring biscuits, chicken and waffles, and Southern-style breakfast plates

This works well if you’re visiting:

• Fox Theatre (660 Peachtree St NE)
• High Museum of Art (1280 Peachtree St NE)
• Atlanta Symphony Hall

Many Midtown spots accept reservations, especially at dinner and weekend brunch, which can be useful during busy convention or event weekends.

3. If You’re Near the Airport or Stopping Through Atlanta

If you’re flying in or out of Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) and craving Southern-style food:

• Inside the airport, look for Southern-inspired quick-service spots in various concourses that serve fried chicken, biscuits, and sides.
• Around the airport hotels along Virginia Avenue, Old National Highway, and Riverdale Road, you’ll find a mix of local diners, barbecue, and casual Southern food that can fill a similar role to what Red Eye Southern Kitchen offers travelers.

If you encounter a Red Eye Southern Kitchen-branded concept attached to a hotel or travel plaza near these corridors, you can expect:

• A familiar Southern-leaning menu
• Casual, sit-down service
• A focus on straightforward comfort food over “destination dining”

What to Expect Price- and Experience-Wise

If you’re trying to decide whether to stop at a Red Eye Southern Kitchen near the Atlanta region or seek out a local spot in the city, it helps to think about:

Typical Experience at Red Eye Southern Kitchen–Style Places

You can generally expect:

• Menu: Straightforward fried chicken, burgers, shrimp and grits, sides
• Atmosphere: Casual, traveler- and family-friendly
• Pricing: Usually in the range of mid-priced casual dining, not fast food but also not high-end
• Service pace: Designed for road travelers or hotel guests—not rushed, but reasonably quick

Typical Experience at In-Town Atlanta Southern/Soul Food Spots

Depending on the neighborhood:

• Menu depth: Often more regionally specific (e.g., more emphasis on oxtails, neck bones, or particular sides)
• Atmosphere: Can range from counter-service and cafeteria-style to full white-tablecloth Southern dining
• Pricing: Varies widely, but you’ll find:
  • Affordable lunch plates in older neighborhoods
  • Higher-priced, chef-driven Southern in areas like Midtown, Inman Park, Old Fourth Ward, and Buckhead
• Crowds: Popular local spots can have wait times, especially Sunday after church and weekend brunch

How to Decide: Red Eye Southern Kitchen vs. Exploring Local Atlanta Spots

Use this quick guide based on your situation:

• You’re on a long drive, staying near a highway hotel, or have kids in tow

  • A Red Eye Southern Kitchen–type location along your route can be convenient and predictable.

• You’re visiting Atlanta and want a “this is Atlanta” food experience

  • Aim for a local Southern or soul food restaurant in the city; this gives you more of the history, community, and flavor variety Atlanta is known for.

• You’re near the airport with a short window of time

  • Airport-area Southern options or a nearby branded concept like Red Eye Southern Kitchen can work, but if you have a longer layover or an extra day, heading into the city opens up many more choices.

Practical Tips for Enjoying Southern & Soul Food Around Atlanta

Even if Red Eye Southern Kitchen itself isn’t your main destination, these tips apply to similar Southern and soul food spots around Atlanta:

• Check hours first. Some soul food restaurants in Atlanta are closed on certain days (often Mondays) or close early after lunch.
• Plan around traffic. Atlanta traffic can be heavy, especially on I-285, I-75, I-85, and GA-400, so give yourself extra time if you’re heading to a specific restaurant across town.
• Look at menus in advance. Many Southern restaurants have daily specials (like oxtails on certain days only) and different lunch vs. dinner options.
• Be mindful of portion sizes. Southern plates can be large; many Atlanta diners plan on splitting entrees or taking leftovers.
• Ask about spice and seasoning. Fried chicken batter, hot sauces, or Cajun-seasoned dishes can be mild to fairly spicy; staff are usually happy to guide you.

When to Look Specifically for Red Eye Southern Kitchen Near Atlanta

Red Eye Southern Kitchen makes the most sense to seek out if:

• You’ve enjoyed the brand elsewhere (for example, on another road trip) and want something familiar near Atlanta.
• You’re booking a hotel outside the core city and see that it has an on-site Red Eye Southern Kitchen–branded restaurant or a similar setup.
• You’re driving through Georgia and looking for a recognizable Southern-style stop without detouring into Atlanta traffic.

If those situations don’t apply, you’ll likely get more variety and local character by exploring Atlanta’s numerous Southern and soul food restaurants within the city.

In short, Red Eye Southern Kitchen is best understood, from an Atlanta perspective, as a regional, traveler-focused Southern comfort concept you might encounter near highways and hotels, rather than a central part of Atlanta’s in-town restaurant scene. For anyone living in or visiting Atlanta who wants Southern or soul food, the city itself offers a wide range of local, neighborhood, and chef-driven options that go well beyond what a single branded kitchen can provide.