Will be in Atlanta for my first time this month. I've been told The Varsity is a must-do in Atlanta. Anybody familiar with The Varsity in Atlanta or have an experience to share?

The Varsity is in the heart of Atlanta's thriving gay community. They get a lot of traffic from the local neighborhood and visitors from Cobb County.

Does this mean if I am straight I can't enjoy a good weiner at The Varsity?

The Varsity is indeed an institution- located near Georgia Tech- 61 North Avenue. It has branched out to the suburbs- there's one to the side of Town Center Mall on Barrett Parkway in Kennesaw. Good hotdogs! If you're downtown, it's worth a stop.

Definitely go to the Varsity so you can say you've been there. Don't expect quality and you won't be disappointed. And yes, you can go to the Varsity if you're straight. But no, it's not in the best of neighborhoods.

Order a frosted orange (like an orange sherbet milkshake), a glorified cheeseburger with pimento cheese not sliced cheese, onion rings and a chili dog with a side of chopped raw onions.

Whatayahave !!

The fried peach pies . . . OH! heaven!!

A must do, but you only have to do it once. And you could probably just tell people you'd done it and that would be good enough.

If you do go, remember to...

1. Be prepared for the counter person to yell at you. "WHADDAYAHAVE!" should be followed by your order, clearly enunciated. This is not the moment for indecision, as it will earn you increasingly vehement "WHADDAYAHAVE!"'s.

It doesn't really matter what you order, as it will all give you terrible indigestion. Which brings me to my next point...

2. Bring anti-acids. Consider Pepcid or another H2 blocker as prophylaxis. The orange freeze thing (sort of sherbet-y) is the best thing on the menu.

If you really want some local color in the fast food/trash food category, check out Zesto's on Ponce de Leon.

And as for gays at the Varsity, what the heck is peanut brittle talking about? About the same mix as you'd find anywhere else in Atlanta. Popular spot for families to stop on their way to and from downtown sporting events.

Sounds to me like Atlanta is now trying to copy the soup nazi bit about enunciating your order clearly, just like they copy everything else and then try to claim it as their own. Considering that the person behind the counter probably has a 3rd grade education and no teeth, enunciation is the least of your worries.

In any other major city The Varsity would be considered just another lousy hotdog joint, but in Atlanta it's revered, probably because its one of five or six things that haven't been torn down.

Naturally, Bill Clinton's picture is on the wall from when he visited while he was President. Can't keep that man away from greasy food!!

Do go to the Varsity and bring a bottle of maalox.
As far as gay people....well, they are everywhere....=)

The Varsity is definitely an institution, particularly for Georgia Tech alumni such as my father. I second the frosted orange and fried pie recommendations and also the fries. My father swears by their chili dogs, but they do usually give him indigestion. I think the "what'll you have" quick order tradition dates at least to the early 1960s, probably earlier. I have always found the servers there to be friendly and helpful, even for someone like me who does not know all the appropriate slang for their food, "naked", "through the garden", etc. Have fun.

My favorite is when you ask for a plain hot dog to go and the server yells out, "One naked dog walkin'!"

You goto the Varsity to see it, not for the food! Gay? I never saw any outwardly gays there... it is like a Georgia Tech tradition, everyone goes to the varsity before or after a game.
Kinda fun. But gut bomb city!

If you dont go, no big deal too!

The Varsity's not as lively as it used to be but I think its great fun, something I do on a yearly basis. It's open 24 hours a day and people from just about every walk of life wander in and out.

The onion rings alone will provide enough grease to keep you in TUMS range for days after, but they are delicious. And the FO...none better in the world!

I agree with Jenny. The Varsity is a tradition. My father was a GA Bulldog but he lived at the Varsity in the 40s. Every time we hit Atlanta we would go. We made sure our teenage son got introduced on his first trip to tour Atlanta. The fried pies are legendary & the grease from the onion rings will keep you lubed for years. Makes me hungry to think of it. It is just a slice of southern history.

Hey, Ben, they have Varsity in Athens too, at least since late 50s. The best term - bag of rags for the chips.

Even though Atlantans worship The Varsity, when you look at the big picture its just another in a long line of greasy hot dog/hamburger joints you can find in every city in America. It's definitely nothing special and hardly worth the trip. Spend your money in a decent restaurant.

The Varsity is pure old Atlanta. Yes, it's greasy. No, the food's not that great (although my dad would strongly disagree). But it's a fun place to go and the food is cheap - you can't lose! As for the "gay" neighborhood remark - what a laugh! That person must be homophobic. I'm an Atlantan born and bred and I hope you enjoy my town and our traditions. Other great places - walk through Druid Hills, visit the Atlanta History Center, Martin Luther King historic site, take a CNN tour go shopping in Buckhead.