Varners Restaurant & Tavern — Restaurant in Smyrna

This place is going straight downhill. Been ordering food from this place for years and it’s just getting worse. The lemon pepper wings haven’t been seasoned at all the last 6 times I’ve ordered them ( I keep ordering them in hopes they would be right eventually ). I mean come on it’s a bar! How can you not even make lemon pepper wings properly!? Its called seasoning not just hydrogenated soybean butter flavoring!? Use it! They are just gross with just the oil and a dash of seasoning... It’s metro Atlanta for god sakes Atlanta is the home of lemon pepper wings! Obviously whomever trains the kitchen staff needs to be replaced because that’s just shameful. Not to mention these last wings I got were some of the worst quality wings I have ever seen in a restaurant. Mostly broken bones and black meat which is a sure sign that they have lowered their standards when it comes to purchasing wings ( makes you wonder what else they cheap out on ). And they obviously had been frozen thawed and refrozen due to the skin being freezer burnt and scaly looking. Asked for crispy and they were not even close the skin was still flabby. It’s a sad day when you can’t even make wings properly. I will not eat here for sometime after this last experience. But you can see from the other reviews that this places kitchen leader cares not about the quality of what comes from their kitchen. Good luck Varners! There are many better establishments popping up around you everyday. You are either going to either step up or step out. Alcohol will not keep you open forever. Keep in mind this was JUST a review of their wings. If the wings ( which are one of the simplest things to make ) are this bad imagine their other food. Hopefully we see some changes soon. Because this is just sad. Not to mention every other week they are “hiring cooks”... maybe if you spent the money to get people in there that actually took pride in their work and not just any bum off the street for minimum wage you might see some actually quality coming from the kitchen. But who cares about us right? We’re just...

Look, if Smyrna ever constructs a Mount Rushmore of cultural landmarks, Varners will be the entire mountain—carved lovingly out of brick and illuminated by neon Bud Light signs. This place isn’t just a restaurant; it’s the Mecca of Smyrna. (Seriously, I’m pretty sure all city roads subconsciously slope toward its front door.) Someone call the National Park Service and slap a historical‑site plaque on the sign already.

Décor. Imagine your eccentric uncle’s basement—if your uncle collected decades of sports memorabilia, Christmas lights, and unidentifiable bar stickers. That’s Varner’s ambience: dim, cozy, and perfect for whispering to your beer, “I choose you.”

Cuisine (yes, cuisine).

Captain Charlie’s Wings: So criminally addictive the DEA is probably investigating the sauce. Order them with fries and a side of ranch, then question every life choice that led you to think celery was an acceptable side.

Nachos: A glorious Everest of chips, cheese and toppings that could feed a small village—or one determined sports fan during overtime.

Community. I walked in a stranger; I walked out with lifelong friends, a pool rivalry, and at least three people promising to attend my future wedding (date TBD, details fuzzy). Varners' social gravity is that strong: strangers become barstool philosophers, and barstool philosophers become family—especially after the second bucket of beers.

Entertainment. Whether it’s Trivia Night, karaoke, or the TV marathon of games you suddenly care deeply about, good times are basically on tap.

Final Verdict. This is the hang out spot for Smyrna. Bring friends; you’ll leave with more. And remember: historic landmarks aren’t always marble monuments. It’s the sort of setting where a stranger will gladly slide over to make room, and the bartender remembers your name on visit number two. I will always love...

My wife went here in lieu of Chick-Fil-A since it was closer to our house. Boy was that a mistake. Even though she was literally the only customer in the dining area, it took 10 minutes to get a server to the table, 30 minutes for our food after ordering, and another 15 minutes to get the check once she asked for it. She was there for over an 1-1/2 hours with a 3-year old and 1-year old at dinner time. The toddler spilled his drink and the 1-year old spit up and the server (or anyone else for that matter) was nowhere to be found. My wife ended up just getting what she needed on her own from the server station. Talk about hell.

When asked if could substitute mac-n-cheese for the fries on the kids menu was told we could -- but was up-charged $4 for the mac-n-cheese (and never got fries). When we questioned the up-charge given what we were told by the server, the manager came out and argued with my wife; appeared annoyed instead of apologetic and certainly never recognized the difficulty of a mother eating out with a toddler and 1-year old for almost 2 hours.

Also, the burger was over-cooked, the fries were cold, and never got drink refills. They had $4.95 burger night, but only if you ordered a drink -- which was just under $3! So, you ended up saving all of $0.49 with the deal! Talk about shady.

Unfortunately, this restaurant will never get another dime of my money. I will likewise inform my friends of our experience. I don't want restaurants with careless customer service in...