Piccadilly Cafeteria

Old times and very good. Good selection and always tasty. one of the best «home cooking «
Type eateries in Atlanta

I’m one of those people who only reviews when things are either SO terrible or SO great that everyone should know. That said, my experience with Piccadilly was definitely on the terrible side. First off was the price… $ 11.99 for one fillet of baked fish, two sides and bread. For the quality of the food, it was nowhere near the $ 11.99 mark. I then proceeded to get the macaroni and cheese and broccoli as my sides and the jalapeño cornbread. By the time it was said and done, with a drink the total came to basically $ 13. The fish was fishy, mushy and wet from soaking in whatever juices it had been soaking in. The mac and cheese was so overcooked that it was less the consistency of pasta and more like pudding and lastly, the broccoli was also very overcooked. The weird thing too, was all of the food tasted the same, which wasn’t a bonus. The only thing that was edible of what I got was the jalapeño cornbread. It should be noted that according to my friend who got the mashed potatoes, they were without question the powdered kind. As if all of this wasn’t bad/​weird enough, the server who was pacing around the dining room was overheard several times by my friend making rude comments under her breath about customers sitting around her and us. Suffice it to say, I will never ever go there again. To be completely honest, I only wanted to go in the first place because of nostalgic thoughts of my childhood and going — I think the lesson learned is some things are best left in the past.

I’m a big fan of cafeterias. I like this one. The service is really good and the food is usually pretty darn good.
This aint the Ritz Carlton folks but the food is great and the staff are nice people.
Don’t forget to tip the waitresses. The service from these ladies is a good as some other high dollar places I have reviewed here.

Great food. Must-​eats include the Chicken Teriyaki with Polynesian Rice or the Fried Fish Almondine. There is a great variety of desserts too. Chocolate lovers will not be disappointed.
This location has experienced and friendly staff that make eating here a pleasure.

I’m glad Piccadilly is still around. I had the fried catfish which was really good and I love all of the cakes and pies they have. The food is southern style. I felt the quality was good and I enjoyed my meal. It’s not gourmet, but it’s better than fast food. I’m glad this cafeteria is still open, though I wonder how long they will last.

I guess in the days of advant garde and $ 100 dinner parties, the way of little cafeterias like this are one day going to be a thing of the past.
The food quality here can be hit or miss. I normally get two things from Piccadilly. Liver and Onions or the fried fish. Thankfully those two never disappoint at this location.
Sometimes if you go in late afternoon after the lunch hour is over (2pm or later), the veggies can looked too steamed. They have that discolored look of having been in the steam bin and under the heat lamp to long.
The staff is normally friendly, and there’s always more than one senior citizen to hold the door for, or that will ask you how your day is going before you can get your food and leave.
I will miss it when its gone, because places like this are becoming a thing of the past.
Even during lunch time, its hard to find more than 20 people in this location, including the employees.
20 of 100

I have always been a big fan of cafeterias, but I have watched Piccadilly’s N. Druid Hills location go down steadily. (I’m sure the other Piccadilly’s locations are similar, but I haven’t been in any of them recently, so I can’t comment.)
The entrée portions have become extremely small. The turkey and dressing is dressing with one slice of highly processed, water injected turkey on top. Most of the seafood portions (fish or shrimp) are so heavily breaded, there’s almost nothing underneath. The non-​breaded fish is almost paper thin.
The vegetables are extremely overcooked, though I can sort of overlook that due to the steam table effect.
The thing that annoys me the most is that, apparently, you can no longer get just an entrée. Well, you can get just an entrée, but you’ll be paying for two vegetables and a roll along with it. My point is – and I thought the point of cafeterias — was to pick and choose what you want and not be forced into paying $ 8-​$ 10 for more food than you wanted to buy or eat. Piccadilly’s accountants figured out that by bundling, they can force a few pennies worth of extra food on you and make you pay $ 2 more for it. I paid $ 8 today for a portion of spaghetti with meat sauce. That’s all I wanted. Oh yes, I was also paying for two sides and a roll that I didn’t want.
I’m in the food business and I know food prices have skyrocketed in the last year, but Piccadilly has steadily been doing this raising prices/​lowering portions for years. I would rather see them raise their prices AND their portions than what they’re doing. I won’t be back.

There’s a rumbling in your belly that will only be quenched by some good, down-​home cooking. When you’re thinking about your options, don’t include Piccadilly in them (or at least this location). If you are a fan of Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, then this might warrant a check-​in. I’ve never experienced a mac & cheese that was yellow but had absolutely no cheese in it. Not sure I want to know how they pulled off that one. The carrot soufflé was wayyy too sweet. The rest of the meal wasn’t very memorable one way or the other. My other beef with this place is that it’s too expensive for what you’re getting. All told, including drink you’re looking at about $ 10. Too much for cafeteria fare. At least they’re popular enough with the older set that doesn’t have tastebuds firing on all cylinders to remain around.

Skip dinner and lunch. Show up Saturday for the BRUNCH !

I will concur with to Eric S. on his review of this place:
I concur with Eric S. on giving N. Druid Hills Piccadilly 4 stars based on Weekend Breakfast (only). North Druid Hills location is awesome for the 8ish AM –to 11ish AM Saturday and Sunday!
I agree that for $ 7.48 w/​tax (sans tip) you get a breakfast buffet that is incredible. A buffet with ham, sausage, hash browns, fresh fruit bar, bacon, scrambled eggs (both plain and ‘seasoned’ [with ham, onion and peppers]), biscuts & sausage gravy, grits (both plain and cheese infused) cinnamon rolls, pecan rolls, fresh baked muffins, coffee, juice (apple and orange) and milk.
I also like how they have a staffed cooking station for made-​to-​order omlettes, customized eggs (over-​easy, sunny side up, fresh-​to-​order scramble, etc), french toast (perfectly done and finished with a dash of powdered sugar), pancakes topped with cinnamon apples & home-​made waffles topped with fresh strawberries.
I too see that they also have the typical selection of dry cereals. And for only $ 7.48 tax included. You may make of your visit what you will — either self-​service from the buffet or made-​to-​order & brought to your table by a server — the choice /​choosing is up to you.
I differed from Eric S’s assessment /​review in that I think 11am is the cut-​off time (not 10am) and I think the table servers can be intrusive, smarmy and annoying more than helpful and ‘on point.’ Their role seems to be more along the lines of pandering and /​or pining for tips.
I also agree with Eric S’s assessment in that lunch or dinner here is merely fair to middling at best.
This particular location, situated in the old ‘hood /​neighborhood I grew up in, used to be a Morrison’s Cafeteria back in the day. Dining here always dredges up lots of old memories of a different time and place. I particularly remember when the line servers and the dining room attendants (at Morrison’s as well as their chief rival /​competitor Davis Brothers) wore white cloth gloves. I ate here often with my parents (and grandparents) from the time I was a little kid.
Now I eat here often for breakfast. Sometimes also with my children in tow whenever they are in town and am in the mood to take them out for breakfast (instead of cooking in).

Horrible. My friend goes there all the time and I can’t imagine why! My boyfriend and I went because it was nearby comfort food and we didn’t feel like driving to Cracker Barrel. Next time, we will just make the drive! The food was inedible. We actually just left halfway through the meal because we couldn’t eat any more. The macaroni and cheese appeared to have NO cheese on it; I think it was just dyed yellow. Gross! Everything else tasted like it was old and expired and someone had doused it in sugar and salt to give it flavor. Disgusting! This place should be shut down.

First off, I’m an unabashed Piccadilly fan. I love them. This one, not so much. The food was not the quality that I am used too, they didn’t have their signature egg custard, and the selection was minimal. But it wasn’t god awful, so I give it three stars. Probably won’t go back to this one though.

I’m giving N. Druid Hills Piccadilly 4 stars based on WEEKEND BREAKFAST only. N. Druid Hills is awsome to go to 8 — 10AM Saturday and Sunday! For $ 7.48 w/​tax plus tip you get a breakfast that is incredible. A buffet with Ham, Sausage, Homefries, Fresh Fruit Bar, Bacon, Scrambled Eggs (both plain and ‘seasoned’ with ham, onion and peppers), biscuts & sausage gravy, grits (both plain and cheese) cinnamon rolls, pecan rolls, fresh baked muffins, coffee, juice (apple and orange) and milk. PLUS they have a staffed cooking station for made-​to-​order omlettes, eggs (over-​easy, sunny side up, fresh-​to-​order scramble, etc), french toast (perfectly done and finished with a dash of powdered sugar), pancakes topped with cinnamon apples & home-​made waffles topped with fresh strawberries. They also have the typical selection of dry cereals. I’m not kidding. For only $ 7.48. With Tax. For the weekend breakfast — go to N. Druid Hills Piccadilly. It will not dissapoint! You can make of your visit what you will — either self-​service from the buffet or made-​to-​order & brought to your table by a server — choice is yours. I do both as its all good. Service is awsome and on-​point. Table servers are VERY friendly and helpful.
Keep in mind I’m stressing 8AM to 10AM here. Shoot for being done eating by 10AM — 10:15ish. Keep in mind they need to get ready for lunch crowd later in the day. As such, late risers just showing up at 10:15, 10:30 will be HUGELY dissapointed. This place is worth the effort to get up early on the weekend! I like to arrive by 9AM — 9:30AM so I can enjoy the place for what it offers.
Bottomline: For weekend Breakfast — SKIP Piccadilly Chamblee. Breakfast is an afterthought for the Chamblee location. Go to N. Druid Hills location for weekend breakfast 8−10AM.
For Lunch/​Dinner 7 days — SKIP Piccadilly N. Druid Hills. N. Druid Hills puts heart and soul into weekend breakfast, but somehow screws up the carrot soufflé & everything else served 11AM-​8pm. Go to Chamblee location for lunch/​dinner 7 days 11AM — 8pm.

Ok, even though I used to be a big fan of cafeterias, I am now done with them. I ordered the shrimp creole (I know, what was I thinking?) and a few veggies on the side. I got halfway through and noticed a curly black hair stuck to the side of my plate, which was not mine. EWWWW! Feeling a bit sick after this, I resolved to never go to one of these places again. A friend of mine laughed at me and told me it would make my immune system stronger. No thanks, I’d rather be weak. I have had a few similiar experiences in other Piccadilly locations, and now I think I have finally learned my lesson.

I am a big fan of cafeterias, for example K&W, etc but this is very different. There are pictures of the food on the wall, and everything tastes like it’s got a pound of MSG in it. This is not home-​cookin’ but rather the same over-​processed garbage you would get at a fast food joint. Avoid.

Be afraid, be very very afraid. I can’t believe American’s eat this way. Don’t get me wrong I enjoy simple food, and I enjoy comfort foods… but this ain’t food.