The Real Chow Baby

(404) 815-4900

1016 Howell Mill Rd Ste A (11th Street NW)
Atlanta, GA 30318 33.782602 -84.411568

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Neighborhoods: Home Park, Northeast, Northeast

THEREALCHOWBABY.COM

Hours:

Monday-Thursday 11am-10pm

Friday 11am-11pm

Saturday 12pm-11pm

Sunday 12pm-10pm

Price:

$

Last updated 10.15.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Visa, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, Buffet, Group Dining, Cheap Eats

Cuisine:

Pan-Asian & Pacific Rim, Traditional American, Noodle Shop

Smoking Permitted:

No

What People Are Saying About The Real Chow Baby

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – DIY stir-fry's universal appeal spreads to west Midtown. The sleek loft space, in the bottom of stylish apartments on Howell Mill, attracts Atlantans of all stripes: parents with toddlers in tow, first-date types nervously sipping specialty cocktails, good-looking 20-somethings as far as the eye can see. The stir-fry line, a buffet of raw ingredients from rice and snow peas to coconut curry sauce and fresh shrimp, moves surprisingly quickly, even with a large crowd. – – The Food – Patrons line up, pile ingredients in a bowl, then hand it off. A cook…

Editor's Tips

Know Before You Go:
Not to worry--if your first attempt at a culinary masterpiece falls flat, you can go back for a second try. And a third. It's all-you-can-eat.
What to Drink:
Chow Baby has a great selection of specialty drinks and martinis. Try a Moscow Mule, a Part Time Lover or a Frozen Honey Colada.
ambiance
85.95999717712402% positive
  1. My boyfriend and I ate here on a Friday night and we had a great experience- our server was sweet and attentive, the food was fun to make.
  2. The staff is very pleasant and the ambiance is great.
  3. The atmosphere was great, the food was great, and the service was the best I've had in the past 10 years.
  4. The concept for Chow Baby, though not by any means novel, is a good model for a fun restaurant.
  5. had been to Mongolian BBQ's in Guam and Japan, and truly missed the fun I used to have, but Chow Baby brought back some good memories and made my experience just as enjoyable.
  6. Not only are you able to create "YOUR OWN" meal with your favorite foods, but the atmosphere and service make the restaurant out of this world.
  7. We all love the food, the waitstaff and the location.
  8. It has a good vibe and when it's crowded, it's very crowded, so if you want a soft romantic dinner you might want to go elsewhere.
  9. The Food and atmosphere was great also.
  10. good food, mediocre service and atmosphere
  11. The atmosphere feels hip and stylish but the prices are very reasonable.
  12. The restaurant was beautiful inside, I love modern decor, but more importantly, the food was delicious.
  13. It is a good atmosphere for a first date, and does not cost a lot even though it seems like it would!
  14. love the atmosphere.
  15. The service is always great and the place just has a fun vibe.
  16. The trendiness of the locale and decor is not enough to overcome the poor service, the loud dining room, uneven quality of the cooked food (sometimes cooked well, sometimes not).
  17. hot stir-fry in 95 degrees is not fun at all.
  18. The atmosphere is high energy, trendy and modern with fast paced music and a friendly staff and (gasp...)
  19. The ambience is uber-trendy, the service is prompt, the servers are super friendly and always helpful, and the food is unbeatable.
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. Excellent services, friendly & helpful staffs, cheaper $6.95 for lunch, $8.95 dinner, kid is $4.95 with soup & dessert included.
drinks
71.4300012588501% positive
  1. The hostess wouldn't let my husband and I sit down at a table because we were waiting for two more people even though we wanted to order drinks and appetizers and the restaurant was almost empty.
  2. Problem #1 In a half full restaurant with plenty of available tables we were ushered to a bar table (elevated with Bar stools).
  3. It is a classy, and trndy restaurant with high quality food, and excellent mixed drinks.
  4. The drinks are cheap, my martini was $6 and the create-your-own stir-fry was reasonable as well at $11.99.
  5. Plus it has a full bar
  6. first you have to assemble all your food (which is about the quality of a bad super market salad bar) then some guy just dumps it on a habachi.
  7. From walking me through the amazing "make your own stir-fry" experience to making helpful suggestions with the drink menu, It was really great.
  8. good accompaniment to all of this is one of a half dozen Asian beers, or for a real kick, try a Sake Mojito.
  9. fabulous drink!
  10. It was our first time and Don went with us to the bar and help us through the line it was a bit overwhelming at fist but he mad it look and sound so easy.
  11. love the nutrional information printed on the wall for the different sauces, and the choices on the food bar are outstanding.
  12. The bartender's are friendly, the drinks are good, and portions reasonable (no the bowl doesn't look very big.
  13. The food was delicious and came out promptly, but my drink was a little on the weak side.
  14. The Stir Fry bar is unique, packed with fresh vegetables from all over the world as well as a great selection of sauces, most of which I hear are made from scratch.
food quality
90.86000442504883% positive
  1. Similar concept with all fresh ingredients.
  2. love the food its always very clean never have to wait for a table!
  3. The restaurant was beautiful inside, I love modern decor, but more importantly, the food was delicious.
  4. The bright spot is the small platesl, quite tasty, and the outdoor seating.
  5. love the nutrional information printed on the wall for the different sauces, and the choices on the food bar are outstanding.
  6. The food was really quite tasty and such an active unique idea for a dinner or meal.
  7. The ambience is uber-trendy, the service is prompt, the servers are super friendly and always helpful, and the food is unbeatable.
  8. love the food here.
  9. first you have to assemble all your food (which is about the quality of a bad super market salad bar) then some guy just dumps it on a habachi.
  10. Not only is the food great, but they seem to truly value each and every customer.
  11. The Real Chow Baby is a breath of fresh air amid the "been there, done that" eateries that litter Atlanta.
  12. Great food, good size portions, worth the money.
  13. The service was great and food was D-Licious :-).
  14. The food is fresh and you can havie any way you want it.
  15. Not only are you able to create "YOUR OWN" meal with your favorite foods, but the atmosphere and service make the restaurant out of this world.
  16. good food and good value
  17. There are a number of options to choose from and there's no reason to not like the food when you custom design your entree.
  18. Hip, Unique, Fun place to go, and great food!
  19. felt like I was in a lounge of a club with my friends eating amazing food.
  20. reasonable price if you wanna eat stirfry beef/chicken unlimited.
  21. The fresh ingredients and variety of sauces make for a new experience every time I go.
  22. The food is excellent, and the service that I've experienced has been extrememly friendly and helpful.
  23. The food was delicious and came out promptly, but my drink was a little on the weak side.
  24. The food is great!
  25. It is a classy, and trndy restaurant with high quality food, and excellent mixed drinks.
  26. really love all the fresh ingredients and options provided at Chow Baby.
  27. Unlike some who think the "mongolian bbq" is past it's prime, the spot is pretty nice.
  28. We all love the food, the waitstaff and the location.
  29. The service and the food was outstanding.
  30. If you don't like poor services, loud music, burned food at Chow Baby, try HOT BOWL in Roswell.
  31. returned several times for lunch and each time the food is always refreshing.
  32. good food, mediocre service and atmosphere
  33. This was a humiliating experience, the food was not very good, and the prices are outrageous for what you get.
  34. This place is amazing, food quality is the biggest problem with most restaurants that I've been to, some are swanky some are great deals, some offer quirky meals, but in the end when you place that anticipated first bite in your mouth, many of them just d
  35. however, the food was good and cheap, especially for all-you-can-eat.
  36. Everything is fresh.
  37. The atmosphere was great, the food was great, and the service was the best I've had in the past 10 years.
  38. The food is really good and large portions.
  39. With the two types of rice to the different noodles and all the fresh veggies,
  40. The Real Chow Baby in West Midtown is a fabulous place to eat Asian food, whether it's a lunch meeting or a late evening Stir Fry craving.
  41. The food is good and plenty and you can make your own dishes.
  42. also love the fact that they started serving fresh tuna and swordfish.
  43. And, it is not nasty buffet food; this is fresh veggies, pasta, rice, sauces and
  44. The food is superb!
  45. The trendiness of the locale and decor is not enough to overcome the poor service, the loud dining room, uneven quality of the cooked food (sometimes cooked well, sometimes not).
  46. Cool place, great food and value
  47. The Stir Fry bar is unique, packed with fresh vegetables from all over the world as well as a great selection of sauces, most of which I hear are made from scratch.
  48. It is a smart little place with great food!
  49. If going to a crowded place because you heard it was hip and getting food you could easily cook yourself is your idea of a great dining experince then this is the place for you.
  50. Everyone loved the food AND it's all-you-can-eat.
  51. While I think that it is odd to go out and pay to have to create your own meal (I thought that a major component of eating out was having the benefit of a chef prepare your food) I did enjoy this place and will go back.
  52. The vegetables were always fresh.
  53. meats/fish. It was absolutely a great experience.
  54. convinced some friends to go, and the food was good.
  55. Great food and nice place.
  56. It is sometimes very difficult to dine where the service is great the energy is high and the food compliments it all.
  57. good value for meat!
  58. My boyfriend and I ate here on a Friday night and we had a great experience- our server was sweet and attentive, the food was fun to make.
  59. loved this restaurant because of the idea that you have a hand in actually making your dishes.
  60. Excellent services, friendly & helpful staffs, cheaper $6.95 for lunch, $8.95 dinner, kid is $4.95 with soup & dessert included.
  61. The appetizers we tried were really good and great portions (steamed dumplings and egg rolls).
  62. The first time I just ate fresh vegetables.
menu variety
87.5% positive
  1. It was my first time dining there and the server was helpful in explaining the different options and warning me against certain novice errors.
  2. There are a number of options to choose from and there's no reason to not like the food when you custom design your entree.
  3. really love all the fresh ingredients and options provided at Chow Baby.
  4. love the nutrional information printed on the wall for the different sauces, and the choices on the food bar are outstanding.
  5. The fresh ingredients and variety of sauces make for a new experience every time I go.
  6. The Stir Fry bar is unique, packed with fresh vegetables from all over the world as well as a great selection of sauces, most of which I hear are made from scratch.
  7. From walking me through the amazing "make your own stir-fry" experience to making helpful suggestions with the drink menu, It was really great.
  8. There is a huge menu and ingredients list to look at; you're surprised how quick it moves.
overall
85.71000099182129% positive
  1. Great food and nice place.
  2. Not only are you able to create "YOUR OWN" meal with your favorite foods, but the atmosphere and service make the restaurant out of this world.
  3. This place is amazing, food quality is the biggest problem with most restaurants that I've been to, some are swanky some are great deals, some offer quirky meals, but in the end when you place that anticipated first bite in your mouth, many of them just d
  4. The Real Chow Baby is now my favorite restaurant!
  5. If going to a crowded place because you heard it was hip and getting food you could easily cook yourself is your idea of a great dining experince then this is the place for you.
  6. Probably not a good place for a first date, considering what a buffet can do to your stomach.
  7. The service is always great and the place just has a fun vibe.
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. While I think that it is odd to go out and pay to have to create your own meal (I thought that a major component of eating out was having the benefit of a chef prepare your food) I did enjoy this place and will go back.
  2. will definetely be back and sitting in JES section( it was either JES or JEN, I believe JES) she was awesome as well as the manager that was on duty that night we closed the place down :-) Great place for friends hanging out, first date, old date whatev
service
81.97999954223633% positive
  1. Not only are you able to create "YOUR OWN" meal with your favorite foods, but the atmosphere and service make the restaurant out of this world.
  2. It is sometimes very difficult to dine where the service is great the energy is high and the food compliments it all.
  3. As soon as you enter the doors, youre immediately greeted by a friendly staff and taken promptly to your table.
  4. It was my first time dining there and the server was helpful in explaining the different options and warning me against certain novice errors.
  5. There were 17 people total and the server was attentive to everyone equally.
  6. And we had a fabulous server named Jackie, very knowledgeble, especially about saki!
  7. The service was fantastic!
  8. will definetely be back and sitting in JES section( it was either JES or JEN, I believe JES) she was awesome as well as the manager that was on duty that night we closed the place down :-) Great place for friends hanging out, first date, old date whatev
  9. The bartender's are friendly, the drinks are good, and portions reasonable (no the bowl doesn't look very big.
  10. The service was great and food was D-Licious :-).
  11. This whole scene is full of fake people who want to be seen, and depending on the size of your party, you could be told of 60-90 minute wait times just to get inside, get a table then stand in line for another 30 minutes.
  12. The atmosphere is high energy, trendy and modern with fast paced music and a friendly staff and (gasp...)
  13. Very intimidating at first as I was very casually dressed (shorts and flip flops) but the server was very cool and friendly.
  14. The food is excellent, and the service that I've experienced has been extrememly friendly and helpful.
  15. The staff is very pleasant and the ambiance is great.
  16. The Bar is painfully small, the service was quite possibly the worst I have ever had to endure, and the stir fry was overcooked and dry.
  17. The hostess was rude and hostile.
  18. have eaten at Chow Baby at least 5 times, and have ALWAYS had great service!
  19. My boyfriend and I ate here on a Friday night and we had a great experience- our server was sweet and attentive, the food was fun to make.
  20. We were promptly seated and had a wonderful waitress named Chrystal.
  21. Also customer service is great!
  22. good food, mediocre service and atmosphere
  23. The service is always great and the place just has a fun vibe.
  24. The hostess wouldn't let my husband and I sit down at a table because we were waiting for two more people even though we wanted to order drinks and appetizers and the restaurant was almost empty.
  25. The service and the food was outstanding.
  26. Fantastic service!
  27. however, the wait took way longer than necessary, as there were a ton of seats open, and the service was fairly bad.
  28. Our waitress was not friendly at all, brought our waters late, and we had to chase her down several times because she neglected our table.
  29. The atmosphere was great, the food was great, and the service was the best I've had in the past 10 years.
  30. The trendiness of the locale and decor is not enough to overcome the poor service, the loud dining room, uneven quality of the cooked food (sometimes cooked well, sometimes not).
  31. My server Allie was great, taking care of my every need.
  32. had very good service the first time I went, but it has been very spotty since.
  33. The ambience is uber-trendy, the service is prompt, the servers are super friendly and always helpful, and the food is unbeatable.
  34. Place was packed and full of "beautiful" people you might see in a night club on CSI: Miami.
  35. The servings are huge and the service is great!
  36. Excellent services, friendly & helpful staffs, cheaper $6.95 for lunch, $8.95 dinner, kid is $4.95 with soup & dessert included.
  37. The Manager Carolyn was really helpful and our server Don was AWESOME!
value
95.45000076293945% positive
  1. The bartender's are friendly, the drinks are good, and portions reasonable (no the bowl doesn't look very big.
  2. however, the food was good and cheap, especially for all-you-can-eat.
  3. The appetizers we tried were really good and great portions (steamed dumplings and egg rolls).
  4. The price is great so whether you come for lunch or dinner, you always get a great deal.
  5. The drinks are cheap, my martini was $6 and the create-your-own stir-fry was reasonable as well at $11.99.
  6. This was a humiliating experience, the food was not very good, and the prices are outrageous for what you get.
  7. Great value, and relatively inexpensive!
  8. good food and good value
  9. If your looking for a great all-you-care-to-eat with great price, The Real Chow Baby is where you should go.
  10. If you have a big appetite it is a good value.
  11. The servings are huge and the service is great!
  12. good value for meat!
  13. Great food, good size portions, worth the money.
  14. Great price - great taste!
  15. reasonable price if you wanna eat stirfry beef/chicken unlimited.
  16. There is a huge menu and ingredients list to look at; you're surprised how quick it moves.
  17. The atmosphere feels hip and stylish but the prices are very reasonable.
  18. Cool place, great food and value
  19. Not only is the food great, but they seem to truly value each and every customer.
  20. The place is always clean and worth the wait(only had to wait once, a Friday night).
  21. This place is amazing, food quality is the biggest problem with most restaurants that I've been to, some are swanky some are great deals, some offer quirky meals, but in the end when you place that anticipated first bite in your mouth, many of them just d
  22. The food is really good and large portions.
wait time
33.3299994468689% positive
  1. This whole scene is full of fake people who want to be seen, and depending on the size of your party, you could be told of 60-90 minute wait times just to get inside, get a table then stand in line for another 30 minutes.
  2. There is a huge menu and ingredients list to look at; you're surprised how quick it moves.
  3. Best on a very slow weeknight only
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

10/21/11

Date Night!

by Atlanta Restaurant Market

Chow Baby now has date night on Thursday nights! 1 appetizer, 2 stir fry's and 1 dessert for $30. The stir fry is unlimited trips so you can fill up! $30 is a great deal for 2 people eating out!

4 Star Rating: Recommended

10/02/11

Wow :)

by MarkKrickus

This place is great! I read some of the reviews and was skeptical... but, WOW! Great food at a great price :) I'm from DC, and I know everyone there would LOVE to have a place this reasonable. I tried Ghengis Grill and hated it. This is much better.

To be honest, everytime I visit Atlanta I'm amazed at the stupid things Georgians complain about. Reality check people: Dinner is only $12 for all you can eat! Why are you expecting Ritz Carlton treatment? And, yes, you do have to pay for parking in the city... so, free valet at any restaurant like this one is worth waiting for!

Pros: Fresh, healthy food and fun place for a date

Cons: Impatient clientelle and limited patio seating

2 Star Rating: Below Average

10/01/11

bad customer service

by cchat555

We met friends we have seen in years with their children for dinner. The meal was good especially since were with children everyone was satisfied because they were able to create their meal.

After we paid for our meal and was having meaningful conversation. The manager kept coming to our table without even saying excuse me to get empty glasses, refill the soy sauce, etc. There was no one on line there were not customers waiting to be seated it was 9:30 p.m. the children were well behaved. The manager Wes then appeared with broom and started sweeping around us. We paid our bill at 9:05 p.m. (we were not eating just catching up on each others lives).

A few minutes later Wes came to the table and said " we are going to have to ask you leave we have a couple waiting" and clapped his hands. I walked around the restaurant and there were empty tables for large and small parties. This was rude and waitress service was less than attentive. Although, the food was good I will never go back because of the way we were treated.

2 Star Rating: Below Average

03/24/11

Don't Bother

by alex9014

Went there on a recommendation from a friend. Got there and parked across the street at the building material recycling place ($2.00). I ws not impressed with the neighborHOOD. Got it no problem after the wait staff explained the concept, we joined the line to get started. It is a build you own stir fry, the problem is that people are undeceive and this make it somewhat of a pain to get thru the line. The food was OK (had worse). as for value for $$$ not bad 12.99 less drinks.

The service was marginal at best.

Overall I would not go back, was not impressed.

3 Star Rating: Average

02/28/11

Um...what happened?

by d09m

I have been going to the real chow baby since 2005, so probably since it opened. When I first went it was a great time, and it was always nicely filled, but not crazy packed. But then of course people got wind of it, and by 2008 it was stupid packed for dinner. Thusly, I would not recommend going on a Sunday, because that after Church crown makes sure there's no breathing room in the restaurant.

The food is really good even though I always make the same bowl. Chow baby use to be really unique, and you could make it a wrap or a soup, but now the soup option is gone and the wrap is extra.

Lastly, I want to add that sometimes certain selections aren't available (like in my experience the Calamari) so if you are going there make sure they have your meat at the end of the line so that you know whether you even want to eat there or not.

Good luck! Oh and try Genghis grill, they have a great location in Buford and are opening one in a few days in Buckhead...I'm so excited!!

The Details on The Real Chow Baby

Place Categories:

  • great buffet food
  • great place
  • great customer service
  • helpful server
  • great dining experience
  • great atmosphere
  • truly enjoyed chow baby restaurant
  • fabulous drinks
  • great price
  • good size portions
  • poor service
  • friendly staff
  • really love options
  • amazing everything
  • really enjoy chow baby
  • fresh vegetables
  • big bowl
  • portions reasonable bartender
  • wonderful waitress
  • good cook
  • rude hostess
  • clean wait
  • pretty nice spot
  • good value
  • fresh quality ingredients

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