This is the restaurant where I was so excited about the food that I forgot to take a picture of my entree when it arrived at my table. While visiting Atlanta to see The Lion King, we went to Spelman, Morehouse, the Coca-Cola Museum, and a city staple — Paschal’s. Two brothers, James and Robert Paschal, opened this restaurant in 1947. According to their website, “Paschal’s was the ‘meeting place’ for some of the most notable entertainers, politicians, and business people during the civil rights movement.” I also read that the Paschals bailed out protestors who had been jailed for protesting during the Civil Rights Movement.

The restaurant was large and open. We had a party of 11, and we were not crowded around our table. It was not busy during the time we arrived, but we had reservations. We were told the restaurant could book up quickly, so I made reservations for our party. Please note the restaurant parking is valet only, but it is only $5 to park. Also, this is a cashless establishment. I think you can give tips in cash, but your food must be ordered via debit/credit card. The manager was wonderful. I really enjoyed working with the restaurant to iron out our plans for the evening at the restaurant.

Pictures of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were on the walls of the restaurant along with pictures of other Civil Rights activists.

Picture of Dr. King and Mrs. King during the Montgomery March.

I wandered around the restaurant taking in all of the black and white photos, went back to my seat, and then the food arrived. At Paschal’s, the food is presented on a robot. The kids thought this was cool. We have these robots in Huntsville at some of the restaurants, but this is only the second one I have seen.

Paschal’s is known for their fried chicken, so I had to try it. I was so excited to receive my food that I forgot to take pictures. I apologize, but it was a good Southern plate of food! My youngest also tried the chicken, and my oldest ordered grilled shrimp, but they only ate one of their sides. So, I was elated to eat my chicken, black eyed peas, and macaroni. I also ate the kids’ yams and greens.

I felt like I was at my grandma’s house. These were the blackeyed peas I remember from childhood. Only a chosen few really get my blackeyed peas just right. The texture and flavors in the blackeyed peas at Paschal’s were perfect. The chicken and greens were not overly seasoned. I also ordered the peach cobbler, and I was truly a happy patron. Everyone at my table enjoyed their food, even my picky eater.

The restaurant is downtown and is very close to everything we did on Friday. So, it was the perfect spot for dinner. We stayed at the Ritz Carlton, which was only 1.5 miles (6 minutes) away from Paschal’s. The Coca-Cola Museum was only .8 miles (4 minutes) from Paschal’s, and with kids, convenience is key. I will be back, and I promise I will take pictures of my dishes the next time around!