Want the scoop on Atlanta's most happening local spots?
We took a data-driven look at the question, using Yelp to deduce which local businesses have been getting extra notice this month.
To find out who made the list, we looked at Atlanta businesses on Yelp by category and counted how many reviews each received. Rather than compare them based on number of reviews alone, we calculated a percentage increase in reviews over the past month, and tracked businesses that consistently increased their volume of reviews to identify statistically significant outliers compared to past performance.
Read on to see which spots are extra cool, right now.
Estrella
Open since last August, this Mexican restaurant and bar is trending compared to other businesses categorized as "bars" on Yelp.
Citywide, bars saw a median 2.1% increase in new reviews over the past month, but Estrella saw a 38.1% increase, with a slight upward trend from a three-star rating a month ago to 3.5 stars today. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, Estrella's review count increased by more than 400%.
It's not the only trending outlier in the bar category: Blue India has seen a 12.9% increase in reviews.
Located in the Old Fourth Ward at 550 Somerset Terrace NE, Suite 102, Estrella serves chipotle shrimp, Yucatecan pork belly, carne asada and tacos.
Boxcar
Whether or not you've been hearing buzz about Boxcar in the West End, the New American restaurant and bar is a hot topic, according to Yelp review data.
While businesses categorized as "American (New)" on Yelp saw a median 2.2% increase in new reviews over the past month, Boxcar bagged a 56.4% increase in new reviews within that time frame, maintaining a superior four-star rating.
There's more that's trending on Atlanta's New American scene: 55th & Park Restaurant and Lounge has seen a 16% increase in reviews.
Open at 1000 White St. since March, Boxcar serves bison burgers, fried chicken, pork chops, a seafood boil and an imitation "lobstah" roll.
Local Green Atlanta
Vine City's Local Green Atlanta is also making waves. Open since January at 19 Joseph E. Lowery Blvd. NW, the restaurant, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, has seen a 23.9% bump in new reviews over the last month, compared to a median review increase of 1.8% for all businesses tagged "Breakfast & Brunch" on Yelp. Moreover, on a month-to-month basis, Local Green Atlanta's review count increased by more than 160%.
Local Green Atlanta serves smoothies, seafood and vegetarian/vegan fare. Over the past month, it's maintained a convincing four-star rating among Yelpers.
Hattie B's Hot Chicken
Candler Park's Hattie B's Hot Chicken is the city's buzziest Southern spot by the numbers.
The popular Southern and traditional American spot, which opened at 299 Moreland Ave. NE in July 2018, increased its new review count by 6.3% over the past month, an outlier when compared to the median new review count of 1.7% for the Yelp category "Southern."
Hattie B's Hot Chicken serves hot chicken sandwiches, wings and tenders and Southern sides such as greens, black eyed pea salad, baked beans and creamy coleslaw.
This story was created automatically using local business data, then reviewed and augmented by an editor. Click here for more about what we're doing. Got thoughts? Go here to share your feedback.
