My best Friend and I visit a different City every year for girl's weekend and do a Food Tour and Spa Day while we're there. This year was Atlanta and our 20th "Anniversary". Mind you we haven't been doing girl's weekend for 20 years. But compared to ones we've done in New Orleans, San Antonio, and the like, this was the best by far. No comparison.
First John is a good person, honest, and isn't selling anything except the city itself. He obviously loves it here. He has a lot of experience giving tours of the historical kind for class trips to the capitol building and historical cemetery tours and it shows. He has a ton of information to draw from, but conversation isn't forced and there isn't information overload because everything is relevant and in context. Our tour ran nearly 5 hours, so you also don't feel rushed and can take time to talk about what interests you.
Ours was on a weekday and there were only four of us, so very personal attention and I could hear everything he said. The walking pace was perfect for me (I walk 5 miles a day) but another guest was a little weary by the end. I would not recommend this tour for children or those who tire easily as it is a lot of walking. Strollers would be very inconvenient due to the pace and the very crowded nature of some of the venues.
This tour is also the first time that I felt like the host wasn't looking to get kickbacks from the restaurants he recommends. Maybe he does, but at least I didn't feel like he was pushing anything on us. He never mentioned deals or coupons for repeat business, which I love the no pressure thing.
John was also kind enough to recommend several restaurants off the tour for the rest of our stay, and I can highly recommend Takorea for some great comfort food in a cool casual setting with good drinks and prices.
I have to say that the portion sizes on this tour were the biggest I've ever seen. I didn't have a problem eating every last morsel, but my best friend did end up leaving some on her plate regrettably. (The last food, we actually got to go and ate the next day because we were so full). We had unknowingly made dinner reservations for 7pm thinking that a tour that started at 12:30pm wouldn't interfere. We were stuffed though. We tried to move our reservation but they were booked and we ended up just tasting our dinner meal and leaving the rest.
As for the quality of the food, it was superb. I realize that many Food Tours have to alter their line up as restaurants come and go and things change, but I trust John implicitly to pick out a great line up no matter what. The Sublime burger was our favorite meal and honestly I could take or leave the doughnut it was served on. It was just that good of quality meat. Cafe Intermezzo was just fun because who doesn't like to pick out a new treat from 40 different desserts and as many coffee and tea choices?!
I enjoyed have a beer, wine, and champagne with different tastings. Generous full glass sizes. And we were walking so much, that I didn't feel drunk. Come to think of it, the beverages were every bit as much an adventure as the food!
John is responsive to email and phone questions. He is very prompt and cheerful. Excellent customer service and he makes it easy to enjoy yourself and have a good time without worrying about the details.
Thank you for a wonderful tour and If I ever go back to Atlanta, I would take another tour again with John in a heartbeat even if it were to the exact same places, it was that fun!
Response from Host
Apr 2015
Bonnie, Great review! Your insights are spot on plus lots of good advice for fellow TripAdvisor readers. My sweet Jeri and I try to take a food tour where ever it is we're visiting. A nice walk! Great restaurant info! And...access to a local resident who always has travel tips for that city. I hope that you two were able to try out several of my suggestions but glad to know that Takorea was a hit! Nice vibe! Yummy food!
Here's the scoop on selling/discounts/kickbacks/coupons. That would be no/no/no/no! :)
Last September when I pitched a Food Tour to any number of restaurants in Midtown, I always started out that I wasn't asking for reduced pricing. When I bring my guests in all I want is good food and good service....and how can we be partners in the "experience" that my guests are expecting. Of course it never hurts to tip the servers 20+% because we all know what that results in!
It obviously shows that I love what I do. I love my Midtown neighborhood! I love the time together with folks I don't know! I love it when I hear that you had a blast....and would do it again!
****Attention TA readers!**** Bonnie's best piece of advice? Making early (or any!) dinner plans is really not a good idea! It's the South and we would never think of letting our guests go home hungry!