DINING | survivalguide

Dining Halls

Woodruff:
Hours: 7AM-2AM, Monday-Thursday
7AM-10PM, Friday
10AM-10PM, Saturday
10AM-2AM, Sunday
Overview: If you’re living on West Campus, chances are that you’ll be eating plenty of meals at Woody’s. The quality of food is erratic - it’s pretty much indistinguishable from North Ave and Brittain food on some days, and it’s markedly worse on others - but it’s still a significant improvement on high school cafeteria fare, if that makes you feel any better.
Highlights: The fried chicken is pretty incredible; it isn’t served every day, but when it’s on the menu, you want to be there. The omelet station offers plenty of options, although the reviews are mixed. And nearly every dish from the ‘exhibition cooking’ station (on the near left as you enter) is worth trying. The desserts at Woody’s are comparable to those anywhere else on campus.
Warnings: Woody’s has staggered meal hours. Lunch, for example, starts at two o’clock on weekends, so don’t go at 1 pm expecting a sandwich and fries. There’s a lull in the middle of the afternoon, as well. The salad bar is a little anemic, and the grilled cheese sandwich lacks in flavor. Woody’s is also the only dining hall without a cappuccino machine - stick to dark roast.
Brittain:
Hours: 7AM-8PM, M
Monday-Thursday,
7AM-3PM, Friday
Closed, Saturday
4PM-8PM, Sunday
Overview: Brittain has a legitimate claim to the title of best Georgia Tech community restaurant (aka dining hall), thanks in large part to its burgers and burritos. It’s conveniently located near Bobby Dodd and a stone’s throw away from most East Campus freshman dorms. It also offers a to-go option for students trying to get a quick bite in between classes or on the way to a club meeting.
Highlights: The aforementioned burritos and burgers. The former is especially praiseworthy - it’s made to order, comes with a variety of toppings, and is generously filled. It’s comparable to (or better than) what you’ll find at fast food Mexican restaurants (yes, that includes you, Chipotle.) The ambience is also really unique - eating at Brittain is like eating in a castle, from the elegant facade to the high ceilings.
Warnings: As mentioned above, Brittain is closed on Saturdays and has shortened hours on Fridays and Sundays. This isn’t a huge deal, though - North Ave is just down the street. The line for the burrito station gets long during peak hours, so you might want to go a bit before or a bit after that to get your food in a timely manner. Also, you’re only allowed to get the to-go option once per day.
North Ave:
Hours: 7AM-2AM, Monday-Thursday
7AM-10PM, Friday
10AM-10PM, Saturday
10AM-2AM, Sunday
Overview: With its quality food and modern-concept dining space, North Ave is a great place to get food after a football game, facilitate a meeting, or just spend a few hours watching traffic (and the infamous Varsity parking lot), if that’s your idea of a fun time. The food doesn’t change too much from day to day, but that’s also an advantage - nothing says ‘reliable’ quite like North Ave.
Highlights: If you don’t see something that you want, don’t be afraid to ask! As long as they aren’t swamped with a lunch/dinner rush, the staff at the deli and grill sections are happy to make you special order sandwiches and burgers. Just ask politely. The pizza’s great, especially when it comes fresh out of the oven. The wok station is also popular (and unique to North Ave). You won’t get onion rings every day, but they’re worth a try.
Warnings: There’s little to gripe about here. The veggie burgers can be a bit inconsistent - it depends on who’s making them. Otherwise, nothing to pick on.