Food & Drink · Restaurants
The Optimist
Date Night
Oyster Bar
Patio
Seafood
About
The Optimist is a seafood-focused restaurant from the Fifth Group Restaurants team, set inside a converted industrial warehouse on Howell Mill Road. The menu centers on raw bar selections, oysters, and coastal-inspired seafood dishes, served in a large dining room and landscaped patio with a bocce court. It has drawn national food press attention since opening and remains one of West Midtown’s signature dining destinations.
Good to know
Oyster happy hour
Discounted oysters Mon-Fri 5-6 PM and Sat-Sun 3-5 PM.
Reservations recommended
A popular date-night spot; book ahead via OpenTable, especially weekends.