Recently, more and more of my friends have been talking about  visiting 24-hour restaurants at obscure hours of the night. One cold night in November, my dad and I visited three 24-hour restaurants near Grady to experience late-night dining in Atlanta. 

MAJESTIC DINER

I began my late-night eating excursion at The Majestic Diner on Ponce de Leon Avenue. Known for its shiny diner lights and its neon promise of providing “food that pleases,” The Majestic has been serving guests since 1929.

I arrived at 1:15 a.m., and a nice cashier immediately gave me the opportunity to choose my seat.

Wanting to experience classic diner food, I ordered two eggs with grits and raisin toast. It seemed like as soon as the eggs hit the griddle, they were fried and on my plate. The food came faster than when I ordered the same thing at Waffle House. While I was eating, I noticed the relaxed and laid-back atmosphere. Light jazz music played over the voices of the noisy customers around me. Only three employees were working: one cook and two waiters. The rest of the staff was sitting at the counter, joking and laughing. I also noticed that the crowd in the restaurant was very diverse and young. My dad was the only customer over the age of 30.

The eggs were fried perfectly over medium, just like I had ordered. The grits were a little chunky, but still well cooked and flavored. Overall the food was nothing exceptional, but still tasty nevertheless. But while the food was pleasing, the price wasn’t; my meal cost $5.99, surprisingly expensive. The fun-loving and relaxed atmosphere, however, made my late-night breakfast at The Majestic Diner worth the price tag.

TACO CABANA

I arrived at Taco Cabana at around 2 a.m., and as soon as I entered, the lively music and decorations reminded me of a traditional Tex-Mex restaurant in San Antonio. Located near a stretch of highway famous for its bars and strip clubs, the Taco Cabana on the corner of Piedmont and Cheshire Bridge roads is known for quick Mexican food at reasonable prices. Like other fast-food restaurants, at Taco Cabana, their customers order and pay at a counter then wait for their number to be called.

The woman who took my order was extremely friendly and has been working the night shift at Taco Cabana for seven years. She spoke English to us, but then turned to chat with the cooks in Spanish.

I ordered two breakfast tacos and a huge styrofoam cup of coffee for a low price of $4.99. It took less than 30 seconds for my number to be called. The tacos were pretty bland, but luckily, there was a large island bar in the center of the restaurant offering salsa and other classic Mexican condiments.

I added mild salsa, lime and cilantro to my tacos to spice them up. I enjoyed the opportunity to customize the food to my tastes.

The crowd was again mostly young and racially diverse. Over the course of my meal, more people who had obviously been out partying entered, loudly laughing and talking. At one point, a slightly inebriated African-American man tried to talk to one of the Hispanic cooks, but an apparent language barrier cut the conversation short.

Overall, the food at Taco Cabana came off as slightly tawdry, due to the fast-food format of the restaurant, but the energetic and diverse Tex-Mex atmosphere made up for that. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a cheap bite of fast, authentic Mexican food in the middle of the night.

INTERNATIONAL HOUSE OF PANCAKES

Just a few blocks away from Grady, near the corner of Charles Allen Drive and Ponce de Leon Avenue, the International House of Pancakes serves regular restaurant food but puts an emphasis on—you guessed it—pancakes. After being seated at around 2:55 a.m., I immediately noticed IHOP’s atmosphere was much warmer, more comfortable and more inviting than the other locations I had previously visited.

Due to the height of the booths, the dining experience is more private and secluded. Though I knew IHOP was packed, I couldn’t see many other diners. Despite the private setting, the loud chatter and laughter coming from other parts of the restaurant and the cheery Christmas decorations created a warm atmosphere.

I ordered a hot chocolate for $2.50 which matched the feel of the restaurant—warm and inviting. It was perfectly flavored, complete with whipped cream and cinnamon on top, and my waiter, William, even offered me a free refill halfway through my meal. I gladly accepted.

By this time, I wasn’t that hungry, so I ordered a simple “short stack,” consisting of three classic buttermilk pancakes for $4.59. They were exactly like what you would expect from an International House of Pancakes: warm and fluffy, with the perfect buttermilk flavor. The warm syrup William offered and the mound of butter in the center of the pancakes added to the deliciousness of the flapjacks and led to an extremely satisfying meal at IHOP.

So next time you’re looking to have a great meal with friends, accompanied by an inviting and comfortable atmosphere, the IHOP on Ponce is the place for you.