Best onion rings
There might be a touch of grease on those golden rings, but those crispy circles of deliciousness are still the best in town. Both readers and our critic put them at the top of the list. Photo: Elissa Eubanks, eeubanks@ajc.com
YOUR PICKS
1. The Varsity
You say, “The Varsity, they may be greasy and can get on the soggy side but they use a great tasting batter and even better tasting onions which I believe are sweet Vidalia onions. MMMMM.”
2. Barker’s Red Hots
3. Ted’s Montana Grill
4. Zesto
5. Sonic
OUR PICKS
1. The Varsity
The AJC dining team’s Popular Eats specialist Jon Watson says, “If there were any single flavor that encapsulates The Varsity, it would have to be the onion rings. The light, though often greasy, batter on the thinly sliced rings has made this a nearly iconic dish for long term residents of Atlanta.”
2. Bone’s
3. Ormsby’s
4. Grindhouse Killer Burgers
5. Barker’s Red Hots
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© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
124 comments Add your comment
Dale
July 23rd, 2012
11:38 am
My vote is for California Dreaming. I know it’s a chain but they have an awesome onion loaf that is lightly breaded and homemade, of course. Really good dipping sauce as well.
BarryWhite
July 23rd, 2012
11:38 am
Burger King!
Michele
July 23rd, 2012
11:52 am
Ted’s Montana Grill! Definitely!
J CANTRELL
July 23rd, 2012
11:55 am
RONNIE’S SAVANNAH GA
Ann
July 23rd, 2012
11:56 am
Sprayberry’s BBQ in Newnan has the best in the Atlanta area. They taste almost exactly like the onion rings at the Beacon Drive-In in Spartanburg, SC, which are THE BEST, bar none.
Charles Harris
July 23rd, 2012
12:04 pm
Five Seasons Brewery has INCREDIBLE beer battered onion rings.
GAPeach
July 23rd, 2012
1:40 pm
Lucky’s in Roswell
Dee
July 23rd, 2012
1:40 pm
Cj’s Hotdogs in McDonough has the best onion rings!!!
Who Cares
July 23rd, 2012
1:50 pm
Silly Rabbits, Everybody knows the best rings are at the V
SAWB
July 23rd, 2012
2:03 pm
The Varsity
Nathan
July 23rd, 2012
4:19 pm
Onion rings come in so many varieties that it can be difficult to choose just one:
When it comes to thin-cut rings, the Varsity set a high standard for tasty onion rings, but believe it or not, I think that local chain Martin’s does them even better.
For thicker, battered onion rings, look no further than George’s in Virginia-Highlands. Perfection.
Nathan
July 23rd, 2012
4:31 pm
Sorry, I meant Virginia-Highland. Not Highlands.
Bhorsoft
July 23rd, 2012
4:40 pm
For National Fast-Food O-Rings, Dairy Queen usually beats BK. I am partial to Bar-B-Qutie for regional casual dining O-Rings. For local rings, I’m partial to J.D.s BBQ in Acworth.
MMMmmmm....Food!
July 23rd, 2012
4:42 pm
Ormsbys rings are great! And You have choice of like 8 different dipping sauces!
Best onion rings | Atlanta Informer
July 24th, 2012
4:01 am
[...] News here – Best Of The Big A ← Events for Fourth of July Cancel [...]
John
July 24th, 2012
5:36 am
Barker’s onion rings are great!
Mary B
July 24th, 2012
9:25 am
The Varsity, Flip and Bones….YUM
GaPeachy
July 24th, 2012
9:54 am
mmmm Zesto’s onion rings are the bomb!
tori hawkins
July 24th, 2012
3:12 pm
popeye’s chicken
Adam
July 24th, 2012
9:05 pm
Burger Kings onion rings are terrible… If you want pretty good fast food Onion Rings Zesto’s is pretty good.
Briley Parkway
July 24th, 2012
9:16 pm
The Varsity. George’s in Va Highland is a distant second.
Dirty Dawg
July 24th, 2012
9:17 pm
The Varsity…had some today…along with a coupla allthewaydogs – toasted.
MS. FOODIE
July 24th, 2012
9:23 pm
SINCE I CAN’T NOMINATE MYSELF, I’LL SAY DAIRY QUEEN.
Bama Man
July 24th, 2012
9:23 pm
Hal’s for a nice place, Barker’s for a regular place, also like Varsity
Andy
July 24th, 2012
9:23 pm
Bones has my vote!
C'mon People
July 24th, 2012
9:28 pm
Sonic for sure…
yuzeyurbrane
July 24th, 2012
9:35 pm
Varsity
jc of woodstock
July 24th, 2012
9:35 pm
OK Cafe- thin rings that are perfect!
Carson
July 24th, 2012
9:38 pm
Barkers Red Hots in Roswell & Marietta. They’re the best…not to thick, not to thin, just right and great taste!!! ummm good
Raoul
July 24th, 2012
9:39 pm
Pookie Parrish in L5P. Super greasy. Tell them Raoul sent you.
Lightly Breaded Please
July 24th, 2012
9:40 pm
The best rings are lightly breaded, with a thin crisp coating, just like the best fried sea food.
Back in the 60’s and 70’s, the Varsity rings were like that – very large rings, and delicious.
The ones they have now are smaller with more breading – you can’t distinguish between the breading and the rings. The heavy breading just holds more grease — !!!.– and just tastes like something from Captain D’s.
Senator
July 24th, 2012
9:42 pm
Jim ‘N Nicks BBQ hands down. Ted’s Montana grill is a close second.
Rick James
July 24th, 2012
9:42 pm
Ted’s and the Varsity
lori
July 24th, 2012
9:46 pm
Ormsby’s. Hands down.
cb
July 24th, 2012
9:46 pm
What is wrong with you people?? IHOP has the BEST rings around… Since Chilli’s stopped doing their rings and went with the bloomin onion – IHOP has taken the lead !! Good Job IHOP!
longduckdawg
July 24th, 2012
9:48 pm
THE VARSITY WITH A CHILLI STEAK & DAWG YUM.
It's not Atlanta
July 24th, 2012
10:00 pm
Gumlog Bar B Q, Lavonia Ga.
jadar
July 24th, 2012
10:10 pm
Pilgreens at Lake Dow in McDonough. Perfect everytime.
Matt
July 24th, 2012
10:12 pm
The onion rings at Crown and Rose in Marietta. Super huge and beer battered goodness!
bc
July 24th, 2012
10:18 pm
They’re all the same owner and recipes, but the onion rings at Tavern at Phipps/Joey D’s Oakroom/California Dreaming are really, really, really good. Never would have thought that bleu cheese dipping sauce would work, but it’s awesome.
Rew
July 24th, 2012
10:22 pm
You know who has decent rings? Martin’s – a great place for biscuits has rings which are a little sweet in a pancake like batter – but they are tasty!
Bob
July 24th, 2012
10:22 pm
C’mon folks! Get out and live a little – Head to Highland Tap. A-W-E-S-O-M-E
Southern Man
July 24th, 2012
10:24 pm
Haven’t been in a while so don’t know if they still have them but The Porter Beer Bar had some killer ones when they opened.
DJ
July 24th, 2012
10:26 pm
Fabulous Rings Here. You will be impressed !
http://www.alexiafoods.com/products/appetizers/onion-rings-panko-breaded
OTP
July 24th, 2012
10:27 pm
#1-Varsity, hands down
#2-Pilgreen’s
Nothing else comes close.
The best onion rings are from...
July 24th, 2012
10:31 pm
YEAH! Burger has delicious gluten-free onion rings. I can’t personally comment on their regular variety onion rings, but I know my kids and friends love them!! If you must eat gluten-free, try YEAH! Burger, you’ll love it because they have a lot of delicious options!! And for all you people who choose to eat gluten-free because you think it’s trendy or you will lose weight- you’re nuts!!
braves1234
July 24th, 2012
10:32 pm
Zesto has awesome rings. There fresh and great.
Not Frank Gordy
July 24th, 2012
10:33 pm
The Greasy V. YES!
KenBud
July 24th, 2012
10:41 pm
Barker’s Red Hots! Hands down ….
Nona
July 24th, 2012
10:46 pm
Barkers. Hand-dipped, cooked to order, not overbreaded and hands-down DELICIOUS!
Marietta Local
July 24th, 2012
10:56 pm
OK Cafe’s Shaved Onion Rings — doesn’t make me feel like I’m filling up on grease and breading
B
July 24th, 2012
10:59 pm
Ted’s Montana Grill are THE BEST!
Len Griffin
July 24th, 2012
11:01 pm
Varsity on 400……not downtown
Mel
July 24th, 2012
11:04 pm
Maki Fresh in Buckhead. They drizzle an Asian sauce on top and they are to die for.
RingMan
July 24th, 2012
11:05 pm
Goldbergs!!
kDub
July 24th, 2012
11:06 pm
Believe it or not Arby’s!!!
Scott
July 24th, 2012
11:08 pm
Red Robin!!!!!
Jason
July 24th, 2012
11:10 pm
One Star Ranch in Buckhead – absolutely! Crunchy, greasy, salty… all the necessary guilty pleasure elements of fantastic onion rings.
And because they’re more ’string’ than ‘ring’, you can grab em by the fistful and keep the indulgence coming. Much to your arteries’ regret, but hey, your brain’s pretty happy. I’ve been going for more than 10 years and have not found any rings that come close in Atlanta.
Gaston
July 24th, 2012
11:11 pm
Deckard’s on Ponce has incredible big fat onion rings, with incredible dipping sauce to match. Also – YEAH! Burger has fantastic rings.
Steve
July 24th, 2012
11:15 pm
Sorry, but I don’t know about Martin’s. The last time I had their onion rings it was definitely unique. The managed to get a crispy outside while the inside was full of hot grease ready to run down and burn your chin. It was pretty disgusting.
Scott
July 24th, 2012
11:17 pm
Sonic onion rings are the best !
bravgaytr
July 24th, 2012
11:28 pm
For fast food…Arbys has the best. Then comes Sonic, which smells like fair food. BK is THE worst, they should not even make them.
Kingdom 1st Mom
July 24th, 2012
11:31 pm
Varsity! hands down.
Betty Guffin
July 24th, 2012
11:31 pm
Flip Burger!
Atlantarama
July 24th, 2012
11:34 pm
Wow… Varsity. No contest.
Atlantarama
July 24th, 2012
11:35 pm
I would like to add that Zesto’s has the second best.
Cathy
July 24th, 2012
11:36 pm
Everyone has missed the best – Outlaws Wood Fire Steak & Seafood. Check it out: http://www.outlawswoodfiresteakhouse.com/ in McDonough, GA
OnMyMind
July 24th, 2012
11:40 pm
Wow. Seems like onion rings are like opinions, everybody’s got one. Ever wrap a Vidalia onion in tinfoil and put it on the charcoal grill?
Carl
July 24th, 2012
11:44 pm
Farm Burger! Their onion rings are the closest to perfection that I have ever had.
Here’s a link to Meredith Ford Goldman’s review of Farm Burger from back in 2010:
http://www.accessatlanta.com/atlanta-restaurants-food/farm-burger-529165.html
Her quote from this review: “the beer-battered onions rings may be the best fried and battered slices of an onion anywhere. Ever.”
I concur.
CT
July 24th, 2012
11:58 pm
Yeah Burger’s Gluten Free Onion Rings. For the gluten-intolerant and celiac disease sufferers.
GX
July 25th, 2012
12:03 am
In no particular order, Heirloom Market BBQ, Guston’s in Kennesaw, and Ormsby’s rings are all outstanding.
artyc
July 25th, 2012
12:08 am
Barkers Hands Down then Sonic
Andre
July 25th, 2012
12:28 am
The Varsity
Pat
July 25th, 2012
12:35 am
Varsity downtown, period!!!
My Two Cents
July 25th, 2012
12:35 am
The Varsity and Ted’s
Jd
July 25th, 2012
12:36 am
Martin’s Rings which are in the ole Mighty Caseys are to die for.
The Original Observer
July 25th, 2012
12:38 am
Lightly Breaded Please …………..has nailed the analysis of the V rings.
All who said Burger King……get out more.
The Original Observer
July 25th, 2012
12:41 am
Thirsty after all those rings????
Get a Sonic Route 44 Strawberry Slush. Go between 2 and 4 PM and you will be doubly ecstatic.
Warning! High Calorie, but WTF, You only live once.
Docdaddy71
July 25th, 2012
2:16 am
H-J Wings & Thangs in Tyrone,Ga has the best Onion rings. The Varsity is still good,but on the Southside H-J hands down.
Get Em' While Their Hot
July 25th, 2012
2:17 am
Believe it or not……Golden Coral on Austell Road-
Lightly battered in a seasoned tempura batter they are by far the best!!!!
Matt
July 25th, 2012
4:34 am
I’m with Andy. Bones onion rings are off the scale in goodness.
Michelle
July 25th, 2012
9:05 am
The Varsity hands down!!!!
alan
July 25th, 2012
9:57 am
Aspens east Cobb has the best onion rings hands down.
marian shepard
July 25th, 2012
11:20 am
Farm Burger in decatur
AD
July 25th, 2012
11:21 am
Barkers Red Hots – No one comes close, piping hot cooked to order hand dipped fresh cut. Awesome flavor and just the right amount of batter. They simply are addicting.
G
July 25th, 2012
12:20 pm
The Vidalia Onion Festival held every year around April or so is the only place to get the best onion rings, bar none.
Tee
July 25th, 2012
12:44 pm
Zaxby’s is seasoned to perfection.
Steezy
July 25th, 2012
12:46 pm
Technically, they’re onion strings, but the ones at Righteous Room are TO DIE FOR. Trust me when I tell you to order them with 3 sides – blue cheese, horseradish sauce, ketchup. NUMMMMMM
k teacher
July 25th, 2012
2:52 pm
Cheddars … can’t wait till they get the Henry County one open so we don’t have to drive to Macon or Columbus
lynn
July 25th, 2012
3:46 pm
Ted’s and The Varsity – no question.
loki44
July 25th, 2012
3:54 pm
Another vote for Ormsby’s.
Roro
July 25th, 2012
8:08 pm
Can’t wait to taste em at Jim n Nicks, I’ve been getting into their bbq recently. I hear they have $3 Margarita’s!!!
Captain
July 25th, 2012
9:14 pm
Grindhouse burgers on Piedmont has the best
Pooch
July 26th, 2012
9:33 am
The Crispy Onion Strings at Maggianos.
sr citizen dawg
July 26th, 2012
12:29 pm
varsity is my first choice
pilgreens is my second choice
both are excellent
donkey200
July 26th, 2012
1:35 pm
Barker’s Red Hots and The Varsity
Rupricht
July 26th, 2012
1:45 pm
Even though they are more “straw” than ring, Lasseter’s in Vinings are addictive.
Robert
July 26th, 2012
5:25 pm
V
Jonathan
July 26th, 2012
11:08 pm
YumDiggity. Hand-cut, breaded and cooked to order. Easily the best downtown
Onion Lover
July 27th, 2012
6:33 am
I can’t believe I’m not seeing many votes for the vortex. I thought their rings were pretty darn good!
Stacey.M
July 27th, 2012
7:17 am
Flip in Atlanta
Andre Hylton
July 27th, 2012
8:18 am
Teds and New York Prime.
Jodi Edmondson
July 27th, 2012
9:47 am
The Varsity- HANDS DOWN!!!
TinkerBing
July 27th, 2012
9:52 am
The Tavern @ Phipps!!
gate
July 27th, 2012
11:22 am
Jim & Nick’s ….
Matt H
July 27th, 2012
12:04 pm
Heirloom Market BBQ – big rings. light, crispy, hand dipped. Delicious! Goes great with their amazon BBQ.
Lynn
July 27th, 2012
1:16 pm
Varsity
George’s in VA-Highlands
Onion Strings at Six Feet Under
Vortex
Aunt B
July 27th, 2012
1:17 pm
Wings and Things, McDonough. Use to think the V had the best until I had these.
Shon
July 27th, 2012
1:37 pm
The Varsity, they may be greasy and can get on the soggy side but they use a great tasting batter and even better tasting onions which I believe are Sweet Vidalia Onions. MMMMM
Holden Magroyne
July 27th, 2012
4:20 pm
Williamson Bros BBQ!!
Glenn
July 27th, 2012
4:34 pm
Looks like Hands Down wins, wherever that is. I didn’t see anyone mention Holman & Finch, who do a wonderful onion ring.
susan
July 27th, 2012
8:06 pm
The Brickery in Sandy Springs has onion rings that are the best I have ever had. Also a guilty pleasure is Red Robin in Cumming.
ATLien21
July 27th, 2012
8:22 pm
5 SEASONS BREWING has the best beer-battered onion rings with a smoked tomato aioli dipping sauce! UN-BEER-LIEVABLE!
KerryB413
July 27th, 2012
8:29 pm
I actually have been thinking a lot about onion rings lately and really miss the fantastic ones at Jilly’s—-such great onion flavor and not greasy at all. Here’s what I’ve learned—-a batter only soaks up grease and dilutes the onion taste. The key to great non-greasy onion rings is to dip them a bit in maybe some egg/milk BUT then only use flour/pancake mix. Trust me, that is the key. But most people seem to like the—battered, dripping in grease, the onion is not the star–type of onion ring. The only place I know that comes close to the old Jilly’s/Damon’s etc is the Georgia Rib Company in Marietta.
Richard Simmons
July 27th, 2012
9:31 pm
I can only surmise that all the votes for Varsity in any category are for sentimental reasons. Any objective person could never nominate that grease-pit for anything of excellence. I’ve been to Varsity twice in my life. That is two times too many. For a local chain that actually produces edible food, I go to Zestos. Zestos rings are great!
Daryl-Atlanta
July 28th, 2012
5:41 pm
Lots of great places for onion rings in Atlanta, though my all-time favorite was at the now closed Kudzu Cafe in Buckhead (corner of Peachtree Road/East Shadowlawn Avenue). They were thick/wide cut and served stacked on their sides at least 8″ high on a plate…what a presentation !!!
Duane
July 29th, 2012
9:09 am
Flip
Dave Allen
July 29th, 2012
9:45 am
Redneck Gourmet in Down-Town Newnan, georgia has the best onion rings on this side of the Mississippi River, Hands down!!!!
Brogens Hero
July 29th, 2012
12:20 pm
Bone’s onion rings are fantastic!
TJ
July 29th, 2012
3:21 pm
Grindhouse on Edgewood in the old curb market. OMG – not greasy and delicious!!!
Jay
July 29th, 2012
4:05 pm
Fast Food – Sonic
Casual Dining – The Nook on Piedmont
Bill
July 29th, 2012
10:14 pm
I’ve eaten rings throughout Atlanta and Barker’s Red Hots is by far the best! They also have the best hot dogs!
Buzz
July 30th, 2012
7:01 am
George’s w/ a hamburger
Barker’s w/ a dog
kay
July 30th, 2012
8:56 am
ZESTO’S!!!