The Vortex Bar & Grill

Where have you heard of this place before? It's killing you, isn't it? Well, let me give you a hint:

(1) It was on the Travel Channel

(2) It was probably really difficult to watch

(3) You most likely heard it first from Alan Richman

That's right --- the famous Vortex Bar & Grill was featured on Man vs. Food in one of the earlier episodes (before each episode included a challenge). Having gone to school in ATL, we can bet that this place was one of Alan's old stomping grounds. I visited the Vortex Version 2.0 in Midtown on Saturday with some new Atlanta friends from Norfolk Southern and the Weather Channel; the original Vortex is appropriately located in the eclectic Little Five Points (AKA: L5P --- stick it in your acronym vault, it's one of my favorites).

What made this burger joint Man vs. Food-worthy? It's the Double Bypass Burger (don't read this on an upset stomach - I copied directly from the menu): "Twice as big as the Coronary Bypass! Topped with two fried eggs, six slices of American cheese, and eight slices of bacon, all served between the two grilled cheese sandwiches that we use in place of the regular hamburger buns." Basically it's a heart attack with a side of tater-tots.

Our visit did not include the Double Bypass Burger, it did however consist of the following (easily broken down to the drinks and the food):

The Drinks: Bringing this blog full circle, I ordered the Laughing Skull Ale brewed by, you guessed it, the Atlanta Brewing Company. This quickly rose to the top of my ABC beers list. They also brewed a mean sweet tea. Yes, it only took me four weeks in Atlanta to become a sweet tea drinker. Just typing it is making me thirsty!

The Food: I went with the Pesto Burger, a new menu item that is sure to be a hit. Take one part burger, 1/4 part pesto, 1/2 part provolone, and 2 parts toasted buns. Stack in a logical manner to create a blissful combination. Add tots (or one of the five other available side items), but I recommend the tots.

I must give a shout out to Amanda back in Pittsburgh who's gift card I used during this meal. As a going away present, Amanda researched the best restaurants across Atlanta and sent me gift certificates to help with starting the Atlanta SK&MS. It's just about the most thoughtful present I've ever received --- thank you again, Amanda!

The Bottom Line

The Vortex knows burgers - the experience is delicious.

Atlanta knows the Vortex - so be prepared to wait for a seat.

I'm excited to hit up the original L5P Vortex soon!