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Categories: American (New), Bars [Edit]
Neighborhood: BuckheadBuckhead (North-South, Northeast-South, East-West, Proctor Creek)
Mon-Sat. 11:30 a.m. - 3:00 a.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 2:30 a.m.
I found out about this place when I tried out for Big Brother. I never knew where it was until like a week ago when I got lost on Lenox and drove by it. Yesterday, I was in the area trying to find food for my household at 9pm at night, so I thought I would try it out. As of the fourth sentence in this review I am undecided. I hate when it comes down to a pros and cons list but I think it comes down to that
Cons
1. Smoke (obviously this is a pro if you have chosen to shorten your life with this habit as opposed to the consumption of high amounts of sugar and fat like myself)
2. Only half decent chicken wings. I don't know what I expect from chicken wings in order for them to be good, but these weren't it. For some reason I feel like it was the actual quality of the chicken, like maybe they use the wings that are frozen and fry them frozen. The sauces were good enough although they were very sparingly applied. The thai sauce could have been just a tad spicier.
3. Soggy onion rings. I don't know if this should count as I only tasted the onion rings on the second day. I don't know if they got soggy in the frig or what.
Pros
1. Atmosphere- Will waiting for my take out order I was able to read a leftover paper and get my grove on to the music playing. "Thank you for letting be myself" indeed. In addition, the others there seemed to just be chill. Plus, it is a spot you wouldn't see unless you were looking for it. I always like that type of vibe. I do note that from the other reviewers, I wouldn't expect this to be the case when a college football game was on.
2. Ample (and validated if during the week) parking.
3. I also had the carribean egg roll. I ate it both by itself and with the sauce. By itself it was well seasoned, great dough (almost like a thin biscuit) but a little bit of dryness in the chicken. With the raspberry (what the?) sauce it was amazing. Unnecessarily fattening, but amazing. I think it was because the biscuit like dough mandated a biscuit topping. Dunno. But good.
Ok. So, a tie means that it is going to have to be a three. Basically, if a convenient reason arises, I will go here again, but I'm not feeling pressed to create a reason to go.
People thought this was:
I haven't been here recently but I sent a friend here last week.
I haven't eaten anything besides the jerk chicken wings but they're the best i've ever had.
Chicken wings with a spicy jerk rub and raspberry dipping sauce to bring the sweetness and kick it all up about 10 notches.
These are the kind of wings you want to take home and attack. These are not recommended for public consumption. They're so good, it might get obscene.
Been here three times, not once due to a strong desire to come here--meet up with somebody, watch sports when I didn't have my cable installed yet, meet up with somebody. When I just came out of college and moved to Atlanta this had seemed like a nice place but now totally inadequate as I became used to better establishments.
It has a rather generic chain-like interior setup. A heavy collegiate football crowd like mentioned by others. Pedestrian bar menu looks also very chain-like, out of which the food ranges from mediocre to unacceptable (inedible onion rings and ashy fried clam). Drink selections, again very generic, and bar service is lackluster. So conclusion is very generic and below average.
For similar style but better overall everything probably one would go to Marlow's. Dantanna is across the street and better.
People thought this was:
Came here on a lazy sunday afternoon, the weather was awesome so I wanted a place that was casual but at the same time had outdoor sitting. Now if you live in Buckhead, its hard to find places like that...most places are dressy....I had always driven by Bucket Shop Cafe when I would go to Lenox mall but never tried it out..so I finally did!! Wow I wish I tried this place out sooner!!!
Okk I tried their Chicken Rolls!!! Can I say that was the best dish I had eaten!! They were sooooo good!!! warm chicken covered in a filo pastry, it was totally delicious!!
The patio - outside sitting, faces the mall, so you get to enjoy the hustle and bustle of buckhead and lenox mall, but yet it is soo calming and relaxing to just enjoy food at a laid back place!
Most of all...parking is free..so thats always a plus :) hehe
I totally cant wait to check this place out again :)
WAR EAGLE! , but you may want to sneak in a sandwich.
Atmosphere is great on game day if you are an Auburn fan, but the food leaves quite a bit to be desired. I've only been there once and had the buffalo chicken sandwich. Next time, I'll follow the other Yelpers' advice and go with the burger.
People thought this was:
Finally, finally, FINALLY, I found my favorite Salmon BLT in Atlanta tonight!
It was Sunday 8 p.m. It wasn't busy night at all.
We sat outside table and enjoyed nice night breeze and Atlanta landscape.
Service wasn't the best but acceptable. Although I thought Reuben sandwich($8.50) that my partner got was just ok, i thought my BLT($8.75) was so great!!!! This is now one of a few places that I like in Atlanta. Definitely I'm coming back here for their Salmon BLT again.
People thought this was:
The Bucket Shop is consistently good. The Juke Box is one of the best in Atlanta. It's gotta real comfortable hole in the wall vibe. The Salmon BLT is awesome, So are their salads.The porch is nice to hang out on.
Downside - It's a little pricey... and the Fish and Chips were horrible.
I've been here once so far, but plan to return. Basically your standard sports bar with patio. There are sigs up about live music on Friday nights. The bar is nice and fully stocked. Sports on TVs all over the place. The servers were quick, professional and nice to look at. Nothing to complain about. Looking forward to giving their veggie burger a try next time. See you there!
People thought this was:
Here's why you go to The Bucket Shop:
It's fall, and you're an Auburn fan. If you're a REALLY big fan and care about prime seating, particularly in nice weather, go way early to snag a good patio table.
It's late night and you either a) want good bar food, or b) are meeting "someone" for a drink (it's a decent spot for a drink with . . . that . . person you might not go out with everywhere).
Or, you're just in the mood for lunch or dinner of chicken fingers, any of their sandwiches or bar apps like mozzarella sticks and nachos.
On the whole, it's a good place for groups, and with the big parking garage it's easy to find a spot (unlike a lot of places in Buckhead).
But the best reason or time to go to there? 4th of July. If you can get a spot on the patio, you've got the perfect view of the Lenox fireworks!
People thought this was:
I really am A-OK with The Bucket Shop. I used to think it was this gross hangout in a weird spot (the bottom of an office tower?) so I gave it a break. A long break. But then it grew on me in the worst way--this past weekend I went there Friday night and Saturday night! The Friday meetup was with a friend for drinks and we needed to meet somewhere in the middle (I'm Midtown, she's Perimeter). Saturday night was for FSU game watching. Now, believe it or not, there was no competition for TV's at Bucket Shop. We asked the bartender to put two different TV's on the FSU game and he obligied. No one was pissed, bartender didn't mind, and we attracted a small crowd of fellow fans. Yet another "Bucket Shop grew on me" moment.
The beers are cheap ($3.50 for Miller Lite?!) and the food is OK. Just plain bar food, not really worth writing about. The overall point to my review is to encourage you to visit the Bucket Shop if you want to watch some sports without competition for TV's/table/service/etc. that normally comes with game watching, and to give this place another try. I wasn't disappointed after a few years hiatus. Go Bucket Shop!
People thought this was:
This place stinks. In more than one way. The smell that lurks and hovers in the air is repulsive...loss of appetite? Can this place crawl out of the 1970's and possibly sniff the 1980's, at the very least?
There is this thing called ventilation which is very helpful to people who enjoy the art of breathing. If I want to choke on stench I'll just visit Harrah's Casino in Cherokee, NC to work on my black lung....
The food is very average, and I have to say, the set up inside is very strange. I feel like I am sitting in someones basement with their homemade bar, paneled walls and stained mildew carpet.
I can see sitting on the patio with a beer on a sunny day, and that gives this place the 1 extra star but that's all it is worth.
People thought this was:
The Bucket Shop is more than your basic sports bar. I went Saturday night with friends to watch football, and was expecting basic greasy bar food. I was pleasantly surprised. We actually got great service and our server was really helpful. He was fine when we just hung out with drinks and chips and salsa for a while. No pressure or asking us every five minutes, "Are you ready to order yet?" That is one thing I hate! Now I firmly believe that when you are in a specific type of restaurant let them do what they do! Don't get grilled chicken at a seafood restaurant and don't get the pasta at the most acclaimed steak house in town. Know what I mean? But I digress. So I went with the burger and it was actually really good. Cooked and seasoned perfectly. The fries were a tad soggy, but other than that it hit the spot!
You can actually go healthy here, if you must. They offer several fresh salads with grilled chicken, shrimp, and a black and blue salad that looked yummy. I don't think you can go wrong!
The football game we were watching didn't go the way I hoped, but that's all I can complain about!
This is the bar on the way home. The service sucks. The drink are strong, but it's so convenient.
We just went Saturday night 09/27/08 after a play and it was DEAD, and the service still sucked, I almost left no tip. I think that's heartless, so I left a bad one on purpose.
People thought this was:
The Bucket Shop is a lot of fun. If you like to watch Auburn football this is definitely the place for you. Ladies, if you a single this is the place to find a cute boy in the fall. This place gets crazy packed for college game day. The food is just alright, probably one notch up from super greasy bar food, and the drinks are reasonably priced. Its a fun place to mix and mingle. The outdoor patio area is nice. The location is a little strange, but it's definitely a good time.
People thought this was:
I read the other reviews for this place before deciding to post my review. I can see why so many people have give 1 or 2 stars in their review.
I went with 2 girlfriends on a late Friday night. We sat ourselves outside. It was packed inside and wreaking of smoke. Outside, there were a few large groups, all smoking. We sat down anyways. The server came an took our drink orders. My rum and coke was more melted ice than anything else. My friends margarita didn't have the shot of Grand Marnier she asked for (that came later after the drink was consumed).
Then, we ordered our food.. We got our food delivered by another server. We were missing silverware and napkins. We finally got those.
Aside from the spotty service, some of the food we ordered was pretty tasty. The chicken roll-ups were my favorite. The veggie quesadilla was tasty. The buffalo meat burger was dry due to the lack of condiments. I settled on just asking for mayo. As the server was passing by from another table I saw her fling something at me. Alas, it was a little packet of mayo.
Yes folks, I got a packet of mayo flung at me.
There is a lot to be desired when eating at this place. But, I guess if you're a guy (oops! or a girl) that wants to eat, drink and watch a game with your friends, this is the place. If you want to enjoy an eating experience and your surroundings and service play an important part in that, find somewhere else to go.
People thought this was:
I probably would have given this place three stars but the incredible amount of cigarette and cigar smoke hovering in this place and leading to my stuffy nose and sore throat this morning manages to subtract a whole star. If you don't smoke, and if you're like me, don't like to inhale it constantly....you won't want to come here and sit inside. Now before you go busting me - I go to bars all the time. I don't mind a normal amount of smoke. But what I can't stand is when it literally just hangs in the air, as if there's no ventilation. And since they allow people to smoke cigars in here, it only adds to it. Holy bloodshot smoke weary eyes this morning, batman!
Things were pleasant on the patio, we had a large group and our waiter was awesome. He was incredibly patient, split the check between several people, and basically never missed a beat. I never thought once "geez where has our waiter gone??" which is usually what happens at places like this.
They also had two large flat screen tvs wheeled out onto the patio with the football games playing, so that if you didn't want to sit inside, you still didn't miss out on the game watching.
My food was disgusting - I ordered a salad that looked good. With bleu cheese, walnuts, mandarin oranges, and balsamic vinegrette. I added grilled chicken to it. When it came out the toppings look yummy but the chicken was burnt and the lettuce was all iceberg lettuce. And not just any iceberg lettuce, but I swear they must have picked out every pale white, nasty piece to put in that salad. Very disappointing for 10 bucks.
Things just went more downhill as we went inside. The bartender was...ok. But the smoke...uuuuugh. The smoke! My leather jacket will have to air out for days and my hair still smells gross even after washing it last night upon getting home (I can't go to bed smelling like smokey bar) and AGAIN this morning. YUCKY!
People thought this was:
My first impression of this place was "man, it smells like a dirty gym sock here!"
I had to hold my breath when I opened the doors to this bar. The ventilation system must be bad, because as I walked through the bar to go to the patio smelled like one big rotten cigar. Good thing we all sat on the patio!
The Bucket Shop Cafe is definitely good if you like that hole in the wall/ neighborhood/ dank type of bar. I was impressed on the draft selection and its fairly reasonable prices. However, the food was blah. I was not that impressed on their Jack Daniel's Wings that everyone suggested, however for 7 bucks, 10 wings isn't that bad, especially if you buzzed. A good buzz will not cover the nastiness of the chicken rolls, which is a fried egg roll hybrid..
Oh yeah, if you can appreciate a nice dirty bathroom, and paper towel-less dispensers, this is definitely the place for you!
The verdict is still out whether or not if I will go back.
People thought this was:
I had been to The Bucket Shop one time before and the only thing I really remember was that it is a very smoky place so I was prepared for that. I went any way to the Yelp-Happy hour and hung out with friends on the patio. It was a bit chilly out but once the new castle started flowing, I was happy.
The waiter came around and I ordered the Charlie G's combo appetizer. It comes with chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks and some sort of fried chicken wrap/egg roll thing that wasn't very good. To be honest with you, there wasn't much about my plate that was good. It's hard to screw up chicken fingers, but miraculously, The Bucket hop has achieved that.
I must give a shout out to our waiter Josh, as he really was good at his job and even put up with splitting the bill for a table of 10 or 12 people.
Other then that, there are a lot of much better places in the Lennox mall area to hang out at then The Bucket Shop. It's good for the smokers as plums of burning tobacco was billowing out of the joint. Even the white ceiling tiles had a Georgia red clay look to them from all the smoke. Cl......ass - y
People thought this was:
The Bucket Shop is like an independent TGI Friday's.
Depending on your personal preferences, this will make it sound awesome, or awful.
I'll be the first to admit that I'm probably not their target clientele (which seems to be happy houring employees from nearby office buildings.) I tend to like either dive bars, brewpubs or design bars, and not many of the buffalo-wings-serving establishments inbetween those categories. It's not that I'm hating on sports bars or Ruby Tuesday -- it's just not my preference.
But my preference matters a lot less when I'm on a business trip in a city where it's impossible to catch a cab, and the Applebee's-ish bar in question is next door to the hotel. So, with that in mind: The Bucket Shop patio was a decent place to sit on the patio with a pitcher of beer and play poker with five of my similarly-stranded co-workers.
Also, apparently they also serve meals, but given how lousy their french fries were, I'd be wary of the entrees. Most people were there for drinks and snacks.
People thought this was:
Junky bar food----wings, chicken & cheese eggrolls, etc.
A good place to watch the big game/talk crap to anyone who didn't got to my alma mater UNC. "The University of National Champions," baby! The champions who unfortunately lost this year--boooo!
People thought this was:
When I came to the Lenox Crate, I was accosted with the same resounding calls of "we need to take you to The Bucket Shop!" Of course I had no idea what my coworkers were talking about, I was sure it was some torturous hazing. But it was a bar, thank God!
The first time I went we got a long table in the restaurant area. As I looked around, I saw all sorts of business dudes in suits and ties watching for anything female to round the corner. Cool. Then some families with kids came in. Okay, beginning to wonder why my coworkers like this place?
The decor is standard dark bar, dark wood, dated light fixtures, bleh. But this was the place my coworkers liked to go to after work to unwind and drink. So I went a few more times, not for their food (they have a veggie burger, but I could never get a clear answer on whether it was vegan or not) but just to drink with my work buddies. One time we sat outside on the patio and that made a big difference on my perspective of this place. It was actually kind of nice!
Parking is a little daunting and strange in a parking deck that you may or may not have to pay to get into. We usually kept our cars parked in the Macy's side of Lenox's parking lot and skipped over to the Bucket Shop.
But it's the company, not the location with my situation. I wouldn't go here unless I had my old work posse with me!
People thought this was:
I wish I were hungrier when I went here. They have really good burgers and fries. Soft drink menu is a little limited though and it's pretty unpleasant if you're sensitive to smoke.
People gather here for decent eats and football games. The unofficial second home to local Auburn alumni, The Bucket Shop fills up during football season.
Food is what you would expect from a venue where people gather to watch sports. The menu is pretty extensive though, all things considered. If I have to watch sports, being here helps ease the pain.
People thought this was:
Ugly. Went there for lunch and waited twenty minutes after sitting ... and no one came over to our table. So we got up and left. And it wasn't like they were busy - very dead - and the waiters were all standing around the bar chatting. I'll never go back.
People thought this was:
I would love to give the bucket more stars but like the rest of the folks i agree it can be really smoky in here. With that said, you have now all been properly warned and you can't be surprised. The best part of the the bucket is the outdoor seating area. it is huge and offers a great sidewalk view of lennox. food is okay, service is sketchy at best and the draft beer has a tendency to be warm. did I mention the great outdoor seating?
People thought this was:
This was another college spot. Great food for $5 to $10. You could go late too. During the weekend this place stays open until almost 3:00 am. There is also an outdoor patio that picks up steam in the spring.
The one thing I disliked was that heavy smokers also liked the bucket shop and the ventilation wasn't all that great. My favorite junk food appetizer, cheese sticks, is served here and you get more cheese than you should really try to ingest in one sitting. Good thing I'm not lactose intolerant.
Bucket Shop is an Atlanta icon. I hope it stays here for many years to come.
I love the Bucket Shop. I live in CA and everytime I come to Buckhead, we meet friends here for drinks and food. Its always good. The service is ok.. hit and miss I think. I don't think GA is a no smoking state, CA is, but typically we sit outside as it seems most everyone I'm with smokes. I like the location, the wait staff is always very nice, very friendly, good food. They have a big screen TV they wheel outside for big games ( at least last I went they did ). Its a fun pub type atmosphere.
People thought this was:
Like most patrons, I've only been to The Bucket Shop Cafe during late night and early morning hours. Due to my timing I tend to always get an appetizer or dessert. The menu is full of comfort foods that go well with the alcohol served at this bar and grill pub house. Everything is inexpensive and this is a cool place to just kick back when you want to get out of the house but not really go out. Open until 3:00 a.m. on weekends, you never know what kind of characters will be there. If you go as late as me, parking is free because The Bucket Shop is located at the basin of a building attached to a parking deck conveniently across from Lenox Mall. With projector sized televisions for sports and other entertainment The Bucket Shop provides a good environment for small and large groups. For more information visit http://www.thebucketsh....
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Food kinda sucks, and it's in a scary office building, but this place is really fun. Cheap food and drink. Huge patio to sweat away 10 lbs in the summer as you inhale emissions from all the Escalades plowing up Lenox Road to Lenox Sq and/or Phipps.
People thought this was:
This is a fun neighborhood pub. It is also the gathering spot for Auburn alumni especially on game days. The food is typical bar fare, but is fine for what it is. The pub sits on the bottom floor of an office building and has a nice patio overlooking busy Lenox Road. Parking is validated in the office building garage. I never did figue out why this place is called The Bucket Shop.
Cool unpretentious buckhead happy hour spot with the best of two worlds . The patio provides a lively and social atmosphere with a busy buckhead backdrop, and inside you'll find more of a laid back dimly lit neighborhood bar feel. I usually go for the 35 cent wing happy hour special on weeknights before 7.
Neighborhood: Buckhead
Category: Sports Bars
Neighborhood: Downtown
Category: American (New)
Neighborhood: Buckhead
Category: American (New)
If you work in Buckhead and eat out for lunch…
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