The Majestic Diner - Food That Pleases, All Kinds Welcome

Contributed by: Andy Gish

The Majestic in 1993 -- Photo by David Henderson 

Location: Poncey Highlands

1031 Ponce De Leon Avenue Northeast 

Atlanta, GA 30306  (404) 875-0276

The Majestic Diner's ever-glowing neon beckons with an offer of "Food that Pleases" day or night since 1929.

I have never been in the Majestic during daylight hours.  In fact, I seem to forget it is open altogether unless it is at least 3 am in the morning.  My favorite memory of being at the Majestic was at the tail-end of my best friends bachelorette party.  We had been escorted around town in a 60's VW Van with flames on it from scandalous venue to venue.  There was a consensus at the last bar we we went to that we were too intoxicated to be in public, so where did we go?  The Majestic.

So there we were, six girls sitting around a table with the Bachelorette's leopard print vibrator twirling in circles on the table.  And we were completely at home.  Treated as if we belonged there.  Where else can you order pork chops, silver dollar pancakes and a milkshake with a leopard vibrator in your hand at 3am without mention of calling the cops?

I have driven by the Majestic in the afternoon to see it full of older nicely dressed ladies filling the tables, completely unaware of the "colorful" characters that were sitting in those very seats the night before.

My friend David tells a story that in 1998 the sign was taken down for repairs, after which the repair guy skipped town.  Apparently the Majestic was without its famous headdress until 2007.  Is this true?  How could I have missed this?  In my head, the Lady Majestic has never been undressed.

In January 2011, the folks of the blog set out to do a film project called "Ours On Ponce" where we spent the entire night until sunrise on Ponce de Leon Avenue (posts from this extravaganza are forthcoming).  Of course, the Majestic was at the top of the list and we found ourselves there at 5am.  Like so many others, we found refuge there after all the bars had closed.  The point being that, especially late at night the Majestic sign is indeed a beacon of refuge;  The dear and patient souls who work at the Majestic put out the welcome mat for just about everyone.

We left with this sketch from a local caricature artist:

The folks from Ours on Ponce at the Majestic 

Me and some scary character. 

Still awake at 5am, well Brittany was at least.

A funny video from 1989 of some Drag Queens excited to visit to the Majestic again.